Just practicing what I preach here: Rocking a fun/bold lip and some beach waves as a (much needed) mood booster. I don’t know why, but it works. It just mentally makes me feel like I’m getting ready to do something important, there’s something about rocking a fun lipstick that makes me want to smile more (and leave tons of kiss marks on Levi’s cheeks), and beach waves make me wanna move around a lot, or dance. Weird, perhaps…but I highly suggest it.
*What’s rather brutal is how there is ZERO, and I mean ZERO natural light in our home lately, even underneath the skylight. It’s like I live in Seattle and it’s December or something…
So, fun fact: these pics were taken at 3:22 pm and I had to use artificial light (a first on here). This just makes everything look odd (Ok I could just be less lazy and use a real camera instead of my iPhone and shoot at a super high ISO. Maybe next time.) And well, the room looked super blah too so I hung a beach blanket behind me….which I might do more often. Much more my vibe than a white sheet.
Ok enough behind the scenes.
**There’s one final mood booster, which might be THE BEST one out there, and it’s to do something nice for someone else. It’s my go-to and totally works like a charm. So I want to give someone out there a $100 gift card to Sephora or Ulta (Whichever you prefer.) This way you can go and stock up on some bold fun lipsticks and tools/products to make some killer beach waves whenever you need a pick me up.
Boom. Didn’t see a GIVEAWAY coming, did ya? Wink, wink.
Products I recommend/am rocking in these extremely low quality but somehow they still kinda work pics above:
• Burberry Liquid Lip Velvet in Oxblood (also love Bright Plum and Fawn)
• Used my good ol go-to el-cheapo Conair $9 one inch curling iron for the waves
• Then the products make the magic happen: Aveda Dry shampoo (on the ends) Living Proof Dry Volume Blast (Amazing product alert here folks) and Moroccan oil hairspray, and then some coconut oil on the ends. And a partridge in a pear tree.
***Oh yeah, how to win the gift card: Comment below and let me hear one of your favorite pick me ups/mood boosters for this time of year (or anytime really.) Feel free to add in your go-to fun lipstick/gloss/color too. It’s ok if it’s just Dr. Pepper Lip Smackers too.
Winner will be announced in a week and emailed by me too. ** UPDATE congrats to the winner, Megan, who was just notified/emailed, and can i just also say, WOW all of these entries rocked my world. They were all so uplifting to read, and I got some fun ideas and beauty products to want to test as a result. Cheers to you all and thank you for taking the time to enter.
Cheers to doing whatcha gotta do, and giving someone some reason to smile too.
…Preferably while rocking some saucy lipstick in a dark room with a beach blanket behind you.
This season is rough on everyone! I’m in NC and it’s grey and rainy here too. Currently watching Soul Surfer for some serious fitness, faith, and beach inspo. Another pick me up is to paint my nails a go to summer color (usually white!) and pretend I have a tan….or just peruse your website and Instagram!
Favorite lip color is a true red for a fun night out!
My favorite mood booster is throwing on some Hawaiian reggae and doing my makeup to make me look like a sunkissed, beach goddess. I’m talking lots of bronzer, a flushed cheek and neutral eyes with a glowing finish! It makes me feel like I just stepped off the beach when I obviously didn’t. As for lippies, I LOVE the tarte color splash lipsticks in like, every color. Not only are they beautiful AND look great, they have fun, beachy names, which add to the #mood! 😁
I live in a ski resort in California. Even though snowy winter days are some of my favorite ones, sometimes those long storm cycles can leave me feeling kind of blah. On those days, a run and a soak in the hot springs always perk me up! And since it’s so dry here, I live for C.O. Bigelow’s cinnamint lip gloss, which doubles as a little breath freshener, too.
My favorite pick me up this time of year or anytime really is getting a good sweat in May it be running, hot yoga or just a walk with my dog.. sweat is the most necessary essential to any part of day ,any time of year lifts your mood for any season and my favorite lip color is arrow boost lip color it’s a clear lip balm that naturally enhances your own lip color giving it a really great pinky hue.
My favorite pick me up for this time of year or anytime really is a good sweat.. may it be running, hot yoga it’s an essential for a year round good mood. Cleaning the mind is a essential for a positive vibe. One of my go to lip colors is actually colorless arrow boost lip balm enhances your natural color giving you a fresh pinky hue.
