We are April and Jill.
This is a Mindful Travel Blog
for happy, remarkable, caffeine-fueled women
Coffee and Lipstick
isn’t some shallow trope about the trappings of modern femininity. It’s a way of life. It’s the jolt of espresso that gets you moving in the morning, the swipe of color that brightens your day. April, well – she’s the coffee. Grounded and always brewing some fresh ideas. Jill is the lipstick. A bit bolder, forever restless, with an insatiable wanderlust. But that only tells you half of it.
We started this mindful travel blog because the world for women can be labyrinthine. You get a few decades on this earth, and societal expectations coil around you like barbed wire. Career, family, the pressure to ‘have it all’. It wears you out. Coffee & Lipstick is about reclaiming something for yourself amid that chaos.
Think of us as your caffeine-fueled confidantes. The ones you can curl up with virtually over a shared pot of tea (or steaming cappuccino). Consider this the antidote to the glossy perfection of travel influencers. This mindful travel blog is where we share hard-won lessons that life on the road teaches you.
Jill is based in the Netherlands. You’ll find her posts brimming with practical knowledge as a seasoned technical writer. Her words are organized, and meticulous – the kind that helps you hack long-haul flights and navigate cobbled European streets in style. She reminds you that mindful travel is savoring the slowness, the texture of daily life in a foreign place.
April is your digital nomad hopping islands across the Philippines. Her dispatches are more visceral, a tad chaotic, and laced with self-deprecating humor only years of misfortune can teach you. Her stories speak to the woman who craves the unfamiliar, who yearns for that transformative experience. She also writes for Discovering Cebu.
Ours is the mindful travel blog that gives you the courage to step out of the well-trodden trail and forge your own.
Recent Blog Posts
We’re more than the sum of our passports. We’re ferocious readers – literature is another way of teleporting yourself, isn’t it? Expect curated book lists to stow in your carry-on for those long, introspective journeys. We’re skincare obsessives, armed with routines that combat the ravages of budget airlines and unforgiving climes. We love our creature comforts – the perfect red lipstick, the flattering sundress you can cycle through an entire week in, the soothing rituals that anchor you no matter where you hang your hat.
We share all this in the spirit of solidarity, a gentle reminder that you needn’t sacrifice your passions to see the world. If you’re a woman seeking something beyond just itinerary planning and logistical advice, we invite you to join us. For the traveler looking not only to discover the world around her but also to uncover new truths about herself in the process, this is a mindful travel blog for you. Whether you dream of far-flung destinations or find the extraordinary in your own backyard, we’re here to remind you that the greatest adventures begin with a single step, a packed suitcase, and unwavering curiosity.
Consider this your invitation to savor life’s journey fully – the bitter, the sweet, and everything in between. This is a mindful travel blog for the woman who seeks a life rich in both experience and introspection.
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Blog Categories
Think of our Coffee section as your global passport to a world of flavors. We’re a firm believer that the best cups are the ones discovered through a maze of backstreets or a chalkboard menu scrawled in an unknown language. We’ll share our brewing rituals on the road because a pour-over amidst the chaos has its own strange magic.
Skincare, for us, is a matter of practicality and pleasure. Travel can be harsh. Our reviews and recommendations are battle-tested, designed for the woman constantly in transit. Think versatile products that pack a punch, the workhorses that slot seamlessly into life on the road. Our mindful travel blog believes that feeling good in your skin translates to a more fulfilling experience.
Our Self-Care category is where we talk about the kind of nourishment that sustains our wanderlust. It’s less about sheet masks (though they have their time and place too). It’s recognizing those moments that demand we slow down, and refill our depleted cups. It might be a stolen hour on a Mediterranean balcony, the pages of a book savored until twilight. Here, on our mindful travel blog, you’ll find tips on managing jet lag, creating rituals, and combating mental burnout. This isn’t about self-indulgence, but about building resilience for the long haul.
Finally, the heart of it all: Travel. You won’t simply find ‘Top 10’ lists here. Our guides delve beyond the obvious, encouraging a deeper connection with the place. That’s why we’ll share itineraries that allow for quiet mornings spent lingering in neighborhood cafes. Our focus is on quality, not quantity. It’s about finding the rhythm of a place that truly resonates with you.