ColourPop Majorly Changed My Life–and In Honor of National Lipstick Day, I’ll Explain Why

My love affair with bold lipstick has existed for years.

Kat Von D has a slew of vibrant orange hues that over time have made their way to my lips prior to any big (or small, for that matter) occasion.

When it comes to pink, nothing used to compare to Nars' Schiap. And should I leave that go-to in the wrong handbag, Tarte's Tarteist creamy matte lip paint in Selfish always managed to come through in the clutch (albeit its use requires a few extra hand-washes and some extra scrubbing off the seats in my car).

(Me taking a bright-lipped selfie in Mexico, wearing Nars' Schiap)

But it was the weekend of April 15 (Coachella weekend one, to be exact) that lipstick became more than just a flamboyant facial adornment–it became a life-changer.

I was at the Revolve Desert House, which hosted one of the many Coachella-themed day parties that weekend, and guests were gifted a slew of swag. Among the goodies–which ranged from personalized flower crowns to Birchboxes–was a collection of ColourPop Lippie Stix varying in shades. I didn't think much of this as I piled all of the free stuff into a huge bag. And quite frankly, I had little interest in some complimentary lipstick I'd never heard of that I swooped up at an event–after all, I was loyal to the brands and shades I regularly wore.

But for some reason, when I headed straight from the party to the music festival and could only fit the bare minimum into my tiny little handbag, I decided that of everything, I wanted these little sticks to come with me, and I threw out the rest of the stuff.

How I managed not to lose the sticks in the midst of all of the dancing and frolicking through the fest is beyond me, but come Tuesday when it was back to work, those however many shades of ColourPop Lippies were front and center in my bedroom as I shabbily threw myself together (you know the post-festival look I'm talking about. Sigh). I didn't have time to rummage through all my packed belongings to hopefully find one of my dependable lip stains that would rescue me from an otherwise disheveled appearance, so I turned to the thin, white plastic containers of color in front me and grabbed the first shade that remotely caught my eye: an orange color called Topless matte X.

Quickly applying the color in-between red lights as I raced to the office (hair in bun, of course), I was immediately surprised with how smoothly I was able to apply the consistency. And unlike the brands I used previously, I didn't find myself nervously wiping all over my face, post-application.

Hmm, I thought. I just wonder how long this will stay on.

Lunch and a lot of coffee went by, and it was time for a quick lip touchup in the ladies room. But to my dismay, no touchup needed. Yes, that's right. The lipstick remained on. My low-key (for lack of a better word) look at work that day suddenly had a much-needed boost in the form a very unsuspecting product.

I still had my doubts. Maybe this one color is good, but what about all the rest? The sticks probably run out in no time, right? There's no way something like will last long. I'm sure the stick breaks off easily. So many thoughts!

(Another smiley selfie, courtesy of ColourPop's Topless matte X)

But luckily for me, I had plenty of ways to experiment. Because I also love a poppin' pink, I grabbed the Tickler matte X shade from my new ColourPop arsenal. And then, as time went on and my love for bold lips continued to grow, I began taking things to the next level. I started wearing truly bold shades that I never would have tried prior. These are raisin and deep mahogany colors–very dark. And the more I played around, the more I received compliments.

Suddenly, a ColourPop Lippie became my go-to, must-have, can't-leave-home-without, handbag inclusion. I started feeling naked without these beautiful pops of color. The added bonus on top of all else is that they are insanely affordable (we're talking $5 a Lippie, folks!). The packaging is tres basic (which is totally fine), but it likely gives way to spend more $ on the quality of the consistency.

My lips soon became my trademark. Whether I'm feeling casual, going to work or heading to a pool party, you can expect to see me in a fun shade of lipstick. These colors have given me confidence on days in which I may be feeling a lack thereof. They've become incredible icebreakers. People in line with me at the grocery store or holding a door for me at a restaurant are quick to notice these pops of color and compliment me on them.

I think in the grand scheme of things, the point here is finding that one thing that can bring you up when you're feeling down, or that one thing that makes you feel like the beautiful woman you deserve to feel like around the clock. For me, it's apparently lipstick. But there's a magical little something out there for everyone–sometimes it just takes a little experimentation and stepping out of your comfort zone.

If you had told me a year ago that I'd be wearing a shade of bordeaux on my lips, I would have laughed and said it's so not me. But now that I've given it a shot, I've realized to never say never when it comes to makeup and beauty and finding what works! Red lipstick, on the other hand? Still haven't made that happen. But a year from now? Who knows!

Happy National Lipstick Day, everyone! Be bold, be beautiful!

(A friend and me applying ColourPop shades Topless matte X [her] and Tickler matte X [me])

 

I definitely did not predict finding the lipstick line of my dreams at Coachella, but HERE are five things we knew would happen at the music fest this year!