Bite Beauty VIB Limited Editions - Swatches and Review

Since each of these lipsticks are sold in categories by themselves, I figured it would make sense to group them all together for this review. The first two are limited edition lipsticks available only to VIB and VIB Rouge customers at Sephora. The third began as something only available to VIBs and VIB Rouges but has since become available to everyone.

Each of the swatches below was done without a liner, which is one reason why they are a bit sloppy. (The other reason is that, despite my love of lipstick, I am not the best at applying it.) The purpose of swatching them without any liner is to show their true colors as they appear on my lips against my skintone.

Arm Swatches
 
Left: VIB Rouge; Right: Lilac

For reference, here are my lips with nothing on.



VIB Rouge Créme*

This is your classic pinup red. I love it, and this is actually the color that started it all for me with BITE Beauty. Until I spent way too much money one year and reached VIB Rouge status at Sephora, I had never heard of BITE Beauty, but I received a mini of this lipstick as a welcoming gift for VIB Rouge members, and it was love at first swipe.

This is a richly pigmented, gorgeous red that smells good and lasts quite a while. On me, weartime is a bit shorter than on other people because since I wear a lot of lip balms, I have a habit of pressing my lips together at random throughout the day. That being said, this one still lasts about two to three hours before I need to add a bit of lip balm to freshen up the color, since it starts to settle into lines about then and get a bit dry. It is, however, never drying on the lips like many other lipsticks.


VIB Limited Edition* - Lilac

I am not a giant fan of pink lipsticks, but since I love Bite Beauty's lipsticks so much and since this was a limited edition for VIB Rouge shoppers at Sephora, I decided to get it anyway. Although I admittedly don't wear it that much outside of the house, it is a good lipstick. The color is beautiful for what it is, but I just generally loathe most things pink. This one is a nice, cool-toned pink, which is much more wearable for me than most bright. It reminds me of Barbie, which I was also never really a fan of as a child. Nonetheless, for people who like pinks, it is great, and it lasts quite a long time. It reaches full opacity with one swipe and is not drying in the least. If anything, this lipstick, like most others from BITE, is more hydrating than other lipsticks.


Overall, each of these lipsticks is great, but the formula seems to vary a bit from color to color. For example, the Lilac seems to stay on the longest without settling into lines, while the VIB Rouge, like many of the reds from Bite, tends to settle into lines after a couple of hours.

* Upon closer inspection of the Sephora website, it seems that the limit has run up on both of these, as it cannot be found anymore for purchase. However, there may very well be similar colors in the new Amuse Bouche line of Bite lipsticks. Gazpacho may be a good replacement for the VIB Rouge color, and Lilac is a bit more tricky to dupe because of the cool undertones, but a good alternative may be Kimchi.

Disclaimer: I did not receive any material or financial compensation for this review. All opinions expressed herein are my own.

Related Website:
Sephora BITE Amuse Bouche (for possible dupes):  http://www.sephora.com/amuse-bouche-lipstick-P405057?skuId=1796689&icid2=products%20grid:p405057
Sephora new BITE VIB Rouge Lipstick in Rouge Berry: http://www.sephora.com/amuse-bouche-lipstick-rouge-berry-P410166?skuId=1833441&icid2=products%20grid:p410166

BITE Beauty Matte Créme Lipstick (Black Cherry, Elderberry) and Opal Créme - Swatches and Review

In 2015, BITE Beauty released USA-exclusive Matte Créme lipsticks in berry colors that later became available in Canada. Although none of these lipsticks can really be described as matte in texture, they are indeed creamy and very pigmented. At about the same time that these lipsticks were released, BITE came out with the Opal Créme lipstick, which is part of the permanent collection.

Here are a few swatches with my thoughts on each of the lipsticks that I have as a part of this collection.


Arm Swatches

From L to R: Opal Créme, Black Cherry, Elderberry
It is a bit difficult to see Opal Créme, depending on the lighting. Here it is barely visible, even though it was visible in my camera and on my arm. Go figure.


