My ColourPop MatteX Lippie Obsession!

Dearest Colourpop, WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN ALL MY LIFE?!?!!? I am so sorry it has taken this long to acknowledge your existence but, I love you and I want you in my life forever!

I think it's fairly obvious that I have fallen into a complete, obsessive love with Colourpop. As usual, I'm late to the game but, in the immortal words of Queen Clarisse Renaldi "A Queen is never late. Everyone else is simply early."

I mean OF COURSE I'd heard of the brand. All of the beauty gurus are OBSESSED but I guess... I... I don't know, I can't think up an excuse. Anywho, this all started when I was looking for the perfect dark brown liquid lippie for the The 1975 concert in May. I was between Dose of Colors' Chocolate Wasted ($18) and Too Faced's new Melted Matte in Naughty By Nature ($21) when Becca swooped in and saved my life. She told me that I should consider Limbo by Colourpop ($6), sent me a photo of her wearing it and I NEVER LOOKED BACK!  I ordered Limbo, Kapow, and Petit Four (which is almost a dupe for Halsey's lipstick with MAC but that's a tale for another day.)

Which brings me to the present. When I watched Kathleen Lights review the newly launched MatteX lippie stix, I knew right then and there, I needed them in my life! So during the birthday promotion I ordered my first one, "Back Up" . Then very shortly afterwards, I ordered six more... Three for me and three "for my mother."

First I need to talk about the free eyeshadow that came with my purchase! Since I ordered during the Colourpop birthday promotion, I also received a limited edition eyeshadow called "Birthday Boy"

I. Am. SO IN LOVE! First of all, the formula is GORGEOUS. This is the softest, creamiest, fluffiest product I've EVER put on my skin!! And THE COLOR!! A beautiful champagne-y gold with purple shimmer throughout! I wish this wasn't a limited edition product because now i'm afraid to actually use it even though it is ALL that I want on my eyes at the moment!

Now... on to the lippies!

Like I said, the first one I ordered was "Back Up" which is a bright plum. It is a bit out of my comfort zone but I do think it's a perfect bright for summer. "Cami" is a really pretty, neutral, mauve-y pink. I think it's my favorite of the lot. It's an amazing everyday shade especially now that it's summer. You don't want to do too much. At the moment I'm REALLY into brown lips. Dark browns and more grungy browns. "Pillow Talk" (no I didn't just buy it because of the song) is definitely a 90s grunge greige. I'm not always sure if I can pull it off but I feel really cool when I wear it. Then there's "Hollywood Blvd" which is on the darker end of the spectrum. It is a warmer brown than "Limbo" with a yellow undertone and I'm low-key obsessed!  "For my mother"... I quote because, let's be real, they're for ME... we ordered some reds. The first one being "Love Life" which is a gorgeous brick red that screams "PAIR ME WITH A LEATHER JACKET"! "Bootie" is a bright orange red that is a bit intimidating but great for summer. As is "Jenneration X" a red orange (yes there is a difference) which is a collab with Jenn Im or ClothesEncounters on the Tube. I've been watching her videos for a while and I think she did a great job with these products.

I am so impressed with these lippie stix! I mean, I didn't expect otherwise but still. The pigmentation is BEAUTIFUL! They go on smoothly and fully with one swipe! The product sits nicely on the lips, they're not too thick. They are INCREDIBLY MATTE but because they are made with Vitamin E as well as Shea and Avacado butters, they are not AT ALL drying or cracking! These babies are a lipstick lover's DREAM!!!

From Left to Right: Bootie. Jenneration X, Love Life, Back Up, Cami, Pillow Talk, Hollywood Blvd.

From Left to Right: Cami, Pillow Talk, Hollywood Blvd, Back Up, Bootie, Love Life, Jenneration X

The thing I will never get over with Colourpop is how high quality their products are for a price that won't leave me in a puddle of broke girl tears on the ground. Each lippie stix is $5. If you are like me and avoiding the bandwagon, it is time to JUMP ON my friends! Colourpop is EVERYTHING!

I can't wait for my Metallic lippies to come !

xoxo

Shaken....

