I’m going on vacation with my family next week. Of course I’m thrilled, but I was really worried about not capturing all the amazing experiences. So, I bought a camera. Not a need (none of my purchases are), but it was something really important to me. Today, I went from iPhone photos to a real camera (Rebel T3i fancy-pants letters, etc.), but I’m not sure I’ll use it all the time. Only when snapping shots of something more exciting than nail polish.

Here’s what I learned about purchasing fancy cameras:

• Do some research, but trust your gut.
• Make the decision before you walk into the store, then let the employee talk you into it again.
• Buy the damn protection plan, especially if you plan to be around camera-ruining sand in the next two months.
• Buy something else that you can take pictures of to test out the new machinery.

That last one is a huge challenge – finding something to test out the new camera on. Sure, I have tons of grand landscapes that I want to shoot, but I’ll have to figure out how to use the thing first. I’ll start with lip gloss…Ricky Martin for MAC Viva Glam Lip Conditioner to be exact. 

After one day of use, I like the stuff. My lips are silky smooth but only after reapplying a couple times each hour. A bit excessive, but they feel great! To be determined if the stuff will replace Burt’s Bees as a regular balm, but I’m a sucker for pretty packaging and some tasty gloss. I really freaking love the camera, though and that’s what this is all about!