I haven’t been to the Statue of Liberty since the Summer of 2002 when I spent a weekend in NYC with my parents when I was 16. My dad, ever an avid sight-seer and a bit of a stickler when it came to scheduling, had us up at the crack of dawn and on a ferry to Liberty Island before I’d even had a chance to wake up properly. Regardless, it’s a good memory, even if the photos of me posing at the base of the monument at the time- awkwardly throwing up a peace sign like John Lennon and squinting in the sun under a horrible D.I.Y. bob cut- are more than a little embarrassing to look back on.

Yesterday morning I had the impulse to take a day trip to NYC to re-visit Lady Liberty (and take a more updated photo- WITH sunglasses and no peace signs this time,) and I couldn’t have picked a better day. It was clear, sunny, and warm-by-this-winter’s-standards. From the island, I had a breathtaking, unobstructed view of the Manhattan skyline- including One World Trade- which of course wasn’t there the last time I’d been. I spent an hour or so just walking around the island, enjoying the weather, and snapping away with my camera.

The Statue of Liberty wasn’t the only destination I had planned for my afternoon, however. After docking back at Battery Park, I walked to SoHo to check out the BITE Beauty Lip Lab at 174 Prince Street to see if I could concoct my very own Springtime lip color. The Lip Lab had come highly recommended via friends and beauty blogs, and as I came closer and closer to the shop’s doorway, I was already dreaming up a bright, fun hue that would stand out from my standard lip color collection.

Of course, with it being a Saturday afternoon, the place was a little booked up- and I put my name and number on a waiting list in the hopes of having a consultation before I headed back home later on that evening. It was my lucky day, though. No sooner had I started to aimlessly roam SoHo when the Lip Lab called me to come back after a few of the people ahead of me on the waiting list failed to show/call for their appointments.

I knew I wanted a bold purple, and preferably something with a matte finish, and the staff- who were so friendly, fun, knowledgeable, and willing to experiment with and build upon my idea- whipped up a color I fell in love with after only a couple of tries (the fact that I was able to apply the trial colors to see how they looked on my actual lips as opposed to the back of my hand or something was a definite perk in the overall experience.) From there, I was allowed to pick a scent for my lipstick (this is optional,) and after much deliberation- I chose a citrus fragrance and watched as my lipstick was mixed, blended, cooled, and eventually tubed and packaged!

The Lip Lab experience cost me just under $40, which is roughly the same price as some designer brand lipsticks. To me, this is infinitely better since it’s 100% personalized. The lipstick formulas are long-lasting, non-drying, and packed with essential oils and moisturizers that are actually good for your lips- and should I run out (which I most definitely will with how often I plan on wearing my color,) the Lip Lab has my formula on file so I can re-order the same shade in the future.

If you’re in SoHo and looking for your own custom lip color, then I definitely suggest checking out Lip Lab (but call ahead to make an appointment- just in case!) I had a blast and I cannot say enough good things about the staff and my finished product. I will absolutely visit again the next time I’m in the area.

All in all, it was a lovely day in the city. I’m already planning on heading back soon.