First and foremost, THANK YOU to everyone for the kind words and well wishes on our pregnancy announcement. I have felt all of the love and support and cannot express enough gratitude for that. Now for today, on to some other things… Lipsense. Before you think to yourself – another Lipsense post – I want to tell you to wait and hear me out. I was you! I saw it all over social media and just wasn’t interested. After all, I didn’t wear too much lipstick and couldn’t get over the masses of Lipsense in any of my newsfeeds. Pass.

But… of course, if you follow me on Instagram, you know this came at a time when I’m trying to find my truer sense of style + feel more comfortable in my own skin (little lips and all), and when I wanted to experiment a little more with lipstick anyway.

One thing I love about social media is the connections we make and the way we can keep in touch (or at least keep up from afar) with friends who aren’t in our every day lives. My friend Natasha is just that. We were friends back in high school and lost touch along the way, but have always been the kind of friends who stick with each other on social media. It’s been so fun and beautiful to watch her journey through her life and now see her as a mother. Anytime I see her pictures I think, she looks so happy. (And she is!) Natasha currently stays home with her sweet littles but wears multiple hats. Like me, she likes to work + likes to stay busy. She is a total diva when it comes to wearing lipstick, so Lipsense was a natural fit for her, if I may say so. She reached out and wanted to gift me a starter kit for Mother’s Day and I so graciously accepted. What a thoughtful gesture!

My kit arrived in the cutest packaging with a sweet note from Natasha. I’ll save this for another day, I told myself. I was scared to try it. I don’t have the most luscious lips and was I really ready to experiment with this color?! I had a date night coming up so I figured it would be a better time to do so. I waited, finally read the directions and did a test the day before…just in case. I literally messaged Natasha in a panic when I couldn’t get the color off! Thankfully, she quickly responded and walked me through how to do so. Hooray, I wouldn’t have Berry lips forever!

You guys, I LOVE this stuff. I wore it the entire date night weekend because I figured, what’s cuter than a Berry lip with every weekend outfit? Maven never liked when I wore lipstick or gloss because if I kissed her (which I do a bajillion times a day) it would rub off of her cheek or leave a print, so to say she was fascinated may be an understatement. She wanted to try, but I refrained. I’ll save that for another day. ?

My Lipsense Experience & Tips:

• Clean your lips and dry them before applying.
• Apply in a large swipe across both lips rather than short strokes to fill in the color. I did have to go back to touch up areas that I didn’t reach in the swipe, but just did so lightly and it worked out just fine.
• Apply up to 3 coats for full color. Or less if you want a little less dramatic!
• Top with gloss (or it will be a little sticky). I have the Rose gloss and love the extra little color it adds to the top. Clear is also available.
• It does tingle a bit when you apply. The feeling goes away. Don’t worry ☺️
• To remove: Let the oops remover set on your lips for a minute or two and rub it in a bit before gently wiping away with a wet wash cloth. I did not let it sit for long enough, which is why I panicked and messaged Natasha.
• The next colors I want to get: Apple Cider, Pink Champagne and Aussie Rose… okay and maybe a few more too.

Here’s the thing — On that date night, I let go of the little lips self-criticism, I wore a flowy dress to hide my 11 week baby bump (after talking myself out of yoga pants) and felt like a million bucks. Let me save you from the mistake I made for years and listen to me now: LOVE YOURSELF THE WAY YOU ARE. I embraced time with my husband + friends on our night out and didn’t think about my insecurities. It’s so freeing if we just see ourselves as beautiful. Funny how a lipstick can help a sister out, right?

Alright, because I had such a great experience with my test, Natasha and I are teaming up to gift one of you lovely ladies a starter kit of your own. We want you to feel beautiful! The starter kit includes: a gloss, oops remover and a color of your selection (from her stock). This is going to be so fun! I know you will love it!

To enter: jump on over to Instagram and follow the directions on the giveaway post. We will announce the winner there too!

Good luck ladies! And please, reach out if you have questions or contact Natasha for more information. She’s a pro and so happy to help. Her Facebook group has all the colors and information too: Kiss and Make-Up by Natasha.

And in case you need the reminder: you’re more beautiful than you think. ❤️

XO