My Naked Lips (for reference)



Opal Créme

So this lipstick really takes me back to the late 90s when I had something similar, namely a blue iridescent lipstick, which I wore all the time. I love it! As with most of the Bite lipsticks, it is creamy and comfortable to wear. I would not call this one longwearing, but it is a nice replacement for lip balm when I feel like having a little shimmer on my lips without anything else. It is not quite as hydrating as a lip balm, but it applies smoothly and provides a bit of moisture. Many people seem to like to layer this with other colors, but I like it best by itself. This will surely last quite a while and get a good amount of use so I am happy with my purchase.

As a side note to this color, I have a few similar colors from other brands, and this is by far the most comfortable one with the nicest formula of all of them. That being said, before trying elsewhere, you may save some time and money by trying this one first.


Black Cherry

Black Cherry is a gorgeous, deep red that unfortunately has quite a bit of slip to it and therefore is a bit streaky upon initial application. This can be remedied by blotting and layering, but that means that this color is more high-maintenance than some others from BITE Beauty. Because of the slip of this bold color, a liner is recommended.


Elderberry

Elderberry is a beautiful deep berr color that also has quite a bit of slip to it. Again, this can be dealt with by blotting and applying layers, but this one also tends to settle into lines over time so a primer and/or lip liner is recommended.


Elderberry (blotted)

This is how light Elderberry gets once blotted after one layer, but I find it necessary to remove any excess before applying further layers of this or any other colors.


Elderberry + Opal

Due to the blue/purple duo chrome effect that the Opal Créme has, it seems to work well with other blue-based colors, like Elderberry. Although I don't often layer my lipsticks in general, this is a lovely combination that gives Elderberry (or any lipstick, really) a new dimension.

Overall, the Matte Créme Lipsticks in the berry colors are nice, albeit not matte. The colors are beautiful, but because there are better formulas out there, even within the BITE lines, I would probably not re-purchase these if they were to become available again, unless they were made with a different formula. In the Amuse Bouche line from BITE, a good dupe for Black Cherry would be Licorice, and an alternative for Elderberry would be Truffle from the Matte Créme Lip Crayons.

Disclaimer: Each of these lipsticks was purchased by me, and I received no type of compensation for this review.

Related Websites:
Sephora BITE Opal Créme site:  http://www.sephora.com/opal-creme-lipstick-P398401?skuId=1718733&icid2=products%20grid:p398401
Sephora BITE Amuse Bouche site: http://www.sephora.com/amuse-bouche-lipstick-P405057?skuId=1796689&icid2=products%20grid:p405057
Sephora BITE Matte Créme Lip Crayons: http://www.sephora.com/matte-creme-lip-crayon-P387705?skuId=1778786&icid2=products%20grid:p387705

BITE Beauty Butter Cream Lipstick (Moka, Marzipan) - Swatches and Review

The BITE Beaut Butter Cream Lipsticks are said to be creamier than most lipsticks because the wax tip was removed from them. Although they contain the same amount of product as BITE's other full-sized lipsticks (4.35g/0.15oz), they are more expensive at $28USD per lipstick, compared to $24USD for the former Luminous Crème lipsticks and $26USD for the current Amuse Bouche lipsticks.

These lipsticks have a light scent that is similar to that of the Luminous Crème lipsticks. The Butter Cream lipsticks are indeed creamy, and I really like their consistency, but I do not think that BITE is necessarily justified in charging $28USD more a piece for these. All of the colors in this line are nudes, many of which are flattering on a variety of skin tones.

Packaging

From L to R: Marzipan and Moka

Each of the bullets comes with a removeable "Hand Cut" cover on top. I am not sure why I still have those, but they seem to protect the tops from getting fuzz or other small particles on them. Some people seemed to find application a bit more difficult, due to the shape of the bullet, but I think that application is actually a bit easier because the edges are rather "sharp," which allows me to almost line my lips before applying with the bullet.

