4 Beautiful, Bright Lip Colors Worth Obsessing Over This Spring

Springtime is on her way and I'm totally in love with the new(ish?) line of Vivid Matte Liquid color from Maybelline. While lip gloss has long been my first love, bright, saturated lip colors and stains and I have become fast friends. I think that's why I'm incredibly partial to this line... it goes on shiny like a gloss, gets satiny, then after some wear mattifies like a true stain. What I appreciate the most is that it doesn't seem to dry out the lips during and after wear like some mattes seem to do.   

I'd already been using and loving one of the colors from the fall/winter collection that you can check out here. However, when I caught a glimpse of these brights, I couldn't resist them. All of them. I'd been looking for replacements for my previous go-to drugstore faves from the Wet N Wild Fergie collection. And these babies, I'm convinced, are it. I'm sure there are a few more colors out there for me, but these four were the only ones in stock, so I grabbed them up immediately.      

This first color is Pink Charge, which I was slightly concerned would look a little too pale for my taste without the use of a lip pencil. However, it's the most neutral of the four I have, and it was the one I popped open immediately after leaving the store. I'm pretty sure this will be one of my go-to colors when I want to keep a low profile. I didn't use a pencil in any of the swatch photos here to show the true color-- but in the future I'll probably pair this particular one with a brown pencil.

A few notches up the color scale is Electric Pink. For some reason a smokey eye is calling out to me with this lip color. Although I seldom have an occasion for a smouldering look these days, I'm almost always in the mood for color, highlighter or bronzer and mascara. This is actually one of my signature looks when I want to appear like I put some effort into my look for the day. I don't know about anyone else, but there's something about winged eyeliner (especially when I get it right in less than 3 tries) that makes me feel like I've really got my shit together. Today took multiple tries, however, lol. I really wanted to be cute for y'all today.

Color #3 is Fuschia Ecstacy. I think this might've been my favorite of all the colors. I actually thought it read a bit more on the red side off camera, but after looking at the pictures I thought maybe it's just my imagination. Either way, I'll definitely be rocking this color, hardcore and with regularity.  

Last but not least is Orange Shot. I was excited about the potential of this color because it looked more orange-y in the bottle, but it looked more brick red. Now, I'm always here for a good red, especially after that Nars teaser that Sephora gave away for everyone's b-day last year. But I honestly have to be in the mood for red. Today was not really a red day for me, per say, but I went with it. After swiping off the other colors for demonstration purposes, it felt wasteful to do the same to this one just because I wanted to go back to the fuschia.

Nevertheless, I got quite a few compliments in the market today. I actually put on my red specs before leaving out, and in comparison, the color definitely looked more on the orange side. So there's that. In all, I'm very happy with my new colors, and will be on the lookout for any of the others I might be missing from the collection. 

So what new hues are you obsessing over? Drop me a comment below or on social... see ya around!!!

Sassy Style Files: Day Trippin' in The San Francisco Bay-- 3 Climates, 1 Outfit

Black Radiance BB Cream, Chocolate + Maybelline Dream Fresh BB Cream, Deep; Black Radiance Artisan Baked Blush, Raspberry; All Over Glow Bronzing Powder, Flushed Glow; NYX Matte Lipstick, Aria; Maybelline Vivid Matte Liquid, Possessed Plum; Black Radiance Liquid Liner, Black. Maybelline Great Lash, Blackest Black. Shop this look here!   

In true California style, the weather was stunningly beautiful for mid-February this past holiday weekend.

I made plans to go commune with nature and visit the redwoods, and I don't think I could've picked a better day. It was nearly 80 degrees where I started the day off, hence the sandals and bright fuschia afro baby tee with fatigues. This is a little number I dubbed my "gangster of love" outfit, lol. Although these heels are not at all practical for hiking, I couldn't resist letting my feet get some sun action before pulling on my motorcycle boots later in the day.

With champagne, fruit, cheese, wine, and caprese sandwiches in tow, we began to make our way towards Marin county. We decided to take the scenic route through the city which, of course, resulted in a slight detour at the Golden Gate. The breeze was just enough to keep us from breaking a sweat on our stroll across the bridge. But it was definitely warm enough that I wished I'd opted to wear my pink flip flops instead. 

