Bite Beauty - Amuse Bouche Lipsticks (Part 2) - Swatches and Review

Over time, I have acrued more and more Amuse Bouche lipsticks, which are amongst my favorites. I will most likely buy more because the texture is comfortable but almost matte, and most are fully opaque on the first swipe. Some of the colors in the Amuse Bouche line are very wearable, whereas others are unique albeit not very practical, as you will see in the following swatches. All of them have a citrus scent, which is nice and refreshing, but not too strong, and it fades quite quickly over time.

Because of their thicker texture, they tend to have a bit of tug to them, especially the darker colors. Therefore, a balm or primer is recommended for all of them, and a lip liner is needed for the darker colors. For a less bold lip, all of the Amuse Bouche lipsticks can be patted on or blotted after full-strength application.


Arm Swatch


From L to R: Verbena, Gazpacho, Beetroot, Spitzer, Thistle, Lavender Jam, Whiskey, Taro, Kale, Squid Ink

My Naked Lips

(for comparison)

Lip Swatches 
The following lip swatches were done without a liner or a primer, although I did apply balm in between swatches here and there because my lips were becoming dry, the actual swatches are of the lipsticks themselves only. As a sidenote, since I did not use any lipliner for the swatches, some of them are a bit sloppy.


Verbena


Verbena is a lovely light terracotta pink color that is great for everyday wear. This one has less tug to it and applies very easily.


Gazpacho


Gazpacho is a beautiful blue-toned bright red color that is a perfect pin-up red. This is a perfect red that everyone needs in their collection. Of course, like most bold colors, Gazpacho should be accompanied by a liner for more precise application.


Beetroot


Beetroot is a berry red that is quite similar in color and texture to Sugared Maple from the Maple Matte Crème collection and in color to Kir Royale from the Luminous Crème collection. It is wonderful for everyday wear, but it definitely needs a liner, as you can see.


Spritzer
 
Spritzer is a beautiful light pinky purple that is somewhat similar to Dominique from the Nars Audacious line, except Dominique has a slightly cooler undertone when compared to Spritzer. This is also one of the more wearable unique colors from the Amuse Bouche line, since it is not too out there compared to some of the colors below.


Thistle


Thistle is a beautiful taupe greige color that is quite similar to the one that I made at the NYC Lip Lab, which can be seen in an older post. That being said, I love this color. It is great for everyday wear - even at the office - because it is unique but still not too shocking for a professional environment.


Lavender Jam


Lavender Jam is a unique, blue-based lilac color that is not particularly practical, although it is gorgeous. This one seems to have a bit more slip to it than other colors, which on the one hand, is not necessarily a bad thing, since some have quite a bit of tug to them when applied without any balm or primer. On the other hand, it means that this one might be a bit more streaky at first, although it can be easily built up to full opacity.


Taro

I find Taro to be much more wearable than Lavender Jam, although not everyone would agree. It is another purple that is blue-based and fully opaque in one swipe. This is such a unique color, and I was so excited that Bite had released this.


Whiskey


Whiskey is a dark brown with red undertones, which is not at all what I think of when I think of whiskey. That minor critique aside, the color is beautiful and deep. Of the darkest colors in the Amuse Bouche line, Whiskey is among the more wearable colors, which makes it a nice addition to any lipstick addict's collection.


Kale


I love the color green, and even though it is not practical to wear green lipstick in everyday life, I do try to mix it up occasionally, which is why I had to have this color, even though it will certainly not get as much use as any of the conventional colors. This is by far the darkest green lipstick that I own, which is what makes it especially unique.


Squid Ink


Squid Ink is not as unique a color as Kale, seeing as how many brands have navy lipsticks nowadays. Nonetheless, the texture and opacity of the Amuse Bouche line puts this one far ahead of other comparable colors.


Summary
As with most products from Bite Beauty, I am a huge fan of the Amuse Bouche line. Nonetheless, I would be lying if I said that I did not miss the Luminous Crème line, since I think that the two different textures both are great for different purposes.

The Amuse Bouche lipsticks are all quite a bit thicker than the Luminous Crème lipsticks, which makes them bolder and more opaque. These lipsticks require some prepping with a balm or a primer because especially the darker colors have a bit of tug to them, which makes them skip upon initial application. All of these lipsticks can, however, be built to full opacity rather easily, and they tend to last quite a while. For me, most of them last around two to four hours at work, but that takes into account that I tend to drink a lot of water, tea, and coffee, and as an avid wearer of lip balm, I tend to press my lips together quite a bit more than most people.

