Life is Like a Box of Lipstick
A solo trip to Sephora is like a spa vacation for me, except perhaps a bit more expensive due to my penchant for beauty products and their smart make-up artists-slash-sales people that somehow make blue shadow look so amazing on you that you have to have it right now. Is it the brushes? The fluorescent lights?
Oh to have their power but over my children at dinnertime.
Along with my adventurous eyeshadow purchases, I snagged another tube of my favorite everyday lipstick, matching the number of its holder with the number on the box then tossing it into my basket, then bag, not even opening it until this morning.
When I popped it out of the box, eager to slap it on my lips and head out the door to tackle some errands and work load, I looked down to discover that I had not purchased my favorite color.
No, it was not even close. And worse, it was this ridiculous bright pink color, as in “I’d never be caught dead in that pink” pink color, which made me loud sigh and toss it across my vanity.
Totally my luck.
Of course, it’s not like that Sephora was the only Sephora in the world, and really, there is something called “The Internet” which lets people do crazy things like order make-up right from their computer. And I probably have about four tubes of that everyday color tucked in handbags and clutches all over my house.
But the anticipation of opening that new one was sorely dashed by the awful pink.
After getting over my shock, I stared at it for awhile and realized that it looked a bit similar to a color I had actually tried on in the store, and had liked, along with the blue eyeshadow (which I also didn’t think would look that great) and maybe, just maybe, that pink wasn’t so bad after all.
Perhaps it was just the punch that I needed. A little change might be good.
And who knows, I might actually really like it.
Besides, just because I didn’t like the color in the tube didn’t mean that it wouldn’t look amazing on me. I’ve worn enough shirts and dresses to know that the way they hang on a hanger or a mannequin is absolutely no indication, good or bad, as to how they’ll be on your own body.
Or in this case, face.
So I decided I’d give it a try. And wouldn’t you know, it looked awesome. Well, at least, I thought it looked awesome. And so did my friend. Who is supposed to tell me it looks awesome but I really believe her.
I know life isn’t necessarily like a box of lipstick, or even chocolates, according to Forrest Gump, but it’s not a bad way to look at it. Sometimes we think we know what’s best for ourselves. We stick to what we like and are used to. Because it’s comfortable. Because it makes us feel safe.
But sometimes we need to step outside the box. Or in my case, be forced to open a different one and give something new a try.
You might like it or you might not. Or you might just discover that what you’ve been doing (or wearing) all along, wasn’t really the best thing for you. And that there’s something better awaiting you if you’re willing to give it a chance.
(The lipstick Kristen is wearing is Make Up For Ever Aqua Rouge in Fuschia 16).
