Ah, Valentine's Day. What a royal pain in the arse. If you're single, then your entire being is futile. This has been confirmed by the Valentine's themed spam you've been getting. I even got a Valentine's offer email from Ryanair. Ryanair! Because if you're not getting on that plane to visit your boyfriend/girlfriend/Cyborg Valentine, then you may as well stay on the farm in Leitrim and wait for the cold embrace of a spinster's death after a long life of milking cows and making bread alone. Because you have NO REASON to visit other places. None. You'll only clutter up foreign cities with your smell of desperation and your untrendy shoes.
Jaysus.
This is the first Valentine's Day that I'll be spending with himself. We live in different countries so we weren't together last year. In a way, it's inescapable - the whole sparkly nonsense of it. It's nice to be in a positive, caring relationship with someone else, but it's also nice to be in a positive, caring relationship with yourself. I'm delighted that I agree with my former single self that Valentine's Day is pretty much entirely a load of Donkey's bum. We'll go for dinner, yes (but to be honest, I'd go for Dinner with Stalin if it meant getting fed, even though I AM paying my half). That's about it.
Red lipstick is the makeup I wear to make myself feel better. If I'm not feeling confident, it fakes the confidence I need, and if I am feeling confident, it is the only product which adequately conveys one's inner sense of swagger on a good day. Wearing something nice every once in a while can feel great, and making that bit of extra effort with your makeup can be fun when you're in the mood. Though it's frankly horrifying when you're not.
This year, Valentine's falls on a Saturday, so you can wear a festive lipstick just to celebrate the fact that it's Saturday if you want to. Or to celebrate the fact that you like yourself, and that those you care for like you, whether that includes a partner or not.
Red is the obvious choice, but pinks are lovely too. I generally avoid them for some reason, but I'm trying to wear more shocking pinks to get a bit out of my comfort zone. Here are a few lovely options, though you can stay in the bath reading with chocolate smeared all over your face too:
Top: Bobbi Brown Art Stick in Electric Pink, Bottom: Urban Decay Sheer Revolution Lipstick in F-Bomb, Right: Chanel Coco Rouge in Arthur- Bobbi Brown Art Stick in Electric Pink (€26)
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We got very excited about these when they launched back in October of last year. There are some beautiful reds in the collection, but Electric Pink just has a pop to it that cheers me up. No liner needed, this is a super easy product for those of you who are as lazy as you are stylish! Just whack it on and keep it in your handbag for touch-ups if you happen to be heading for dinner. Easy!
- Chanel Rouge Coco in Arthur (€32.50)
Unfortunately, these don't launch on counters till March 13th, so in the interim you'll have to make do with another orange based true red, even though it won't be a patch on this one. Sweet mother of divine, it's glorious. Dewy in texture, buildable, oh-so-opaque. It screams confidence and I love it so much that I only half want to tell you about it because I want to covet all the beauty in a Smaug-like fashion.
If you invest in one high-end lipstick this year, this is the one.
Top: Urban Decay Sheer Revolution Lipstick in F-Bomb, Middle: Chanel Coco Rouge in Arthur, Bottom: Bobbi Brown Art Stick in Electric Pink,- Urban Decay Sheer Revolution Lipstick in F-Bomb (€20)
This lipstick is still an investment, but it burns less of a hole in your pocket than the other two. If you are spooked by bold colours or have thinner lips, you don't need to forgo the fun of wearing colour this Valen/turday, just go with a sheerer formulation like this one. You still get your pop of colour, but its more forgiving, less work, and just as much fun to wear! These are new and on counter now!
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Do you have any V-Day plans? Do you care? And which is your all-time favourite red or pink lipstick?