I would highly recommend these lipsticks to anyone who is looking for something comparable to the Nars Audacious lipsticks, since these are less expensive at $26USD for the Amuse Bouche lipsticks compared to $32USD for the Audacious lipsticks. In addition, Bite has made a great effort with this collection to release new, unique colors that you may not find anywhere else at this quality.


Disclaimer
I purchased all of these lipsticks myself, and I received no material or monetary incentives for this review. All opinions expressed herein are my own.


Related Link
Sephora: http://www.sephora.com/amuse-bouche-lipstick-P405057?skuId=1823244&icid2=products%20grid:p405057http://www.sephora.com/amuse-bouche-lipstick-P405057?skuId=1823244&icid2=products%20grid:p405057

Red Apple Lipstick - Swatches and Review

Red Apple Lipstick was developed to create cruelty-, gluten- and allergen-free lipsticks, because the founder evidently made the lipsticks for his wife before founding the company. As someone who has a gluten sensitivity, I appreciate when companies make products that are gluten-free, since I can rest assured that I will not have any reactions to the lipsticks.

Although I appreciate the fact that the lip products are allergen-free, I was quite annoyed by the slew of emails sent filled with tips for women on how to apply makeup. At first I thought that the email updates were nice because some contained pictures of the founder's wife and other women modelling the lipsticks, and it seemed like a nice way to model the lipsticks and gear them toward everyday women. However, emails of men mainsplaining to women what women do wrong with their makeup poured in, and I asked to be removed from the mailing list because I found it a bit ridiculous for a man in a business suit who clearly does not wear makeup or really do too much for his appearance in general to be giving tips in articles entitled things like "What Women do wrong with their Makeup" or "How Women waste their Makeup" or something of the like. Other articles with tips on when to throw out your makeup and how not to apply too much of your makeup came, which technically may have been helpful had they been presented in a different way. For example, had the founder's wife written the articles or filmed the videos it also would have been received differently, namely as tips for women by women, rather than men telling women what they are doing wrong in areas that said men have no experience in. Alternatively, had the focus been on "people," rather than "women," since women are not the only people who use makeup, the message may have been perceived in a more positive light. Otherwise, there are very helpful makeup tips by male or female makeup artists that would also have been helpful. As they were, however, it was more like typical mansplaining.

It really is too bad about that marketing faux pas because I will not be very likely to purchase any lipstick from Red Apple in the future because I was so turned off by the onslaught of mansplaining emails. All of that aside, I really did like the products for what they are, which is why I think it is important to review them here.

The balm and the lipsticks are creamy and comfortable to wear, and the lipsticks apply fully opaque in one to three passes. Both the Rallye Balm and the lipsticks are unscented, but they smell a bit like my mother's old makeup - the way I remember it from my childhood. I am not sure how to describe it, but maybe like a mix of petroleum jelly and talcum powder is about how I think they smell. Based on the information on Red Apple's website, neither of those is used in their products, but somehow the lipsticks' scents remind me of them. The scent is not strong at all, but it is noticeable upon application.

Here are some swatches with just the lip products and no liner or primer, so you can get an idea of how they perform by themselves.

Arm Swatches

L to R: Rallye Balm, Exfoliate, Beachside, Gypsy Soul

My Naked Lips (for reference)



Rallye Balm

The Rallye Balm is like a typical lip balm, except that it is in the shape of a lipstick. It is a decent balm, and it is unscented for anyone who is bothered by scents, but I would not say that there is anything that makes it really stand out above other less-expensive cruelty-free balms, other than the fact that Rallye Balm is free of allergens that may be present in other balms. However, seeing as there are other gluten-free, cruelty-free organic lip balms on the market that I prefer, I will most likely just stick to those.


Exfoliator

The Exfoliator stick looks like a typical lipstick bullet, but it contains exfoliating particles. I am not sure  what they are made of, but they seem to hold up better than sugar exfoliators that I have. The exfoliator stick smells like mint and leaves a thick, white film with the particles on the lips. I thought that it might be more effective than my sugar exoliants, since the particles do not dissolve, but that does not really seem to be the case.

I really like the idea behind this, but it seems like the formula may need to be changed a bit. Alternatively, as an exfoliant in a jar, the particles may be easier to spread on the lips with your finger to slough off dead skin more effectively than with the bullet.