My Naked Lips (for reference)

The sun was being a bit fickle today, so please excuse the shadows.

Marzipan

Marzipan is a tan-based nude that is creamy and fully opaque with one swipe. It wears comfortably for about two hours and is great for everyday wear. Due to the thicker consistency of these lipsticks, these may be less desirable for hot summer days, but in general, they are good for any occasion.

Moka

Moka is a sort of browny-red nude that is like a toned-down version of Nori. That being said, it is good for any occasion, especially if you are in the mood for something more noticeable that a typical nude but less in-your-face than a darker color like Nori.

Overall, these are nice lipsticks if you are in the market for good nudes. I wish they came in other, bolder colors, but maybe the creamy texture does not lend itself well to being used with darker or more daring colors.

Disclaimer:
I did not receive any financial or material incentives for this review. All opinions contained herein are my own.

Related Website:
BITE Beauty Butter Creme Lipsticks: http://www.sephora.com/butter-cream-lipstick-P393822?skuId=1685742&icid2=products%20grid:p393822

BITE Beauty Matte Crème Lip Crayons and Line & Define Lip Primer - Swatches and Review

The BITE Beauty Line & Define Lip Primer and Matte Crème Lip Crayons all have a semi-matte, creamy consistency that clings to lips nicely. The lip primer does a good job of helping keep lipsticks in place for longer. One nice thing about this pencils is that the full-sized versions contain a sharpener in the end of the applicator: I haven't used them yet, but that certainly seems like a nice way to keep the tip sharp for more precise application.

Packaging




From Top to Bottom (above) and from Left to Right (here): Café, Glacé, Torte, Coulis, Aubergine, Cognac, Truffle, Line and Define Lip Primer

My Naked Lips (for comparison)

The sun was being a bit fickle today so please excuse the shadows.

Line & Define Lip Primer

The Line & Define Lip Primer is clear and has a refreshing minty scent. It is comfortable to wear, and it does a good job of holding (especially darker) lipsticks in place for a longer time.

Café

Café is a pinky-peach nude that is a good color for everyday wear. The Matte Crème Lip Crayons all have a mango-citrus scent to them that fades over time.

Glacé

Glacé is a slightly mauvy-nude that also works nicely for all occasions.

Torte

Torte is a fairly nice deeper pinky-nude that is also nice for everyday occasions.

Coulis

Although I did not do a good job of applying this one, Coulis is a gorgeous red color that is muted enough to wear in a variety of situations.

Aubergine

Aubergine is a very pretty berry color that I probably will not wear that much although it is lovely and and applies evenly.

Cognac


Cognac is a nice brown with a bit of yellow in it. This one has a slightly more slippery consistency to it than the others that I have described so far, but it still stays in place pretty well, nonetheless. It is a bit similar to Deborah from the Nars Audacious line so this would possibly work well as a liner for it.

Truffle
 
Truffle is a deep brownish burgundy, which I rather like. It applies smoothly and has a creamy consistency, but it has a lot more slip to it than the other crayons that I have. That being said, it applies a bit streaky, but it can be built up to full opacity. Additionally, it has a creamy finish to it but can be blotted down to a matte finish. When I looked in the mirror, the application looked even, but upon closer inspection with the macro lens, it appears that the color really settles into lines in the lips rather quickly. That being said, this lip crayon should be used with a liner and/or a primer if it is to be used to cover the lips.

Truffle lasts for about two to three hours on me before fading into a stain, which is a fair amount of time for a creamy/matte lipstick. One issue that I have with it is that Truffle smudges easily and thus may transfer to other parts of my face or to other people easily if I am not careful. I do not have as many problems with Truffle transferring to my teeth, however, which is normally a big problem for me with lipsticks.

