A few months ago I decided to start a challenge for myself. I dubbed it the Lipstick Without Other Makeup Challenge or simply, the Lipstick Only Challenge. Below is a list of Q&As explaining what this challenge involved, why I started the challenge and what came from starting this challenge. Following will be a parade of photos showcasing my daily efforts in this challenge. Read on and I hope you will be interested in joining me!

November marked an exciting time for New Zealanders, well, mainly those of the female gender, because it was the official launch of theBalm Cosmetics in New Zealand! After hearing the rave overseas for this brand and the many Youtube videos and reviews, it was very nice to finally see its corporeal form and just a few feet away from the dispensary. The story of the brand started in a San Francisco kitchen in 2004 where founder Marissa Shipman began concocting her own makeup formulas after researching into this domain via the eleven books she bought on Amazon. What started out as the passion of a makeup enthusiast expanded into a world-wide seller within a decade, and now it has reached the shores way down south of the globe. Shipman's success story is an inspiration to those who want to build a business empire from scratch, including that of myself. It was very fortunate for me the launch of this new brand in New Zealand was exclusive to pharmacies owned by Green Cross Health, whom I work for. I was beyond excited when the training dates were rolled out for each region and I signed myself up despite being a pharmacist who mainly work behind the dispensary.