Beachside

Beachside is a beautiful, creamy, yellow-based nude that applies fully opaque in two or three swipes. Technically, it is fully opaque after the first swipe, but because it is so creamy, a couple off passes are needed to fill in streaks and better define the lines. Obviously a lip liner would help with that issue, but since I did not want to use any liner for these swatches, it took a bit more work to make sure the lines weren't too sloppy. Beachside, being a light color, seems to fade within an hour, but because it feels like a lip balm, I really don't mind the shorter wear time, since the comfort level fully makes up for the lack in longevity.


Gypsy Soul

Gypsy Soul is a sort of raisin-brown color that is beautiful. It applies fully opaque in one swipe, but may need a bit of work to make the lines more crisp, unless, of course, you are using a liner anyway. Gypsy Soul is creamy and very comfortable to wear, as it feels like a lip balm.

Overall, I really like the lip products that Red Apple has to offer, and I appreciate the fact that everything is made free of gluten and other allergens. The only qualm I have with the company is the method of communicating with customers, which, as detailed above, I find to be off-putting. Aside from that, I would recommend these products to anyone with allergies who is looking for a standard range of lipstick colors.

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


Red Apple Lipstick site: http://www.redapplelipstick.com/

Bite Beauty Multisticks Part 1 - Macaroon, Blondie and Cocoa

At long last I was able to get my Multisticks that Bite Beauty and Sephora had sent to me a few weeks ago when I was out of town: Macaroon, Blondie and Cocoa.

The Multisticks are designed to be used on the eyes, cheeks and lips, and thusly have a powdery finish compared to other Bite products. Like other products from Bite, they are richly pigmented, cruelty free, and they are made from food-grade ingredients, which are some of the reasons why I love them.

Originally, I was not planning on purchasing the Multisticks, as I don't tend to wear eyeshadow, and I have quite a few cheek stains that need to be used up. However, as is the case with me and Bite products, I was not able to resist ording some for long. Incidentally, these are not the ones that I purchased myself. Evidently Bite and Sephora took notice of my buying habits, and realized that since I spend most of my money on those products, I might be a good person to send their free samples to. Needless to say, I am very grateful to Bite and Sephora for saving me some money, as - even though I had not already ordered these - I might have ordered them in the future.

Packaging:

L to R: Macaroon, Blondie, Cocoa

Here are some arm swatches:

L to R: Macaroon, Blondie, Cocoa

... and here I have Blondie on my lid, Cocoa on my crease and Macaroon on my brow bone, cheek and lips:
 
Since you can't really see my lips in that picture, here is one where they are a bit more visible:
 
 I don't know how much I'll wear Macaroon on my lips - not because it is not a beautiful color, but rather because I don't tend to wear many pinks on my lips - however, I like it very much on my eyes and cheeks.

Here is one with Blondie on my lips:
 
 Clearly Blondie is not for my lips, as I look like the undead, but I really do like it on my eyelids.

And finally, we have Cocoa on my lips.
 

Call me crazy, but I rather like it on my lips.

I suppose that I can't really say much that hasn't already been said about the Multisticks. They are highly pigmented and versatile, and I love the powdery finish for my eyes and cheeks, although I think it could take some getting used to on my lips.

I bought four more, which I have swatched on my arm already and will play with more and post after my vacation. I have a feeling that I will have a lot of fun playing with these.

Thanks, Bite and Sephora, for the gift and the chance to play with some other colors that I might not have thought to buy for myself but that I will surely get a lot of use out of.

Disclaimer: I received these as a sample for review, but I was not offered any financial or other incentives. All opinions contained herein are my own.

Related Websites:
Sephora Bite Multistick Page: http://www.sephora.com/multistick-P411038?skuId=1855378&icid2=bite_lp_whatsnew_carousel_us:p411038

Bobbi Brown Lipstick - Raisin Berry - No Longer Cruelty-Free

I used to love Bobbi Brown's lipsticks when I was in junior high, but unfortunately, it seems as though quite a lot has changed since then. I bought this lipstick after reading the name of its color because I had a flashback from back in the day, when this was the only lipstick that I had finished - a few times. Because I had read somewhere that Bobbi Brown was also cruelty-free, I felt better about spending almost three times what I had paid in my youth for this lipstick. However, I have since read that Bobbi Brown is no longer cruelty-free because they have decided to sell products in mainland China, where animal testing is required.





