Matte Creme Lip Crayon in Fraise

3 Reviews

1. 

   similarCamel9

   Reply

   I love matte reds and how plush and velvety they make my lips look. I went in to Sephora to find a slightly more vampy but still wearable red, long wearing, and preferably a pencil type for ease of application on the go. I was specifically interested in cruella by Nars, but open to suggestion.
   The SA went around and gathered her favorites, and after much discussion she persuaded me to go with this one, as it had the sharpener built in (thoughtful and high end looking packaging) and she thought it brightened my face better colour wise.

   But, as far as “matte-ness” goes, this is more of a creamy-matte. It does not stay put on your lips, leaves a ring, and smudges easily, which I find too high maintenance. I was eating lunch in the food court and my 5 year old informed me that my lipstick was all up my cheek. It had smudged on to the tissue when I blew my nose ( my curry was spicy!), and the tissue transferred all over my face somehow. It seems kind of silly, but I also feel that could have happened to anyone. Without my daughter I really would have wandered around looking like a busted joker. It was also completely gone from the inside rim of my lips. Maybe with a primer this would stay put, but I was really looking for a one-product, on the go sort of lipstick, that would line and colour and be easy. This was a gorgeous, saturated colour on, but the staying power and smudginess made it a no go for me. Colour wise, this was almost identical to nars velvet matte mysterious red, so if you love the colour but want a more lasting and matte finish, I would say go in that direction. Personally, I returned the bite lipstick and got nars cruella right after lunch, as it was more what I was looking for once I left the lights of Sephora.

2. 

   mercifulPear1

   Reply

   I have to start this review out with a caveat: This stuff is WAY overpriced. It’s criminal to charge $24 for literally half the amount of product that one would get in a traditional tube of lipstick. I know Bite is a premium brand, but come on now…
   With that out of the way, let’s move on to the good points about this product (and there are many).
   First off, the color is gorgeous. Fraise is described as a “jewel red” and I’d say that’s accurate. The color of the plastic on the tube looks considerably lighter and pinker than the actual product, which is more like a medium-deep ruby red. It’s got cool, pinkish-blue undertones that are terrific when you are looking for a classic red. Normally, I go for warmer reds because I feel they are a bit more “statement” for my complexion, but with this shade, I feel like I’ve got a wonderful every day kind of red that will work beautifully for all seasons. Paired with a simple slick of black liner and some mascara, it looks so gorgeous and glamorous without looking too night-on-the-town.
   The packaging is sturdy and attractive, but I do wish it had a true-to-color swatch at the bottom. So far, I only own one of these lipsticks, so I’ve not encountered any confusion, but I do plan on buying more and a swatch at the bottom would definitely help in grab-and-go situations.
   The texture is the real standout feature of these lipsticks, however. First off, this is by far the most pigmented lip product I’ve ever used. No sheerness here. One swipe yields an intense amount of color, and there’s no tugging or pulling when applying. It’s smooth, creamy, and easy to work with. I always blot and reapply after the first coat, and I’ve found that method really helps the color to last all day. A quick touchup after meals is all you need. And despite the fact that it’s mostly matte, it’s actually lightly hydrating, which is an added bonus!
   I definitely will repurchase and explore other shades, but not without some reservation due to the exorbitant cost. However, I don’t imagine these run out quickly, judging by how long-lasting they are. Perhaps it’s a decent value. That’ll be contingent on how long one tube lasts me. But price aside, this is a great product and I highly recommend!

3. 

   chicHyena0

   Reply

   Beautiful, bold, rich colour. Another Bite lip product I adore!

   I have warm, golden olive skin (NC40-42) and this just look amazing – it’s not a pure blue based red, but rather almost like a ripe raspberry red with a hint of pink. . .this would look gorgeous on anyone from the very fair to very deep skintones. It looks a lot more reddish-orangey in the images I found online, but it’s very different in person, or at least on my skin – a lot cooler, and more vivid.

   Pros:
   – leaves a stain behind (wear time is average, about 3-5 hours depending on what you’re doing, but the stain lasts about 8+ hours)
   – can be used on lips and cheeks
   – has a light fruity scent that doesn’t make me gag (like L’Oreal’s lipsticks)
   – beautiful, wearable shades
   – can be worn sheer (I just tap it on like a lip stain if I want to wear it sheer) or applied straight from the pencil for very bold, opaque colour
   – because it is so pigmented, will last a longer time than many other lipstick/lip products (eg: NARS Velvet Matte lip pencils)

   Cons:
   – if you’re looking for something very matte (like MAC’s Ruby Woo-type matte) this ain’t it, this is a natural matte, it’s not glossy or anything, but it’s not drying either
   – pointed tip does wear down but can be sharpened carefully to achieve a point again
   – after a few hours, can sometimes bleed or migrate over the lip line (I use lipliner or ELF’s lip primer which is fantastic with this)
   – can rub off/transfer onto cups, cutlery, etc

   Repurchase/Recommend? I would definitely repurchase, and am looking at adding more colours to my collection of Bite products. I do wish it was a bit more long-wearing and transfer resistant, but I haven’t found any lip products that are comfortable to wear and transfer-resistant.

   Would highly recommend checking the lip crayons out no matter what your colouring – they are super pigmented and so versatile – definitely worth the money.