Love that sweater!
Ok-mood boosters:
Hot showers & hot tubs. Sometimes the cold gets to me more than the grey.
Hot yoga.
Swanson’s nursery/oasis+coffee in Seattle. We have something like it down in Hood River. It’s like having coffee in a jungle.
Finding a poke bowl place.
I’m with you on the bikini under clothes thing-makes me feel like I have a tropical secret.
Here is Texas its been gloomy. Work has been crazy lately as well. In the evenings the best mood boost has been feeling and watching my belly move and grow with my first baby. 🙂 Its been an incredible feeling that I will always cherish during this holiday season. Latley, Ive been wearing Sugar lip balm in “ Orchid” which has been amazing during the dry season and the color helps this brighten this complexion too 🙂
Hi! One of my favorite pick me ups is to jack my room temp up to 70, (especially on a cold snowy day.) I order from Uber eats or something. Hop in the shower, shave, slather on my Josie Maran Body Butter Lotion tub and her Argan Oil on my face. I put on comfy sweats and a sweatshirt, turn on my palm tree I lined with lights. I get a big comfy blanket and turn on Netflix while eating my grub. It picks me up and unwinds me all at the same time!
My favorite mood boosters this time of year:
– face masks
– fun music
– gettin’ all cozy (with my pup, with my guy, or just with a big fuzzy blanket)
My fav lip color is Twig by MAC and I also love to use “My Matcha Stick” by cocokind for all kinds of moisture.
Cheers to staying sunny on the inside even in these grey months! 🙂
Loving all the great ideas in these comments!
A pick me up that always seems to work is to eat a perfect juicy mango. The great orange colour and delicious flavour makes me feel like I live somewhere where I can wear shorts all year round. On my lips I tend to wear a tinted balm (getting used to this cold mountain winter) like Bert’s Bees in pomegranate.
Still loving the blog! Even the cloudier Seattle photos!!
Hi Rebekah! Some of my winter pick-me-ups include getting in a good workout, whether it be in the form of HIIT yoga, or weight lifting, reading a good fantasy book, and cozying up with a Netflix movie! I grew up in the desert and now live where it snows, so this time of year can be hard for me. I try to really prioritize my mental health and focus on self care during the winter months. As far as a lip color, I am more of a chapstick gal. My go to is by the brand Booda Butter! They have awesome lotion to. Take care!
Pacifica’s vanilla hibiscus lip tint, Burt’s bees champagne lip shimmer because it reminds me how good anything pink & shimmery look on me when I have my summer tan. Also, burning candles with coconut or anything tropical scent help, somewhat. But it gets tough, like right now as the snow is 5” plus & still forecast to snow through tomorrow. I hear you about the constant grey, but in a few days, it will be starting to get lighter later. Take it where we can get it!
Hi!
Well of course my mood booster this time of year( and always) Is working out!!!
Lip color : I love Stilla , color patina
I suck at checking my email but incase I win you can also text me Haha 😁
It’s funny, but my side hustles have really helped brighten these gray Midwest days. One of my side gigs is at a shop called Endless Summer Paddle and Coffee Co. In the warmer months, we offer a variety of SUP classes and we also have our own beach-inspired coffee shop. I love wearing my favorite GFK/beachy inspired looks to work in an environment where we try to keep Summer endless ❤️ Next door is a wellness center where I teach cycling 2x/wk and I enjoy attending the yoga classes after. Staying active and coming up with motivating/upbeat playlists helps wake me up and warms me up despite the cold. Afterward, I like to go home, take a hot shower, prepare my fave Winter Wakeup Tea, and cuddle up with my pup Scout 🐾
Ooh yes Hanalei lip scrub then slather in lip treatments of course in their sheer goodness colors 😘🤙🏾
Seems like it’s been the gloomiest winter ever for me too – but there is something about getting outside with my dog in the snow that is an instant mood booster ❄️🐕 even just for a small hike or romp around the park, his pure joy at playing in the snow never fails to make me smile and let everything else go. Doesn’t hurt to rock a cute faux fir and fierce lip out in the woods either 🤩
I loved reading all these ideas! I’m in Alaska and I definitely find this time of year rough to get through with the short cold days. I find a walk or run outside with my dogs always helps, as well as spending time with good friends or finding a fun craft project. Favorite lip color right now is by Sugar- called rose. Thanks for the great ideas!
