I ply my trade in luxury. ?Custom portrait sessions are a luxury. ?Modern Muse is a luxury. ?Commissioning a photographer to document your life is a luxury. ?And a custom-created lipstick? – definitely a luxury. ?A luxury and also a dazzling color splash that will be making my summer brighter and, obviously, more fun.

While I was in NY on a family wedding long weekend,?my friend Katherine asked if I would be interested in getting a custom shade of lipstick made. ?What’s this now???A custom created lipstick? ?From one of my favorite lipstick brands – Bite? ?Yes, please. Sign me up!

Part art class, part science lab,??the Lip Lab is clean, bright and narrow, with tiny pots of color along the walls, in glass covered display cases and some arranged tantalizingly close to your eager fingertips.

We weren’t able to get an appointment with our last minute plans, though we lucked out with just a 20 minute wait. ?Side by side at the mirrors, we began with scrubbing and moisturizing our lips. ?It was already awesome.

A classic red, a neutral or something unique and wild. ?- Obviously I wanted something unusual. ?I already have a red that I love. ?And Bite’s Fig is my favorite neutral. So this my was the chance to go big, bold, pigment crazy. ?And to have one of their experts get it exactly right. ?I ended up with two very pigment heavy and brilliant colors:

 I chose the first and fourth shade the lip lab artist created for me. Recipes were saved for future purchases.? I chose the first and fourth shade the lip lab artist created for me. Recipes were saved for future purchases.

First – It’s time to play and experiment with the color! ?The fun part. ?The search for your ideal hue. ?Punch it up, tone it down, add some more blue. They can do that.

Next, you choose the finish: sheer, creme, matte and deluxe. ?And then, before the machine mixes it all up you can add a scent. ?I stayed with the obvious choices: Citrus for the Orange and violet for the purple. ?We could have played in there the whole day. ?The trays upon trays of pigment were amazing.

 K. checks out her custom shade at the Bite Lib Lab.? K. checks out her custom shade at the Bite Lib Lab.

 With blowout and the new lipstick, but not yet in my dress.??I seemed to have gotten through an entire family wedding and this is the only picture of me. ?Which I took it myself. ??How did that happen?? With blowout and the new lipstick, but not yet in my dress.??I seemed to have gotten through an entire family wedding and this is the only picture of me. ?Which I took it myself. ??How did that happen?

For a little luxury and self indulgence, we loved our morning at the Lip Lab. ?Bite lipstick is so pigment rich, creamy and keeps my lips from drying out. ?The professional make up artists I work with on shoots are always mixing up custom colors for clients – and as I can’t have them come over for me every morning – this will do nicely.

Share this story

COMMENTS Expand -
ADD A COMMENT