Ballerina Off Duty

Most of the year I am all about a tulle skirt, red lip & high heel combo – but come summer, I turn into a more laid-back, cooler, “Casual Courtney” if you will, but since I am clingy to my tulle & lipstick, I don’t loose them, I just switch to a lighter color & dressed down version of myself … brace yourself, Casual Courtney’s coming atcha!

Don’t worry, when I say dressed down – I don’t mean sweats and no lipstick (ha) come on, you guys know me better than that my now 😉 I mean giving this gorgeous princess skirt a casual vibe because, why the heck not! I paired it with a pastel tank top & my go-to keds for a laid back look, and added my denim jacket because it was actually a little bit chilly this day.

The wind wasn’t a good look for my hair, so up into a messy bun it went – but the up side to bad hair is it gives you a chance to play with your make up. I recently phone met the founder of Biba, who has both an inspiring story and product – I love being able to share cool products like this with you through Color Me Courtney, that’s kind of what it’s all about. She created one of the only compltely natural, luxury, beauty products out there that comes complete enclosed in the cutest carved jewel compact.

I was interested for two reasons, one I read once that the average woman eats about 9 pounds of lipstick in her life, lol gross – and since the average woman probably wear lipstick twice a week or so with average sized lips, and I wear it everyday often reapplying throughout the day and have giant monster lips, I could assume that I’ll probably consume closer to 18 pounds, double gross! Plus, I collect vintage compacts, a collection I took on from my mother who used to do so at my age. A a result when the founder, Sapna, told me she created a natural lip product that soothes and hydrates your lips, comes in great colors a darling vintage-inspired compact and is made without artificial fragrances or dyes, mineral oil, silicon, synthetic waxes or paragons (yes people all this is in your average lipstick haha yikes!) and made ethically in the USA without animal testing (yay bunnies) I totally had to give it a whirl.

When I went through a “natural phase” including a gluten free diet a few years ago (I know, no donuts, what’s wrong with me right) I searched for similar product with no avail so it’s kind of crazy cool to know about a natural lip that still pops like Biba, especially if you unitentially eat as much lipstick as I probably do, once again, gross. Don’t get me wrong, I won’t be giving up all my crazy lipsticks and switching just to natural products, but it is cool to know there is a natural alternative that lives up to my glamorous lipstick expectations 😉 It comes in 3 colors, and I’m wearing the jazzy pink color – inspire! One of the more poppy color options, perfect for spring, summer and pretty much every dang day of the year.

I once saw a bride wearing keds with a tulle wedding gown, they we’re glittery keds but none the less, she looked so freaking happy a natural. Well, my “natural” side just happens to be tulle + keds & a denim jacket, a very toned down version of my usual over the top self, but still me. I couldn’t help but feeling like a runaway bride, or off duty ballerina skipping her opening night after party to go have a sleep over with her girl friends – something I would total do. There was something whimsical, unexpected and limit pushing about pairing my most casual go-to (keds) with my most glamours one, and adding a natural yet glamorous lip as the finishing touch seemed to be the perfect way to round out the look!