It was Spring of 1999.  I was a junior in high school and I was closely studying the Estee Lauder counter at Macy*s, (mind you, this was SO pre-Bare Beauty) hoping to find my “look” for prom.  Two gorgeous lip glosses called to me.  One was a creamy, pale violet, the other a warm, sparkly white.  I have no idea if I bought anything else or if I found my “look” that day, but those two puppies came home with me.  They were limited editions and when they each ran out a year or two later, I wanted to cry.  I’ve never forgotten them. (I am absolutely being dramatic on purpose here, just in case you haven’t caught on.  More coffee?)

I don’t know if Sasha Plavsic of Ilia Beauty remembers those glosses as well or is just a color genius and my own personal mind reader, but Ilia Beauty literally came out with these two exact colors this Spring – and I love her for it.  I immediately bought both (again) and they make me so happy.  I am telling you all of this because I think you need them.  I know they will make you happy, too.

Back to Life is an ultra-flattering violet that would perk up any complexion – and it makes your teeth look whiter.   It is based on Pantone’s color of the year, “Radiant Orchid” and it is a limited edition, which means you’d better hurry; I might buy them all so I never have to reminisce about lip gloss again.

White Rabbit is a must-have.  Like Back to Life, it is also universally flattering.  Soft, warm, sheer, with a subtle, sexy glimmer.  It’s not white, it’s not gold, it’s perfect.  You could also layer this one over any other lip color to make it more vibrant.

Please excuse the obnoxious selfies.  I got a lot of $h1+ from my husband and sister when I took these in the car last night.  Top: White Rabbit.  Bottom: Back to Life.  By the way, Ilia lip glosses are incredibly moisturizing and never sticky or gooey.  Cost: $24.  Purchase both here.

Ingredients: Organic castor seed oil, organic cocoa seed butter, organic sesame seed oil, organic candelilla wax, brassica campestris, organic coconut oil, aleurites fordi oil copolymer, isostearyl citrate, organic shea butter fruit, tocopherol (vitamin E), thyme oil, rosemary oil, orange fruit oil, jasmine oil, vanilla planifolia fruit oil. May contain: mica, titanium dioxide (CI77891), red 7 (CI 15850), yellow 5 (CI 19140), iron oxide (CI 77499, CI 77492, CI 77491), red 28 (CI 45410)

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