Overall, these crayons are all lovely additions to anyone's lipstick and lip liner collection, since they can be used either to line or as lipsticks. They are not truly matte, but have rather a creamy matte finish that is comfortable to wear. None of them have exceptionally long wear times, but that is also something that I have noticed with most of my BITE lip products - the trade off for shorter wear time is a much more comfortable feel on the lips.

Disclaimer:
I did not receive any financial or material incentives for this review. All opinions expressed herein are my own.

Related Links:
BITE Beauty Line & Define Primer: http://www.sephora.com/line-define-lip-primer-P307909?skuId=1406156&icid2=products%20grid:p307909
BITE Beauty Matte Crème Lip Crayons:  http://www.sephora.com/matte-creme-lip-crayon-P387705?skuId=1778786&icid2=products%20grid:p387705

BITE Beauty High Pigment Pencils (Honey Berry, Pomegranate) and Agave Lip Mask - Swatches and Review

Because I know that there are quite a few people who are still grieving the loss of BITE's Luminous Crème lipsticks, I thought I would quickly review a great alternative to those: The BITE Beauty High Pigment Pencils. These have a very similiar consistency to the Luminous Crème lipsticks, although they apply thicker and are a bit more heat sensitive than the lipsticks, probably because the tip of the product is so much thinner than a lipstick bullet. That being said, anyone who is jonesing for the Luminous Crème lipsticks would likely really like these lipsticks. The only problem is that these cost $24 USD for 2.5g or 0.09oz of product, which is significantly less than the amount in the lipsticks (4.35g/0.15 oz was the amount you got for the same price before the lipsticks were discontinued).

In addition to the High Pigment Lip Pencils, I have the Agave Lip Mask in clear, which I wanted to quickly review. 

Packaging
 
From Top to Bottom: Agave Lip Mask, Honey Berry, Pomegranate
As you can see, I have had these for a while, since they clearly have been used.


My Naked Lips (for comparison)
 
The sun was being a bit difficult today, shining in extremely brightly at times and hiding behind the clouds at others. That being said, please excuse the shadows.

Agave Lip Mask

As I mentioned, this Lip Mask is clear with a satin finish, and as such, it does not do anything to change my lip color. However, you may be able to see a bit of shine. The consistency of this really bothered me at first because it is thick and slightly tacky - almost like a lip gloss. As someone who hates the feel of lip glosses, I had basically written this Lip Mask off and was about to give it to a friend. However, it seems to have grown on me a bit, since it does actually feel quite moisturizing and nourishing. Additionally, the scent is quite pleasant. It reminds me of something that I cannot put my finger on... maybe like the Lucky Charms marshmallows??

It is a bit difficult to get out of the package, but if you just use a tiny dab, that amount will cover your lips and keep them hydrated for at least an hour or two.

Honey Berry

Honey Berry is a beautiful tan-base nude that applies thick and fully opaque in one swipe. Because this is a lip pencil, rather than a lipstick, it allows for fairly precise application, despite the fact that this one's tip is fairly worn-down.

I have to admit that I have had some issues with this one over the past few days, due to the heat. It is summer, and even though the temperature is not really that hot at the moment, a chunk of the tip became thin and melted off recently, which caused some product to be wasted.

This color is great for any occasion, since it is a nude, and it seems to last for about two hours on me before needing to be touched up.

Pomegranate

Pomegranate is a beautiful, classic red that applies thick and opaque in one swipe. Because this color is also a bit sensitive to heat, it is important to be careful when the weather is warm, since it is easy to accidentally apply a bit too much (as seen in the picture). This color also wears for about two to three hours before fading to a stain.

Overall, the BITE Beauty Agave Mask is good for nourishing lips between lipstick applications, and the High Pigment Pencils represent an adequate replacement for the Luminous Crème lipsticks of yore. Although the pencils are not without their faults, which are not to be taken lightly at this price point, they come in a range of beautiful colors that are thick and creamy and highly pigmented.


Disclaimer:
I did not receive and financial or material incentives for this review. All opinions expressed herein are my own.