"Baby hair was pumpin', lip gloss was shinin'"

By the time we made it to Muir Woods it was pretty late in the afternoon and the sun was barely peeking through the tops of the branches. As a result there were only a few places that were lit well enough to get some good photos.

The woods were so majestic and ethereal that I felt terribly underdressed. A fairy nymph-style shimmery, off the shoulder ball gown would've been far more appropriate. Next time, maybe.

And finally, unexpectedly... the beach!

Nail color: Julep Maven

On a whim, we decided to hit up Muir Beach. We made it just in time to catch a brilliant sunset and pop that bottle for mimosas. And thank goodness for the kindness of strangers who let us take over their fire pits as they were leaving and bequeathed us their logs. This night surely would've ended much sooner and on a far colder and less whimsical note.

Hope your weekend was full of fun & love... have you had a chance to listen to the Sexy is the New Sassy V-Day Playlist I made for you yet? Well... what are you waiting for? Check it out here.

Follow @TheSassyNation adventures on Snapchat.

Sexy is The New Sassy V-Day Playlist: Cold Crush, Vol. 01

Image via Tumblr

Happy Valentine's day lovers! Whether or not you have a boo to cuddle with let us be the first to remind you that any day is a good day to treat yo'self. If you know what we mean ;) 

That's why we came up with this yummy, stay inside and get sexy playlist. With or without a lover, here are a few ways you can romance yourself all day. Awwww, yeah *Barry White voice* 

1. It's the weekend, go get brunch, dammit. Or at the least make yourself some delicious pancakes with a side of mimosas. Everybody knows that brunch without booze is just a sad, late breakfast.
2. Bring some fresh flowers or greenery, like a rosemary plant into your space. Both can really freshen and brighten up your space, naturally.
3. Pamper yourself with a moisturizing at home facial using items you probably already have in your pantry. {Add 2 tablespoons sugar + 1 tablespoon of honey or coconut oil and mix until moist. Heat in the microwave for 10 seconds or less, if necessary. Massage onto clean face to exfoliate and moisturize. }
4. Kick back with a nice bottle of vino or a craft cocktail with dinner, either takeout or home cooked and jam out to the sounds of Cold Crush Vol. 01.

Happy Valentine's Day!!!

 

Day 8: Calm Your Spirit Using Everyday Mindfulness

Namaste, beautiful people! Welcome to Week 2, day 8 of the 31 Day Mind, Body, Spirit Re-set. If you've been jamming with us since day one, congrats! If you're just joining... we're glad to have you! Please make sure you're signed up to receive the extra goodies that we have exclusively for subscribers here. This week we have a meditation calendar to help guide you through the exercises and concepts, so be sure to get yours! It's absolutely FREE! 

Here's a quick overview of a few things that you can do to create an atmosphere that's conducive creating a flow of good energy day to day. ALSO, keep in mind that with a regular meditation practice, you will find that the generation of light, positive energy will come quite naturally as a result of your inner work. In fact, don't be surprised if perfect strangers start to tell you that you seem to have a glow about you. Meditation tends to have that effect. And who doesn't want a shine that is evident from the inside out? Your natural spirit self is radiant. Let it show!

Set daily intentions

Setting a daily intention can be as easy as when you open your eyes in the morning have a positive conversation with yourself: by saying things like, "I'm going to have a good day," or "I am going to be productive today." Whatever it is that you need, create the intention before you even get out of the bed.
 

Practice feeling good

You know the saying, "Follow your bliss?" That's exactly what you should do from day to day by choosing to follow thoughts, actions and feelings that feel good. This concept can take some practice, but it's exceptionally helpful whenever you find yourself in a tight spot or just dealing with a difficult or stressful situation to breathe and ask yourself, 'What's the path of least resistance in this moment'? and go that direction. Decide what's the easiest thing for you to do with your words and actions in whatever situation that you find yourself in that is positive, productive and anti-dramatic. You may not be the source of drama or able to control it, but you can control how you react. Choose what feels good, true and right for you. Even if that means walking away (even temporarily) from situations (and crazy-making people) that don't align with your bliss (more on this in a later broadcast).

Tune in to positivity

Try to limit your time watching regular TV as much as possible this week. Maybe allow yourself the luxury of 1 hour per day.

