I ran out of lip tint a few weeks ago. Normally, that would mean buying another one. But we live abroad & move every few months so everything I own fits into just two suitcases. So each time we move, I'm reminded that every little thing I buy eventually becomes another thing to pack.
There's also the reality that I can't always just go buy my favorite products when I run out because we don't own a car & I can't just order from Amazon. Sometimes I can't even find what I need in the store. But honestly, I just don't want to keep buying "things".
So instead of asking, "what should I buy?", I started asking, "what do I have?" Honey for my tea...olive oil for cooking...berries for my yogurt...and an absurd amount of sugar at our Airbnb that neither of us was ever going to eat. So I put them together. And somehow my attempt to replace my lip tint became one of my favorite Trust Rituals.
The sugar provides gentle physical exfoliation, the olive oil conditions my lips, the honey helps slow moisture loss, and the berries give a natural tint, which is all I was trying to create in the first place. But one of the things I love most is knowing exactly what's in it.
Sugar. Honey. Olive oil. Berries. That's it.
I don't measure this either.
I just mix a little sugar, a couple drops of honey and a light drizzle of olive oil together, then mash in a few berries until I get the texture and color I want. Use a small amount on your lips and gently rub it in if you want the exfoliation. You can rinse it off afterward, or leave a thin layer on for a little berry tint and glossiness. I make a very small batch at a time and keep it refrigerated.
That's literally it.
filmed & edited by @jakeofalltrades808
My favorite part of this ritual has very little to do with the lip tint itself.
It's the freedom.
There was a time when freedom meant being able to buy whatever I wanted whenever I wanted. But that usually just left me with more. More products...more clutter...more things I forgot I owned...more things to pack.
Not more convenience, money or time...
It made me realize there is a difference between abundance and excess. This little ritual helped me understand that freedom isn't always having access to more. Sometimes it's not needing as much in the first place. Not because I'm depriving myself. Because I've learned how to create, improvise and take care of myself with what I have.
I don't need my favorite lip tint to be available in Mexico. I don't need to wait for an Amazon order. I don't need to hope it's the right color, or worry about whether I can return it if it isn't. I don't need another product taking up space in my suitcase. I don't even need this exact recipe. I trust myself to look at what I have, listen to what I need, and figure it the fuck out. And every time I do that, I give myself another tiny piece of evidence that says:
I can take care of you.
This little mix of berries, honey, olive oil and sugar isn't anything revolutionary. But the relationship I'm building through rituals like this is. Being able to trust that I can care for myself wherever I am feels like one of the greatest gifts I could ever give myself.
Where could becoming more resourceful give you more freedom?