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Testing Liquid Lipsticks at 3 Price Points ($4, $24, $56)

September 14, 2017 Filed Under: beauty

Its been a while since I last wrote a beauty post that wasn’t about skincare! That doesn’t mean I haven’t been busy testing out makeup though, believe me. I tend to prefer writing lifestyle content as you can tell but I think it’ll be fun to share more beauty content. Let me know what kinds of beauty posts you would like! I’m thinking less tutorials but more reviews or comparisons between high end and low end dupes. I love a good drugstore find so you can definitely expect me to share affordable finds! This post is going to be a comparison between several liquid lipsticks that I have tried recently. I’ll go through the pros and cons the liquid lipsticks then sum up my thoughts on what you should spend your money on. testing liquid lipsticks at different price points

Wet N Wild MegaLast Liquid Catsuit Matte Lipstick

$4 here or get it on Amazon here | Shade: Nudist Peach

wet n wild liquid catsuit lipstick review
Pros: This is widely available at drugstores and you can even get it on Amazon. I like the doe foot applicator because it has a dip in the center which holds product. I feel like the dip allows for the product to be smoothed over your lips without any excess. Obviously, the best pro here is the price. So cheap you can buy all the colors you want!

Cons: Not all of the colors seem to be formulated the same so you may get a color that is inconsistent with another. I read reviews and some people said certain colors are less opaque than others. Personally I find the formula quite drying and it’s uncomfortable for extended wear. The color sits on your lips so it will transfer onto anything and come off after you eat.

Bite Beauty Amuse Bouche Liquified Lipstick

$24 here | Shades: Eclair & Flambe

bite beauty amuse bouche liquified lip review
Pros: The packaging is extremely luxurious and this applicator is very precise. The applicator is on the smaller side and angled so it’s perfect to line your lips, then you can use the flatter side to fill in the rest of your lips. The formula has Manoi butter in it so this is actually the most nourishing formula I’ve come across. It’s very comfortable on your lips and the colors are opaque in just one coat. I think the smell is very pleasant – it’s slightly citrusy.

Cons: The moisturizing formula means it’s not matte and is exactly what it sounds like: it’s a liquified lipstick. I prefer a matte formula that is safe from transferring so if that’s what you’re looking for, this is not the product for you. The finish is more like a gloss despite the opaque color. Unfortunately this isn’t long lasting so it’s only good for a few hours where you won’t be eating. It does transfer onto drinkware but would be fine with a straw.

SeneGence LipSense

$56 from a LipSense distributor. I get mine through Kenzie, you can DM her on Instagram here! (She is offering 10% off if you mention that I referred you!) | Shade: Bella

lipsense bella matte gloss review
Pros: The most exciting part about LipSense is that it is known to stay on your lips for like, ever. (A real scientific unit of measurement.) I have watched a few YouTube reviews where people leave LipSense on for 18 hours and sure enough, it does stay on for that long. It doesn’t look perfect of course, but this stuff is pretty much waterproof, kiss-proof, anything proof. As someone who has perpetually dry lips and is lazy with lip color, this is amazing because I can layer gloss or balm over the top and leave it be all day. There are also so many color options, lip gloss finishes, etc.

Cons: You can’t just buy this from a drugstore because it is only sold through independent distributors. I also find the product a bit unpleasant to apply at first because the lip color has a slight burning sensation. It’s also not very comfortable after a few hours but luckily the gloss helps moisturize and soothe your lips. And for you lazy girls out there, there are definitely a few more steps with LipSense however it totally pays off for the longevity of the color.

The Rankings

As you can tell, I have some strong opinions about these products. None of them are perfect but that’s okay! I still like them all but for different reasons. But just to make this a little more interesting, I decided to rank all of the products from my most favorite to least favorite. These are ranked on my overall impression after testing all the products.

#1: LipSense is my favorite factoring in all of the pros vs. cons. The longevity of the color makes this really worth it. You end up using less product because it doesn’t have to be reapplied often. Although I wish it were more moisturizing, glosses or balms can be layered over it.

#2: The Wet N Wild option is what I’d recommend next. If you’re completely new to liquid lipsticks or don’t wear them often, this could be bumped up to #1 for you. Since it’s so cheap and easy to get your hands on, I have to say it’s an appealing option. This would be perfect for someone who only wants lip color for a brief period. If you take photos for a blog for instance, this is a great option.

#3: Bite Beauty is quite pricey however if you really value products that are more natural and cruelty free, this is a good option. I do think the product is nice however it’s not long wearing nor is it the right matte finish that I want. Most people like to wear liquid lipsticks for the longevity and because of this glossier finish, it was actually the worst in terms of longevity.

Lastly I wanted to show you guys some swatches of the products on my arm. I thought this would be the truest reflection of their colors. My lips are pretty pigmented naturally so it’s easier for me to show the color on my arm. The picture on the right is when I swiped over each swatch with a finger. As you can see, the LipSense looks untouched. The Wet N Wild lipstick dries matte so it budges less than the Bite lipsticks. Those are the most opaque, however they definitely slide around.

Have you tried any of these liquid lipsticks? There are so many on the market now that I’m sure there are tons of gems I have yet to discover! I am eyeing Kat Von D’s liquid lipsticks next because I love her products and have heard great things. Let me know if you have any recommendations for holy grail liquid lipsticks!

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Disclosure: I received the LipSense and Bite Beauty products for review consideration however I’m not obligated to write about them. As always, this post contains 100% my own opinions.