Related Websites:
BITE Beauty Agave Lip Mask: http://www.sephora.com/agave-lip-mask-P384629?skuId=1575042&icid2=products%20grid:p384629
BITE Beauty High Pigment Lip Pencil: http://www.sephora.com/high-pigment-matte-pencil-P283905?skuId=1488238&icid2=products%20grid%3Ap283905

Melt Cosmetics Lipsticks

Melt Cosmetics is a cruelty-free makeup company that is based in L.A. At least one of the founders is a former MAC-makeup artist, and it seems that although some of the influence of MAC can be seen in Melt's products, the fact that Melt is consistently committed to being cruelty-free makes it so much better than MAC, since MAC cannot make that claim.

Melt is committed to providing high-quality lip and eye products in beautiful, unique colors, and their products are on-point. Their lipsticks run for $19.00 USD, and they each contain 3.2g/0.11oz, which makes them fairly pricey, but as I said, the quality is top. As an added bonus, the lipsticks are also gluten- and paraben-free.

Although they have recently come out with some metallic lipsticks, all of the others are matte. They have a creamy texture when applied, although they sometimes need to be warmed up a bit before application becomes easier. Once applied, they may appear creamy, but they can be blotted to reveal their matte texture. They all are long-lasting for bullet lipsticks, and most of them leave behind a bit of a stain. With the green or blue colors, the stain makes things look more amusing than anything else, but with the other colors, the stain looks more like a normal lip stain. The lipsticks have a sort of creme brulee/play-doh scent that I like, but some other people hate.

Below are some arm and lip swatches. As always, my lip swatches display only the lipsticks without any primer or liner. That being said, application may not be as attractive as one might hope. However, the main goal of the swatches is to display the true colors of the lipsticks in their raw form, and as such, I ask that you ignore the sloppiness that is my application in many cases.

Packaging

L to R: six6six, Space Cake, Blitzed, Blow, Catsuit, Bang Bang

Arm Swatches (sunlight)

L to R: Space Cake, Blitzed, Blow, Bang Bang, 6six6, Catsuit


Arm Swatches (indoor lighting)









L to R: Space Cake, Blitzed, Blow, Bang Bang, 6six6, Catsuit



My Naked Lips (for reference)



Space Cake

Space Cake is a beautiful, light, blue-based gray that is so unique. I have seen similar colors here and there, but this one is so opaque and creamy that it just takes the cake (pun intended). This one is very creamy compared to the other colors, and as such, it is very comfortable to wear, even though it may be a bit difficult to find occasions or excuses to wear this color outside of the house.

Blitzed
 
Blitzed is a bright teal color that is probably the creamiest of the bunch (maybe next to Space Cake, which was also rather creamy). In this picture, it looks almost florescent, and because of that, this is quite possibly the least wearable of all of the colors in this collection, even though it is so pretty.

Blow
 
Blow is a nice, deeper green color that looks like it almost has a bit of shimmer to it in this picture. Although this color is also not the most wearable for everyday or work situations, it is just as good in quality and opacity as the rest in this line.

Bang Bang
 
Bang Bang is a beautiful almost yellow-based true orange. It is a bit stiffer than the other colors, which explains why it doesn't look as creamy in the picture. It is nonetheless comfortable to wear, and it is long-lasting, just like the other colors.

6six6

6six6 is a classic, blood red that leans slightly brown. I love reds of all sorts, and so this one is no different. Beautiful color.

Catsuit

Catsuit is a deep brown color that seems to have a hint of red in it. This is a great color for the fall or for a nice change from wearing reds.

Overall, these lipsticks are great. I have even ordered a couple more, and I am still eyeing a couple more in this line. You really cannot go wrong with these lipsticks.

Here is a link to Melt Cosmetics' website: http://www.meltcosmetics.com/collections/lips

Disclaimer:
I did not receive any financial or material incentives for this review. All opinions expressed herein are my own.

