You may have noticed, I have a thing for pink. Not so much the bold, hot pink that once framed my teenage-bedroom walls, (cringe) but the soft, feminine notes of a blush or strawberry tone. & that shows in my lipstick shade choices. Sure, I love a good berry or red, but I feel things truly shine in a good old fashioned, Reese Witherspoon-esque pink.

Over the years I've found a few ride-or-die lippies that stand the test of times, & today I'm sharing some PINKS. SEO says I should be writing A LOT more under each description, but there are only so many ways you can drone on about a single lip product. So without boring you to death, let's dive in:

NYX SUMMER BREEZE

This color is such a subtle, pretty tone. It could even be known as the perfect pink: not too bright, not too light, but just so. I think there's a reason for its name; it's light & breezy, just like a summer day. Ooor maybe I'm getting too deep in the similes. THIS ISN'T ENGLISH CLASS. Nevertheless, I'm a fan.

NYX STRAWBERRY MILK

So pale it's nearly a nude, this one is for when you want something even more subdued than summer breeze. It looks especially pretty paired with darker eyeshadow or outfit. CONTRAST.

MAYBELLINE PINK N CHIC

Aside from the rather cheesy name, this is probably my favorite pink lip I've ever worn. It's an oldie but a goodie. It's a pop of matte pink without being so overpowering you don't know what to do with yourself. It's pretty much universally flattering and, well, chic. Okay, so maybe it lives up to its name. Who knew?

xo,

kae

Lip Color Mixing

I've been feeling like a bit of a lip mixologist. A lipologist, if you will. Okay, so I've only concocted one creation. But we all gotta start somewhere, am I right? Do't worry, I've tested this out before intoxicating you with it. (ok Kaeleen, enough with the alcohol jokes)
I've never been too much on the neutral lip trend, especially once Kylie started happening. (I'm just not a fan) I tend to go either dark or bright, but nothing really in the middle. BUT I recently bought NYX's liquid suede lipstick in Tea & Cookies and decided it was the PERFECT matte neutral. It's got the slightest pinkish tint to it, (because pink IS a neutral) so I thought I'd try it over a coat of elf's Dash of Pink. (also matte, also pink)

My routine:  + Start with Rimmel's transparent lipliner- helps the color stay! + One coat of elf + One coat of NYX
Three steps. That's literally all it takes for a chic pinkish nude.
Cool, right?

{choker found here}

I kinda like this color mixing thing... if you need me, I'll just be testing out all the possibilities EVER!
Have you ever tried "lipology"? 
xo,

Best Drugstore Lipsticks For Spring & Summer

A good lipstick is key to confidence and at least looking like you have your life together (JK. But really.) and as soon as March hits you'll find me reaching for my brighter, pink-y toned lippies. (why is that such a weird word to say in a sentence) Maybe it's a southern thing? (Reese Witherspoon taught us well)

Anyway, I'm all for splurging on high end, but my favorite lip colors always end up being drugstore. SO I've rounded up five of my picks for best spring/ summer colors:

Let's start with a couple of NYX colors: I first tried out Summer Breeze last year and it quickly became a favorite. Its matte finish leaves a fresh pop of pink, without being too overpowering. Strawberry Milk is a lighter tone, but the brightness factor is upped, along with pigmentation. This whole color screams spring, am I right? PS NYX staying power= magic.

Two of my favorite Maybelline colors for the warmer months are Faint For Fuchsia and Shocking Coral. The fuchsia is such a great bright pink that makes anything pop. It's a nice pigment and of course I love the creamy matte finish. Shocking coral is a sharp pink made for days spent poolside, or to instantly brighten up any outfit. The staying power on pretty much all Maybelline lipsticks are always great, as well.

And then we have elf's Dash of Pink, a rich matte "red pink" tone that's perfect for when you need a color that says "I definitely didn't wake up late today." It's subtle yet gets the point across and while you may need to reapply a couple times throughout the day, its pigmentation is a good one.

OK, time to tell me your picks! Do you swap out your lipsticks with the seasons or are you more of a "anytime, all the time"? xo,

Maybelline Color Sensational's Faint for Fushia

One of my finds on a recent Target haul was a Maybelline lip color that's perfect for spring/ summer.

And it's matte!

Sold.

The shade is in fushia, but it's one of those fushias that isn't too bright or loud. I absolutely adore it, as well as the way it glides on and stays aaaaalllll day. 

Seriously. Go ahead and eat and drink and whatever. No worries..... your fushia will still be there bright as ever.

Matte is where it's at (new catchphrase?) and I'm totally in love with the feel and look of this lipstick.

Go out and get ya some!

P.S. Not sponsored, just love.

Four Steps to the Perfect Red Lip

Today I'm filling you in on my "perfect red lip" routine. 

It's simple, easy, and only four steps! 

1// Moisturize

Adding some balm first keeps the lips from getting dry or cracked.

2// Line 

I'm not a lip liner person, but I love transparent liner that helps keep color stay put. I just line like you would normally and bam, time for the next step.

3// Add color

This is the fun part. Go in with the red of your choice (today mine is Rimmel Moisture Renew As You Want Victoria)

4// Blot

Don't forget this step! It ensures excess color is removed and gives things a bit of a matte look.

And you're good to go!

Fill me in on your red techniques! What's your go-to red lipstick?

My holy grail of lipsticks

I'm always on the hunt for good lipsticks. Rimmel is one of my favorite brands and Zoella has talked about Kate Moss 107 a lot. It's a darker berry color that's perfect for this time of year, so obviously I needed it.

I had been looking for it for awhile, but they always seemed to be out of it until I went to Target and there it was, staring me in the face. I'm pretty sure the Hallelujah chorus could've been playing because that's what it feels like everytime I put this lipstick on. Seriously.  

I don't know if I'll even need another lipstick for a really long time. I never thought I'd say that.

My favorite... lipsticks

L'oreal Colour Riche in 179 Cherry Tulle

Maybelline Color Sensational in 615 Summer Sunset

Revlon Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stain in 030 Smitten

Maybelline Color Sensational in 870 Shocking Coral

I'm a bit of a lipstick hoarder. I can't help myself. The concept of putting all kindsa different pretty colors on your lips make me swoon a little bit. Even with all the different lipsticks I own, I still have a few that are the "go to" and I thought I'd share them with you!

Colour Riche: This is my most recent lipstick purchase and I must say I kind of love it. It's one of those "in the middle" reds; not too bright and not too dark and the perfect mix of flirty and sophisticated. The color glides on very smoothly and lasts quite awhile.

Color Sensational: Maybelline is no doubt one of my favorite makeup brands {they didn't pay me to say this, promise!} and there's a reason why two of their colors are on the list. I keep Summer Sunset on my dresser, ready for me to swipe on as I'm getting ready to go somewhere. It's perfect for simple things like errands, but you can also use it as a statement when you need to and I love that. The one on the far right, Shocking Coral, may look a little "worn in," because I wear it a lot. It's definitely shocking coral, so it's more of a summer color. {it's getting a lot of use these days} I think the thing I like most about this color is how long lasting it is. Sometimes I'll forget I'm even wearing it and then I look in the mirror and what do you know, it's still there. If you're looking for a long lasting bright, this is it.

Just Bitten: This lipstick is different for me, as it's the only balm stain I own. This one stays tucked away in my purse, because it's perfect for "touching up." It's smooth and pretty. Plus it smells like mint, so you can't go wrong there.

What are your favorite lipsticks?