Bite Beauty Lab

After visiting The Met on Sunday to see China Through the Looking Glass, Alyssa and I went to the Bite Beauty Lab in Soho to sit down for a consultation with a color specialist to create custom lipsticks. I went with a Kylie Jenner inspired nude (which I was embarrassed to ask for) while Alyssa asked for a berry that looked like blood on her lips. Our specialist, Nicole was awesome and delivered exactly what we each asked for on her first "mix". 

Visit the Bite website to book your own appointment. Apparently weekends fill up pretty quickly, though we were the only customers in the lab at the time. Another exciting option is going with a group of friends, parties can be booked after hours (with champagne). If you have more than 10 people, you can book the entire lab for around $350! 

First you provide direction for what shade you're looking for and then your specialist mixes the shades in front of you and allows you to try them on until your specifications have been met. Apparently not everyone loves the shade on their first mix, so she was pretty happy with us that we loved the shades right away. 

After determining your mix, you pick your scent (we both opted for mint and vanilla) and your bullet shape (lipstick lid). 4 lid designs are available and all are mirrored on the shape that lipsticks develop into after the wearer applies them several times. 

Your personal recipe is then made by cutting pieces of these lipstick "bon bons" that match the shades available in the jars in my first picture. 

The bon bons are then melted down in jars and your scent is added. 

Once the shade is confirmed to match the shade from your mix, it's then poured into a lipstick mold and placed on a frozen metal plate to set for about 5 minutes and then your lipstick is very carefully inserted into the bullet! Mine set in the first pour, but Alyssa's needed a second pour as hers crumbled when the mold was initially opened, but that only cost us another 5 minutes or so. 

Bite has the cutest business card!

At the end of your session, you'll receive your personalized lipstick ($36-$48) and a recipe card for you to come back with in the future should you wish to recreate your shade! Having a "custom lipstick" definitely feels a bit self indulgent and unnecessary, but I love unnecessary shit!