My Naked Lips (for reference)



Raisin Berry

Once I saw Raisin Berry on Sephora, I knew I had to have it, because I remember wearing it non-stop in junior high and the beginning of high school, and I remember actually going through a few tubes of it, which never happens to me. Alas, I was a bit disappointed, not only by the price of the lipstick, compared to what it cost back in the day, but also because of its texture. It has a strangely sticky texture that almost reminds me of a lip gloss. Since I hate the sticky feel of lip glosses, you can guess how I feel about the texture of this lipstick.

Sadly, I will not be wearing this lipstick bullet down to the nub, as I did in days of yore, but maybe I can find a good home for it because it is a nice color if you don't mind the texture. I will not be purchasing any more products from  Bobbi Brown, not only because I don't like this one, but also because of their animal testing policy.

Disclaimer: I received no financial or materials for this review. All opinions expressed herein are my own.


Website with info about Bobbi Brown and other companies testing on animals abroad: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-3127995/The-cruelty-free-cosmetics-make-brands-testing-animals-abroad-ones-trust.html 

NICOLET Beauty Lipsticks

NICOLET Beauty is a cruelty-free indie makeup company that started on Etsy and now has its own website.The lipsticks are unscented, and they are available in a wide variety of unique colors that have either a satin or a matte finish. I am not sure if the colors rotate over time or if a couple of mine have since been discontinued, but it looks like only Lodi is available on the websites currently. However, just in case the other two become available again, I am showcasing all three here.

Packaging

(without flash) L to R: Batelle-Lodi-Ellensue


(with flash) L to R: Batelle-Lodi-Ellensue
The bullets are fairly standard plastic black. They are made of sturdy plastic, and I have not had any issues with them coming apart in my lipstick bag, which is not something that I can say of all of my lipsticks (ehem Kat von D).

As an aside, I am not sure why Lodi looks so pink in these pictures, since it is not at all pink in real life. It looks more lilac-taupe-greige in the tube than anything close to pink.


Arm Swatches (sunlight)

L to R: Batelle-Lodi-Ellensue

Arm Swatches (indoor lighting)

L to R: Batelle-Lodi-Ellensue
The swatches are much truer to life than the pictures of the bullets.


My Naked Lips (for reference)



Lodi

This is a beautiful lavender-taupe-greige color, and it seems to a bit more creamy than the other two, which makes it a bit easier to apply and reach full opacity.This is my favorite color of the bunch, and it seems to still be available for sale.


Batelle

Batelle is a beautiful grey color that is a bit stiffer than Lodi. For that reason, it applies a bit streaky or patchy, but this can easily be fixed by applying more layers or by cancelling out your lip color with a concealer/primer or a liner. Because this is a rather bold color, a liner is recommended anyway to help keep lip lines crisp.

Ellensue

Ellensue is a gorgeous color that I am not sure how to describe... I'm not sure if it is a bright blue that leans slightly purple or an extremely blue-based purple. I suppose it is a bit similar to one of my favorites - Illamasqua's Kontrol - but Ellensue is even bluer.

When I saw swatches of it online, I thought it was simply a bright blue, which is basically what it looks like in my swatches, too, but the picture here seem to pick up on the purple more than those that I had seen before purchasing Ellensue. Because I missed out on Melt's DGAF, I thought this might be a nice alternative. Although the color is not the same as DGAF, the texture and pigmentation are better than some other blue lipsticks I've tried (ehem Illamasqua's Disciple), and this is just a really unique color that is more wearable than a straight-up blue. Like Batelle, Ellensue is also a bit stiffer, so it applies a bit streaky or patchy, which could be fixed by applying a base layer of lip liner or by cancelling out your lip color with a concealer/primer.

Overall, these are great lipsticks, and although all of mine are matte in texture, they are not as drying as many matte lipsticks over time. Because they are unscented, there are no issues there for people with sensitive noses, and these are available in a large variety of unique colors.



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

Related Websites:
NICOLET Beauty Website: http://www.nicoletbeauty.com/
Etsy Website: https://www.etsy.com/people/nicoletbeauty

LunatiCK Cosmetics Labs Lipsticks - Calabaza and Bruja

LunatiCK Cosmetics Labs is a cruelty-free indie brand that offers a modest variety of lipsticks and eye shadows in unique colors. The theme of the company reminds me a bit of Halloween, since some of the eye shadow pallets are shaped like coffins and the website has stitches and a creepy eye that stares at you when you go to browse through the shop.

The Apocalipstick in the bullet form runs for $15 USD a piece for 3.5g, which is a fairly good deal, considering that the lipstick will probably last quite a while.