Necromancy Cosmetica Lipsticks

Necromancy Cosmetica is an indie, vegan, cruelty-free makeup company based in Puerto Rico. Its lipsticks are available in a range of unique colors, and they are the epitomy of matte. At the moment, they are working on three new colors, while they are re-stocking the others. The only thing I can say is bien hecho, Necromancy Cosmetica. Sus pintalabios son los mejores que tengo de estos colores tan únicos con textura mate.

When I say that these are matte, these lipsticks are really everything that one could hope and dream of in matte lipsticks. They are paradoxically both stiff and creamy, albeit not exceedingly creamy, but they are thick, very pigmented and fully opaque when applied. When first applied, they do tug and pull at the lips, but the can be built up easily to full opacity. They are a bit drying over time, but they have good staying power for a traditional bullet lipstick.

The only thing that I could complain about a bit would be the packaging. Two of my lipsticks seem to fall apart when I am applying them. Luckily, this only applies to the platic tube not staying together and not the actual lipstick itself being damaged. However, this may be something that has been improved over the past few months while they have been re-stocking and producing more lipsticks.

Below are a few arm and lip swatches of the colors that I have so far. As a heads up, I always do my swatches with nothing but the lipstick, and as such, they are sometimes quite the hot mess. That being said, at least you can see the colors for what they are on me, even if the application is less than perfect.

Arm Swatches

L to R: It's Wednesday, Segunda Plaga, Naked Witch, Lydia, LessStrange, Bonfire Dance


My Naked Lips (for reference)




Naked Witch

Naked Witch is a very light greige the leans more white and gray than beige. It is too light for me to wear on most occasions, but it does an excellent job of covering my natural lip color and staying in place, which is not something that I can say for many lighter colors. There have been a lot of people on Instagram who use this with a darker lip liner underneath, and it looks great that way.

LessStrange

LessStrange is more of a beige greige because it is a bit darker than Naked Witch, and it leans more brown-beige. Because it is more of a nude color, it is much more wearable than Naked Witch, although the gray in it gives it that extra je ne sais quoi that sets it apart from more traditional nudes.

Bonfire Dance

Bonfire Dance is a gorgeous burnt red-orange. This is quite similar in color to a lipstick that I had custom made at the BITE Beauty Lip Lab in NYC, but because this one is fully matte, it is a fair bit drier than my BITE lipstick. I rather like how stiff these lipsticks are because it helps when applying them straight from the bullet. Lip liner is recommended, nonetheless.

It's Wednesday

It's Wednesday is a beautiful, dark, gunmetal gray. Because I do not have any good black lipsticks at the moment, this would be my go-to color in place of black, and because it is lighter, it is a bit more wearable in some ways than black lipstick. It is quite a unique color that you do not find everywhere, and because it applies and wears very well, I would absolutely recommend this if you are in the market for a different, dark, edgy color.

Lydia

Lydia is a blackened purple and reminds me a bit of BITE Beauty's Black Truffle but much more matte. This color seemed stiffer than some of the others in this line, and it skipped quite a bit when applying. However, this is a color that would definitel need a lip liner anyway, so the skipping would not cause as many issues with crisply lined lips.

Segunda Plaga

I think I have way too many lipsticks that are close to this color. It is a beautiful green, nevertheless, and it does step out of the realm of typical lip colors.

Overall, these colors are lovely, and even though they may look shinier in the pictures than they really are, the are truly matte colors that have excellent pigmentation and wear time. They run for $16.00 USD per lipstick, and the amount seems pretty standard, although I am unsure of exactly how much product you officially get in each bullet.

Here is the website of Necromancy Cosmetica: http://www.necromancycosmetica.com/category/lipstick
Although all of the lipsticks are currently out of stock, they should be re-stocked by the end of this month, according to Necromancy Cosmetica's Instagram posts.

Disclaimer:
I purchased all of these lipsticks myself, and I received neither financial nor material incentives for this post. All of the opinions contained herein are my own.