So You Want to Visit the Bite Beauty Lip Lab

So You Want to Visit the Bite Beauty Lip Lab

Hello, class! I am excited to tell you about one of my favorite excursions this summer, which was to visit the Bite Beauty Lip Lab in Manhattan. I have been wanting to try out this experience for years, and was thrilled when my friends (hi Adam and Rachel!) said they would go into the city with me. Bite Beauty is one of my favorite brands as we’ve seen here and here and here.

There are currently three Bite Beauty Lip Lab locations- San Francisco, Toronto and New York City. The NYC location is obviously the only convenient location for me. It is in SoHo at 174 Prince Street.

Rather than just list my experience, I want to provide you with a little guidebook, per say, in case you ever make it to one of the Bite Beauty Lip Lab locations:

Make an Appointment

Make an appointment.
Make an appointment.
Make an appointment.
Make an appointment.

Got it? I am stressing this because we saw a number of people get turned away. While there may be days when walk-ins are accepted or when someone on the wait-list gets called because there is a last-minute cancellation, it will not likely be the day you try to get in.

I booked an appointment for two people about three weeks in advance without an issue. I had a choice of times and the employee on the phone was incredibly polite. Visit the Bite Beauty Lip Lab website if you’d like to look up the phone number for your nearest location.

Give Yourself Time to Travel

I don’t know about the other cities, but New York is a mess. Give yourself plenty of time to get to your chosen Lip Lab because if you miss your time slot, chances are you’re not going get a chance later.

Just a little story to go along with this message:
The three of us arrived about an hour early, which was awesome, especially because it turns out they were filming a TV show right on Prince Street and we were only allowed to access the store between takes!

Know Your Options

There are two options for your Bite Beauty Lip Lab experience. The first is to make a “custom lipstick.” This means that you will chose from nearly 200 shades and combine your shade with the finish and scent of your choice. This option is $55 for one lipstick or two for $80.

The second experience is the “bespoke lipstick.” This means that your lip lab artist will work with you to create a unique shade by mixing pigments based on your preferences. As with the custom option, you get to also chose your finish and scent. The Bespoke Lipstick experience is $150 for two lipsticks as well as an exclusive lip kit.

The website lists different finish options for each experience:
Custom: glossy sheer, matte creme, amuse bouche (Bite’s standard finish at this point).
Bespoke: luminous, matte, sheer cuvée

The scent options are: cherry, mint, vanilla, citrus, mango, violet, coconut, wildberry and lime (the website says “fresh citrus” but when we went there was a lime option).

Have an Idea of What You Want

I like to think that Rachel and I were pretty easy customers. We both knew that we wanted the bespoke option (we were feeling very extra) and both of us are decidedly matte lipstick lovers. And we had some idea of the colors we wanted. Rachel requested a flattering nude for everyday use and her red. Our lip lab artist (forgive me, as I cannot remember her name!) mixed up colors like a true pro and found Rachel’s new lipstick shades within three attempts each.

My first request was a flattering pink. This was another easy feat for our artist. My second request, a grungy purple, was a little more difficult, therefore, we went through a number of grayish purples until we found the one.

 

pick a shade to wear out of the store

Because your handmade lipsticks will need time to set, you should not expect to apply your lipstick directly from the bullet before you leave. While I kept on my purple lip, Rachel went back to her first shade, the nude.

Take Photos

On top of the whole process being very, very cool, this serves a greater purpose. You will receive a card with your custom formula so that you can re-make your lipstick if/when you run out and it is a good idea to take a photo of your formula so you never lose it!

Enjoy!

I hope this guide helps you enjoy your first Bite Beauty Lip Lab experience. Additionally, If you have some tips, please share with the class by commenting!

 

 

Don’t have a Bite Beauty Lip Lab nearby? Shop Bite online (affiliate links):