When I got my teeth straightened a couple of years ago, my whole perspective changed. It felt like a whole new world opened up to me, one I didn’t even realise I had been subconsciously preventing myself from exploring. I stopped covering my mouth with my hand when I smiled or laughed, I started grinning in photographs, and I started to experiment with lipstick and lip stains. Before that, I was strictly a lip balm girl. I guess I didn’t want to draw any more attention to my mouth than I had to.

It’s interesting: when I had my teeth straightened (Invisalign, holler!), I had a few people say to me, “I don’t know why you did that. You’re the queen of radical self love, surely having imperfect teeth is a way you can drive your message home even more thoroughly!”

It’s a complicated one, for sure. I could have kept my crooked smile for years and nothing devastating would have happened. But the way we decorate and present ourselves is inextricably linked to radical self love, and getting my teeth straightened was a gift to myself. We are all in the process of learning how to love ourselves more fully, and I am no exception! I have my insecurities and my flaws, and uneven teeth was one of mine. People ask me about my thoughts on cosmetic surgery sometimes, and my response is always that people should do whatever they think will make them happy, and as long as they’re doing it to please themselves, it’s all good by me. (For more of my thoughts on this subject, read Am I A Hypocrite For Professing Radical Self Love While Wearing 5 Inch Heels?)

Well, that got deep quickly! Back to that whole new world I was talking about: I remember walking into a Sephora, trying on a shocking pink lipstick, and being amazed at how it transformed my face. Since that moment, I have become a lipstick maniac (maybe I’m making up for lost time?!). And while I love vivid colour, sometimes you want to do something a little softer.

It’s a cosmetic mystery: super-saturated shades often have supersonic staying power, while the more natural-looking colours don’t have that same potency. You might find a soft blush or nude that looks lovely… but after ten minutes, it all but disappears. Few things are more frustrating than that, and really, who has time to re-apply their lip colour 100 times a day?

For the last few months, I’ve been on the (fruitless) hunt for a stellar nude lip colour, but just last week, the answer fell into my lap in the form of Burt’s Bees Lip Crayons. I have been using them every day since. They are just that good!

Burt’s Bees Lip Crayons come in six different colours, from light pinks to deep plums, although I have to admit that I’m extremely partial to Hawaiian Smolder (as seen above!). There’s even a (really cool) Lip Shade Finder which tells you the hues that suit you best, based on your colouring. Genius!

I can’t get enough of these glorious Lip Crayons for low-key days. They get my vote because they’re a doddle to apply, the colour lasts and lasts, the finish is matte, and the product itself is loaded with jojoba and kendi oils, as well as shea butter to keep your lips feeling soft and lovely. If that wasn’t enough to excite you, maybe the fact that Lip Crayons are 100% natural with no added flavour or fragrance will tip you over the edge!

There are few things better than a brand new lip product to give you something to smile about.

Love and huge grins,

This post was made possible with the help of Burt’s Bees and Style Coalition.