I live in Iowa and I’m 9 months pregnant so this time of year has been unusual haha! I’ve been rocking the Christmas music and baking. Also, if it’s not below zero out I try to get out for a brisk walk just to get outside! I love my Burts Bees lip balms. Thanks Rebekah!
Mood booster any time of year- gym, nail polish & makeup !!! Fave color combo right now is from MAC stripdown and cork with beaux lip gloss 🙌🏽
Line the lip with cork and you fill in with stripdown then apply the gloss & voila!
My go-to makeup mood booster during the chilly winters is Ilia’s Illuminati’s multi-stick in Stella by Starlight! It’s perfect to give me a little bit of a glow that *almost* makes me forget I’m living in the chilly MN tundra! Thank you for the amazing hair tutorials! Absolutely love trying out new, more beach styles to shake up my normal hair routine!
First year living in the FL keys so it’s an overall mood-booster! I can’t even remember, already, what it was in VA.. colourpop makes a ton of fun colored lip stuff, but my go-to is usually a Burt’s bee lip crayon in red or anything mauve/berry tone or nude.
Mood Pick Me Ups: walking on the beach! Honestly the weather is dope even though it gets “cold” some days. Oh and for lip Firecracker by COOLA is my go to red!
Fun earrings/headbands + shimmery cheeks help me look more bright and lively especially when peeking above a big winter coat! I love a nude shimmery or sparkling holiday raspberry lip too.
Listening to Girls Just Wanna Have Fun and putting makeup on with glossy lips turns my days around!!
Good bye postpartum and hello winter darkness, so lots of mood boosters over here! Other than therapy groups and a new Pilates membership, I like turning on my tree lights and lighting aaaalllll the candles I own, make a new playlist and listen endlessly, build giant towers and watch my one year old laugh while knocking them to the ground. FaceTime with family and friends who are far away. Walk through the neighborhood with coffee or cocoa and look at all the lights on the houses even though it’s probably too cold for us to be outside. Giant pineapple raspberry smoothies. Things I want to do more: write, journal, draw, read, general sense that my life is somewhat organized.
Congrats Megan…because you’re the winner! Be on the lookout for an email from me, (or shoot me an email rebekah@goldfishkiss.com) – Thanks so much for your entry!
My favorite pick up is a running by the beach with my doggie and husband (despite the cold weather and wind) and then a nice steamy shower followed by rubbing coconut oil all over! My favorite lippy currently is the Tarte Quench lip rescue in nude 🙂
My go to mood booster is to listen to jimmy buffet holiday radio on Pandora, still the Christmas spirit, but add in my always-in-the-mood-for-a-beach vibes! Boom! Instant mood booster!
The first mood booster I thought of was painting my nails or a good workout but then I thought, wow, visiting this blog is always a mood booster! Thanks for the boost!
One of my favorite mood boosters is to read a happy book!! Whether it’s a book about being a better person or it’s one based at the beach, whenever I read, I feel totally transformed into whatever mindset the book allows me!! I also love love love watching Aquamarine, that movie never fails to make me smile and remember my lifelong dreams to be a mermaid! 🧜♀️ Some of my favorite products include anything that smells like coconut! Haha!! I also adore the beach bum lip products and the not your mother’s beach spray!
°•○ Some of my Fav Mood Boosters
* Wearing a fun graphic surf t shirt or a cool textile sweater (makes me feel most like myself and beautiful!)
* Playing music (nostalgic music can transport you to some fun memories or even rock out some fustration!)
* Eating something new and enjoying every moment of it (I finally tried pad thai and delicous thai iced tea! Visit Pad Thai 55 in golden hill, san diego when you have the chance!)
* Wearing perfume is always nice (too bad my dolce and gabbana light blue from sephora broke when I eloped in maui this past october! Im talking my big bottle of once a year to 2 year investment!)
* Saying hello to a stranger or even starting a conversation with an elderly neighbor (Makes me feel good and reminds my introvert self human connection is important!)
