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

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