when part and parceling for a baby girl, my parents bred for self-confidence, brains, and poise; instead they got sarcasm, table manners, and a rehab-level need to please.

it wasn’t their fault, i came out of the womb making amends, ironically rolling my eyes at nurses, and asking for extra blankets to cover my newborn-chubby thighs, ankles and cheeks.

not much has changed, except now my “that’s what she said” exchanges occur in pilates class, and i’ve swapped hospital blankets for lululemon.

but in my make-believe life, where i have the body image and grit of a disney princess come full circle, i’d be fearless in my fashion choices, and i wouldn’t apologize for it!

{yikes. sorry if that sounded brash.}

the first of these lion-hearted actions would be sliding into the hottest of hot pink, leather, tight pants law enforcement would publicly permit me to wear.

this time of year i cannot coat myself in ENOUGH of the color pink; i typically hit my overdose by mid-may, but from now until my birthday it’s game on with rose, fuchsia, blush and salmon.

and until whole foods starts selling their smoothies with an added shot of backbone and pluck, i’ll be wearing my new hot pink lip instead of said leather pants.

enter URBAN DECAY’s 24/7 lip pencil in jilted.

jilted is the perfect pink to exhume my pale, dehydrated, coffee-addicted face from its cold, winter, “can i please just my teach spin class in this bathrobe?” grave.

it also comes in the lip junkie lip gloss and the “creamy badass” revolution lipstick.

i like a more natural, less pigmented lip {except for spin class, then i’m full foundation-face, fake lashes, and rouge,} so i balm my lips first, and then color them with a pencil.

for me, this process lasts pretty long, and i don’t look like too much of a whore….

{i said “too much.”}

see?

just a little pink pick-me-up for my otherwise katie-the-smart-alecky-ghost face.

don’t let name jilted dissuade you, jilted is like all those 90’s romantic comedies we re-watch over and over again during those marathon weekends on the couch…it’s a cheerful, non-jarring, reliable addition to your mood.

but let me count the ways i love URBAN DECAY…a 15 second session with just one product, my baked bronzer, takes the underground chalkiness from my cheeks and replaces it with {faux} sunshine; kind of like a kelly ripa commercial for electrolux, don’t give me the hour show, but a quick little snippet is manageable and surprisingly non-vomit inducing.

and when i really want to make my case for a third dog, all it takes is one coat of UD’s super curling mascara, and a slick of 24/7 glide on eye pencil in smoke. there’s something about a smoky eye which brings out the easy button in my husband.

in spring, especially here in southern california, i think the most you want is 5 products on your face….too much product, texture and color gets distracting and takes away from the face, conversation, & person.

this time of year, the sunset is a magical, beautiful light; it is its own cosmetic.

and speaking of beautiful…..

isn’t this a good picture of me?

i’m going to leave you with how i see myself….

have a pretty in pink monday m’loves.