* Slicking on Old school lip gloss and chapstick (bath and body strawberry gloss in a cup and cotton candy lip smacker! I actually have held onto a naturalistics liquid kiwi lip gloss from my cool middle school days haha! Man smell is a good memory!)
* Painting and creative writing (iridescent colors, blues and words that make my heart sing)
* Visiting the ocean and taking it in (tidepooling, picture taking and snorkeling if Im lucky)
* Taking a nature walk (do you about forest bathing? I love a good walk in the woods soaking it all up and in Japan they call it forest bathing! Very good for your spirit.)
* Laying down doing nothing and truly enjoy the moment of being. (Eat Pray Love mentions the italian word for it??)
* Watching Eat Pray Love (living vicariously!)
*Painting nails a color I want my mood to be or is (mermaid sparkles!)
* I took the MBTI test and enjoyed learning more about myself – (16personalities.com)
* Showing husband and pets lots of love and appreciation <3 (I get a lot in return!)
* helping someone out (doing an extra chore, lifting groceries or assisting in a project..anything really!)
* paying someone a compliment : )
* Calling up a family member (I should do this more often!)
* Visiting a koi fish pond or a garden or a cool park with interesting architecture! (I miss the koi pond at my alama mater but I have pet fish now!)
* Having an adventure (car rides looking at christmas lights with a yummy warm beverage)
* Going for a swim (maybe theres an indoor pool around?)
* Admiring my sparkly little engagement ring and new opal/aquamarine wedding ring (stones really make you feel something! I also think in anthropology, they say humans are attracted to sparkle since it connects to looking for water back in the day?)
* Feeling gratitude for what I have and where I've come from (There are a lot of ups and downs, but there's always something Im so lucky for.)
♡♡♡♡♡♡
I hope our and everyone's winter is filled with lots of things that will make the seasons bright!
One of my favorite things to do for a mood booster this time of year is to put on music videos that take place at a beach. It’s often country music but they’re usually upbeat and very colorful. It always puts me in a better mood and reminds me of great times in the sunshine 🙂
Dunkin Donuts large iced coffee black, loose beach waves, a good book + some Lanolips Coconutter Multi Baume!
1. I like to change something around my house. Maybe add clear lights above my bed, rearrange something or add/change some decor. Sometimes a little change is good feeling 😌
2. Make a new fitness goal. Such as, tighten the glutes, set a goal of when I’ll be able to do the splits by or a new time for running a mile. Its fun to make a new goal, then look on Pinterest for ideas to get started!
3. Think of where I was 10yrs ago and where I am now. Remind myself of growth and progress I have made, count my blessings and thank God for being chosen to be someone’s mom, someone’s wife, someone’s daughter, etc. Those are pretty huge wins in life and they make me smile 😊
I could go on, but that would be a lot of reading!
Best pick-me-up is a tie between slathering on some sunless tanner (Tan Luxe makes a beautiful shade) to look sunkissed even when I can’t enjoy a beach day, or a good run out to the point where the sun sets with an amazing playlist in my headphones and just zone out and escape for a while from the to-do’s of every day.. PS Fresh sugar caramel is a must-try lip goodie and as delicious as it sounds 🙂
Honestly, I read your blog for a mood booster. You always have that tropical vibe!
Some other mood boosters on a dreary day are:
-make a honey face mask and lounge while blasting some reggae tunes
-wear a Hawaiian button down even if it’s under your scarf and coat. Let’s be real, it’s never too cold for a nice Hawaiian shirt.
-look back through old photos of tropical vacations. My boyfriend and I once took an 8 month long road trip through Central America so anytime I’m feeling blue, I flip through those pictures and rewind time. Looking at pictures of beautiful beaches while remembering some great times? Heck yeah!
-pull out watercolors and go wild!
-crank up the heat and make a nice glass of iced coffee!
If you spend an afternoon doing one or all of these, I promise you’ll be glowing for days!
As far as lip color, everyone needs to try Lanolips. It is the most moisturizing long lasting colored lip balm. I bought it randomly and have been obsessed ever since. Bonus: it’s almost completely natural! No nasty chemicals. Heyy-o!