Cider Summit in Seattle

September 11, 2017 Filed Under: seattle

Happy Monday! Did you guys have a good weekend? I spent part of mine in South Lake Union sipping on hard cider at Cider Summit SEA! A few months ago I met Jane and her family at the Santouka opening. (Recap here.) Jane’s the media contact for the event and she graciously invited me to attend this year’s Cider Summit! Originally Jared was going to be in London for work but he got to go with me after all. Hard cider is something we both enjoy a lot so it was a lot of fun to try so many flavors.

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cider summit seattle 2017 2018

My outfit details & some similar pieces!

I tried a variety of cider cocktails and fruit ciders. One of my favorites was a strawberry cider and the marionberry cider from Incline Cider Company. I even enjoyed a pumpkin spice cider from Seattle Cider Co. and I don’t typically like pumpkin spice! Some vendors were from international countries like Spain, France, and England but my favorites were always from Washington and Oregon. Coincidence or not?! (Probably not. I am obsessed with the PNW.)

My only regret is that I didn’t pack some food to bring into the event with us. Others smarter than us had brought spreads like cheese, crackers, and fruit. If you have a lower tolerance like me, having some extra food doesn’t hurt so you can try more ciders ;)
north west cider marionberry incline cider marionberry flavor

cider summit seattle tickets

If you follow me on Instagram then you might have watched my story where I took tons of photos of the pups. There were so many dog people with their adorable pets aka MY DREAM. I literally followed the dogs the whole time so I could take photos and pet them. There’s something magical about events like this because there is literally no unhappy person. Everyone is happily enjoying themselves and so so friendly. Jared and I even made some new friends at the ReachNow booth. (I’ll have to share more about them later but it’s a super cool ride/car share service. Best part? All the cars are BMWs or Mini’s and there’s no surge pricing.) dog lounge seattle cider summit

When the next Cider Summit happens next year, you can definitely find me there again! I had so much fun. More information is available on their website and you can find them on social media here and here. Cider Summit is also heading to San Francisco, PDX, and Chicago in 2018 so keep your eyes peeled for those!

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Should You Put Your Blog on Your Resume? Here’s Why I Did.

September 8, 2017 Filed Under: life

putting resume on blog tips Unless you help people write resumes for a living, can we all agree that resumes aren’t fun? Don’t even get me started on cover letters. As recruiting practices evolve, so do the best practices when it comes to writing resumes. Should you keep it to one page? At what point do you remove your high school activities? There are so many questions! When I started my blog as a sophomore in college that also threw me for a loop. I wasn’t sure if companies would really take my hobby seriously and wondered how it would impact me as a candidate. Over three years later, I’m realizing that there is no right answer to this question. I can’t tell you if you should or shouldn’t put your blog on your resume, but I can share with you why I personally did.

It was applicable to the industry I was interested in.

This is probably the most common reason for people putting their creative hobby/side hustle on their resume. Despite what you may think, there are lots of bloggers who work in industries that are far from creative. When you don’t have a creative day job, sometimes it helps to have that creative outlet for after hours. I’m always working with data in Excel in my day job so blogging helps balance out my creative side :)

I finally decided to add my blog to my resume when I was a junior applying for summer internships. Guess what? I talked about my blog in all of my interviews for it and ended up landing an internship at a retailer’s headquarters in Seattle! My internship was not directly fashion related, however my blog had a lot of transferable skills. Written communications, digital marketing, and project management just to name a few.

After graduation, I actually ended up back in the tech industry. So much of what I do as a blogger can be applied to what I do in my HR role believe it or not. Blogging has taught me amazing time management, refined my communication skills, and so much more. I challenge you to draw connections between your hobbies and your professional life – they might be less than obvious but you can definitely find some.

What you include on your resume should have at least one transferable skill to whatever it is you’re applying to.

Blogging is an extensive portfolio.

The way I see it, your blog is a reflection of your work ethic and skills. Unlike a portfolio website there are usually several elements of a blog: a website, all your social media platforms, and collaborations with companies and clients. It’s doubtful that a future employer will spend tons of time digging into all of these elements however they could.

I’m proud of what I’ve done with my blog so far. From developing my voice to working on some great projects, I feel that my blog is representative of who I am as an employee. I am hard working, always seeking to learn new skills or improve, passionate about supporting others, and so on.

Blogging can be a tangible representation of personal qualities you want to stand out on your resume.

It adds personality to your resume.

When you only get a page or so, you’ll probably fill up the space with your professional and educational background. That leaves little to no room for personal details. As important as your email address, phone number, and location are on your resume that isn’t very telling of you personally. Your email address address is unique, sure, but does it really make you stand out as a candidate? Without taking up much room, a blog or something similar can tell your story for you.

Consider the fact that if you didn’t include your blog on your resume you might not get the chance to talk about it until you got an interview. Well what if you don’t get an interview? I’m not saying the addition would make or break you but sometimes you can’t wait until later to show people who you are. Humans are more complex than statistics or where they went to college or who their last employer was. When you’re given the chance to talk about yourself, why not share a piece of you that can speak volumes? All you have to do is add a few lines to your resume.

Let your creative hobby give your resume some personality.

Your resume is something highly personal and the decision to add your blog to your resume shouldn’t be taken lightly. However, I would say don’t stress about the decision. If you’re worried about a future employer seeing your blog you may need to take a step back and reevaluate your content. It is a tiny bit awkward when people at work start following your blog (been there) but at the end of the day, you should be proud! If it’s on the Internet for everyone to see, it should be fine for an employer to see as well.

I’m not a resume pro but if you do have personal questions and want to chat further, feel free to shoot me an email!

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