The events of this weekend have left me shaken....

I think I'm only making this post because I need to get it all out....

When I left my house Friday evening I was excited. I was going to spend my weekend crafting, filming and babbling about Matty Healy (and Brendon Urie). There's no way that I could have anticipated the news that flooded our timelines. I'm still having trouble believing it to be honest.

I never met Christina Grimmie but I always thought that she was lovely and crazy talented. I remember watching her videos on youtube and then rooting for her on The Voice.... 22.... She was 22. JUST 22. I'm having a really hard time understanding. We get hassled about bringing outside food and water into a venue but yet this guy was able to sneak in not one, but TWO guns. HOW DOES THAT HAPPEN?!?! How does something like that slip through thus giving him an opportunity to end a life, break a family, scar SO MANY PEOPLE ???

I don't know how to process... this whole situation hits a little too close to home for me. Concerts have always been a safe have, a sanctuary for me and my friends. That now has been taken away. I've never seen Christina live but I've seen Before You Exit quite a few times.... This is the scene in which I exist. They have toured with every small band that I love. Which get you thinking that this could have happened ANYWHERE! Yet this is also the LAST place that you would expect it to happen. These shows are usually filled with so much love, acceptance and unity. Christina greeted this man with outstretched arms!!  Last month, Becca and I were complaining about how dangerous the crowd was at The 1975 show and here we are.... something 1000 times worse has happened within our safety net. I can't even IMAGINE how the fans that witnessed this are coping! Just the THOUGHT of witnessing someone that I love and admire taken from this world, BREAKS ME! My heart and prayers are with with every single person that was at that show.

I can't even begin to express how awful I feel for Before You Exit. Their FRIEND was MURDERED at THEIR show in their hometown. They risked their lives to go back inside to warn the fans. I applaud them. That changes a person. They must also be so afraid. This happened once, could it happen again? I pray that they are able to heal.

My heart BREAKS for her family! Her brother! How does someone get through something like this. ESPECIALLY having witnessed it. I pray for their strength. I pray that they are consistently surrounded by love and support .

Music is supposed to heal.

I come home this morning (Sunday), excited for The Tonys to find out about the MASSACRE in Orlando. I... I honestly don't understand. I don't understand how people can be SO FILLED WITH HATE AND IGNORANCE! I'm honestly still trying to process. I don't understand my country. I don't understand humanity. This world is a scary place. The fact that you can be slaughtered for simply EXISTING... not agreeing with or understanding someone's lifestyle does not give anyone the right to take a life. Just because for some bizarre reason we in this country have the right to bear arms... YOU DO NOT HAVE THE RIGHT TO TAKE ANOTHER LIFE!!

It's heartbreaking that because of some extremist, MONSTER ignorants everywhere will have another reason to attack Muslims... like there are not extremist groups of EVERY religion. I'm not Muslim but I've known many and from what I've learned, Islam is a religion of PEACE. But people try to DESTROY what they do not understand. They aren't WILLING to understand! I guess that can be said for this entire situation. LGBTQ+ people are DESTROYED because people don't understand. Apparently the answer is hate. People hide behind religion as an excuse to spread hate and intolerance and it makes me sick.

As a Christian I don't understand how people can hurt others in the name of God. WHAT GOD?!? My God is a God of Love. Whatever you believe, the root is LOVE. We are not here to judge others but to Love as Jesus Loves. While he was on Earth He gave His Love to ALL. PERIOD!

I don't know... I just don't know.

I send so much love to the survivors of this tragedy as well as the family and friends of the souls lost.

To my LGBTQ+ friends, family, acquaintances ... I LOVE YOU SO MUCH AND MY HEART IS WITH YOU.

"We live through times when hate and fear seem stronger
We rise and fall and light from dying embers
Remembrances that hope and love lasts long
And love is love is love is love is love is love is love is love is love
Cannot be killed or swept aside" - Lin-Manuel Miranda 6/12/2016

I am heartbroken, scared,  sick, and EXHAUSTED! It's PAST time for change.

xoxo,
Amber