Below are swatches and descriptions of the two lipsticks that I have from LunatiCK. In each of them, I am wearing the lipsticks without any primer or liner so that you can see how the lipsticks look when applied alone.

Bullets

The bullets look like bullets - how creative :) I suppose you can't tell here, since they are opened, but the bullets are made of metal and feel like they are of decent quality.

Arm Swatches

From L to R: Calabaza and Bruja

My Naked Lips (for reference)



Calabaza

Calabaza is a beautiful rusty-colored orange/red that is creamy and applies fully opaque in one swipe. My only issue with this color is that my lips seem to be reacting to something in the lipstick itself, because my lips itch whenever I wear this for more than a couple of minutes. If I did not have to take off the lipstick after such a short time each time I put it on, it probably would last a fair amount of time.

Bruja

Bruja is a beautiful lilac greige color that applies fully opaque in one swipe. Its texture is very creamy, and I would describe it as comfortable, except for the fact that it seems to make my lips itch. I suspect that there is some kind of wheat or other gluten-containing ingrediant that bothers me, since my skin sometimes reacts to certain products with gluten, especially wheat. However, I cannot verify whether that is the real reason for my lips' reaction, since I can't identify any names for "gluten" in the lists of ingredients.

Overall the lipsticks are creamy and highly pigmented, and they reach opacity in one swipe. The colors are beautiful, and there are more that you would not find everywhere. I would definitely recommend these to anyone who doesn't have any sensitivities or allergies, since other than the reaction I have to them, they are great lipsticks.

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


LunatiCK Cosmetic Labs' Website: http://www.lunaticklabs.com/

Lip Bar Lipsticks - Amaretto Sour and Cocoa Cooler

The Lip Bar is an indie lipstick company whose founder was featured on Shark Tank for her business venture idea. The orignal idea behind this company was to create lip products for women of color. When I bought these lipsticks, they were $19USD a piece, but the price has been reduced to less than $11USD because the founder wanted to make her lipsticks more affordable for a wider range of people, which struck me as a uniquely socially conscious business move on her part. While many people whose businesses are thriving would be more likely to raise their prices to create a more exclusive customer base, she decided that it was more important for her brand to be inclusive, which I thought was admirable.

Many of these lipsticks are named after alcoholic beverages, in keeping with the bar theme at the Lip Bar. The colors seem to rotate, and so only a select few are available at any given time. The packaging is artistic and classy, which is not something that can be said of many types of lipstick tubes, especially not from indie brands, which may seem more cheaply made, presumably due to restricted budgets.

These lipsticks are very creamy and comfortable to wear, and they are buildable to full opacity. Because of their creamy texture, they cannot be described as long-lasting, but the lipsticks are available in a variety of unique colors.

Packaging

The packaging of these lipsticks is incredible. I adore the almost stained-glass-window look that the lipstick tubes have, and the velvetine pouches that they come in are not only fancy-looking, they are quite practical for ensuring the integrity of your lipstick when in transit. It assures that the lipsticks stay closed and protects them from potentially being broken by heavier object, if you happen to put your lipsticks in suitcases or the like for transport.

Arm Swatches




My Naked Lips (for reference)



Amaretto Sour

Amaretto Sour is the first lipstick that caught my eye from the Lip Bar, and even though I was unsure about whether I could pull off this color or whether I would ever wear it, I had to have it. It is described as a "cool camel" color, which is not really how I would describe it, but the description is creative, nonetheless. Although this one takes a bit of work to build it up to full opacity because it has a bit of slip to it, it is a gorgeous mustardy golden yellow that is much more wearable than most yellows. I love that this is a gold color without any shimmer or glitter because I am not a fan of either. Even though I have to admit that I do not wear this color very often, I can say that it was well worth it to purchase this color to add to my collection, since I do not have any other colors that compare to this one.


Cocoa Cooler

This one was described as a "90s brown," and that seems to fit well. Unlike Amaretto Sour, this one is not incredibly unique, but I was on a brown lipstick trip when I bought it, and it is a very nice color. It is a bit stiffer than Amaretto Sour, but it is still very creamy.

Overall, I really like these lipsticks, as well as the business philosophy of the founder. The packaging is top, and Amaretto Sour is a fabulous color for trying a more bold look. I would highly recommend these to anyone looking for unique, high-quality, cruelty-free lipsticks at an affordable price.


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


Lip Bar website: https://thelipbar.com/innerpage/barmenu