Fill your extra time with content that feeds your spirit instead. Consume whatever inspirational talks, sermons, music, guided meditations, inspirational audio books, or feel good comedies (it's good to laugh) that you can get your hands on to cultivate an abundance of good energy from day to day. 

Close the day mindfully and with gratitude

Each night before you drift off to sleep think about all of the good things that happened during the day: Did the sun come out? Be thankful. Was a stranger kind to you? Send them appreciative thoughts in your mind. Notice when you felt good during the day, what was the cause, and reflect on it.

Soon you'll find that with a little dose of mindfulness everyday, you'll better be able to notice how you feel, choose your thoughts, and move through your day more joyfully. This is the foundation of what I like to call daily mindful, meditative (thoughtful) behavior in action. You will find that answers that you seek in life will come to you easily when you are in a good head and heart space to receive them. Go forth, be and spread light!

Tweetable Tip of The Day: 

Be sure to join the wellness chat on Periscope at our NEW time 9 PM, EST for more wellness. Also, please officially join the 31 Day Sassy Wellness Reset and get access to additional tips, downloadable tools, recipes and resources only available to subscribers. Click the button below to sign up now.

Sassy Wellness: 31 Day Mind, Body & Spirit Reset

The year is coming to a close and for the past couple of weeks I've been thinking a lot about the things that I want to do better or more of in the New Year. Not really one for resolutions, I prefer to think of the start of the year as an opportunity to reset my life--mind, body and {creative} spirit and set some attainable goals.

Let's hit re-set together, click HERE now!

I truly believe that in order to successfully accomplish our goals it's important to have a good foundation. And for me, that means moving forward with balance and purpose, hence the reason for this 31 Day Re-set. Because I think that too much change at once-- as with say, lofty resolutions, can be overwhelming. Instead, I approach the New Year as an opportunity to reflect on what is working in my life, and the habits or practices that have served me well the past year. I look for opportunities to add more of the rich things that I enjoy to my life rather than detoxing and completely cutting things out. I think that when we start out building on a foundation of things that we already do, our chances for successfully implementing improvements increases exponentially.

By filling my life with more of the good stuff, the less desired habits and such won't have space to co-exist. Many of the tips and resources that I plan to share are things that reflect The Sassy Nation's core values, and are things I already do or use (some more consistently than others, of course). However, these practices are ones that I definitely want to experience more of in the New Year to have the sassiest year ever!

---

I really hope that you'll join me. If you do, here's what you'll have to look forward to: 

1. I'll be doing a daily vlog that will stream live on Periscope: @TheSassyNation, so I hope that you will connect with me there. We can chat and share our wins face to face while I share the tip of the day, plus the resources that will help you reset and recharge your 2016. 

2. Also, each week I'll send out an email that'll outline the plan for the week, including some downloadable tools and To-dos that I'll be sharing exclusively with my email subscriber boos to help along the journey. If you want these extra goodies, and I think that you will,  you can sign up for FREE below. 

3. A whole new world of opportunity to get right for 2K16... with the whole squad of #Sassy supporters behind you. Together, we're going to ROCK this thang! 

Week 1:

Since health is a hot topic come Jan. 1, we'll be talking about ways that we can treat our BODY better, starting with the foods that we eat and our physical fitness habits.

Week 2:

“Meditation: Because some questions can’t be answered by Google.”

— Someone Smart & Sassy, Obvi.

Get ready to get lifted-- in SPIRIT, that is. This week we'll be talking about various forms of meditation, plus using mantras, affirmations and manifestation journals to help you get balanced from the inside out. Good stuff.

Week 3:

Looking for some mental stimulation? This week is all about places you can go to get your MIND right. We'll be sharing books, Youtube channels, magazines, journals, podcasts, documentaries, music and all things #Smart&Sassy.

Week 4:

Work is such and integral part of all of our lives. This week we'll discuss tips on how to not only bring more balance into your workspace, but also how to tap into the CREATIVE side of life.

Bonus: Days 29-31

We'll be reviewing what we learned, the things that we enjoyed exploring and what new tidbits we loved and plan to keep. It's time to get real about our goals, what we really hope to accomplish, and outlining how we plan to make them a reality. For some of us that will mean defining new routines for ourselves. So, if you're ready, just say YES and join the squad!

2K16, we're coming for you-- get ready!