Dear Ivy and Anastasia,
Q: What’s a really good long-lasting lipstick? With the lipstick I use, I have to put on multiple layers for it to look good, but it always gets dry and comes off within an hour. I’m looking for one that will stay looking fresh and isn’t crazy expensive!
A: You’ve come to the right place, considering lipstick is my one true love!
So my personal favorite long wear lippie is Rimmel’s Provocalips 16 Hour Kissproof Lip Color. It comes in a wide range of shades, from those suitable to daily wear and others better for a night out. All the shades are really quite pigmented as well, which means you won’t have to continually layer it on to get it to look the way you want. You can eat anything or kiss anyone, and it will still be just as vibrant as when you first applied it! In my experience it takes about three cotton balls worth of makeup remover to get the lipstick off at the end of day, no matter what I was doing. The one downside is that it can feel a bit tacky on the lips but that’s something you’ll find with most lipstick meant to last this long. Plus, considering it’s only $6.99 ($5.99 right now at ULTA) it’s well worth it!
A general tip on making any lipstick stay on longer is to apply lip primer beforehand. The lip primer I currently use (and adore) is Colourpop’s Lippie Primer which you can find on their website for $5.00.
I’m sure your lips will be looking fresh as hell in no time!
Much love,
Ivy
Q: How do you motivate yourself when nothing seems to be going right?
A: It can be hard to bring yourself to do things and have fun when you feel like the world is against you. Sometimes you know exactly what the problem is and then the solution becomes much easier to pinpoint, but other times, you just don’t know why you’re in a funk with a spell of bad luck. Unfortunately, if things are out of your control, you might just have to ride the waves and see it through. But remember: things never stay the same, and better days are ahead.
While you’re struggling though, there are things you can do to help yourself get through it:
Talk to someone: Getting your feelings off your chest can actually make you feel lighter if you have someone who can sympathize with you.
Do things you like to do: You’ll be more inclined to do things when they’re actually things you want to do.
Treat yourself: Sometimes you just have to pamper yourself a little to bump up your mood and rebuild your confidence.
Do things with friends: Friends make everything better because you’ll be surrounded by those who love and “get” you.
Recognize when to get professional help: Remember that you are always worth it, and if you begin to have suicidal or harmful thoughts about yourself or others, please seek help.
The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is
1 (800) 273-8255
XOXO,
Anastasia
P.S. Send your questions to use here.
HCXO, mwah!