My Lip Lab Experience: Creating an Amazing Custom Lipstick
Thanks to the pandemic and the normalization of face masks, I thought my days of wearing lipsticks for sheer fun were behind me. Can a custom lipstick from the Lip Lab prove me wrong though? Here’s my unsponsored take on my experience.
Table of Contents
Before going
I’m not going to lie, I wasn’t expecting much from the Lip Lab experience for a couple of reasons:
1 – I didn’t think I needed a custom lipstick. Mainly because I got so used to skipping lipstick anyway during the facemask phase of the pandemic.
2 – I was a little worried it’s more flash & hype than anything, to be honest.
But I am a sucker for new experiences (that don’t involve exercise). So I went anyway since it was about time for a much-needed girl’s day, and I was hella curious.
My Lip Lab Experience
First of all, I did something somewhat out of character: I barely did any research apart from checking the price range. No reading blog reviews,- yelp reviews, none of that. I really went in there and just…did not know what to expect, nor how the whole thing even worked. To be honest, it felt a little wild.
But the way I saw it, this was my friend J’s show and I was just along for the ride. It was nice to be able to just chill and let someone else do the planning (& booking), and all I had to do was show up. Plus, she’s one of the few people I actually trust to plan an activity like this.
We went to the Lip Lab on August 12, to the (apparently new) Century City location. According to the staff we talked to, that location only opened about 5 months ago (March 2023).
I’m glad that J made reservations since it was a Saturday, and they looked a little busy. But when we showed up at the Lip Lab for our 2:30 p.m. appointment, someone immediately welcomed us. They asked if we were just checking it out, walking in, or if we had an appointment.
They confirmed our names and got seated within less than 5 minutes.
The Process
The first thing we had to figure out was which lip product we wanted (a lip balm, lip gloss, or lipstick). That was easy enough since we were both expecting to get a new lipstick. See, I didn’t even know they offered lip gloss!
The next decision we had to make for our custom lipstick was the finish (matte, satin, sheer) and the scent (vanilla, mint, pomegranate, mango) we wanted.
Luckily they had a convenient little tray with cute tiny bottles of the scents for us to sniff, and a product from each finish that we could swatch on the back of our hands.
Luckily they had a convenient little tray with cute tiny bottles of the scents for us to sniff, and a product from each finish that we could swatch on the back of our hands.
Deciding on a finish seemed to be the most important decision since each finish seemed to have its version of each color, roughly. Whereas the scent probably could’ve waited until the end to get decided, but I didn’t need that long. Honestly, the scent was the easiest decision for me to make.
I went with a matte finish and the pomegranate scent, which smelled very juicy. The vanilla was very tempting though, and it was a very close second.
The mango sounded appealing, but I don’t think it smelled very good, and almost smelled like medicine or just straight-up chemicals. The mint just reminded me of toothpaste, so that was an immediate no from me.
My friend J got a satin finish for hers and also ended up with the pomegranate!
While we were sniffing away at the little scent samples, we asked our color expert about what most customers requested for their custom lipsticks, just to get a baseline. If you can’t tell, we really didn’t know what to expect from the experience.
Her answer: most customers asked for nude shades. Understandable, since some girls have trouble finding that perfect nude shade.
Finally, the biggest dilemma I wasn’t looking forward to facing: what shade did I want our color expert, Diamond, to mix for me?
You see, I’m just not a nude lip type of girl (unless my eye game is popping).
In the week or so leading up to the appointment, I decided (or thought I did…whoops!) on a cool, light pink for everyday use. I wanted the functionality of a nude lip, but with enough pop of color to keep it from being boring.
But when I was faced with their little booklet of options, I kept looking at the “bold” and “wild” colors. Curse my love for intense pops of color!
I hadn’t planned on asking for a “wild” color, since I felt I already have my go-to wild lipsticks. I have lavender, bright purple, dark witchy purple, and magenta.
I went into the Lip Lab thinking I didn’t need another “wild” color. So naturally, I asked our color expert to mix me a blue lipstick.
It was only natural since our color expert asked if I’d ever tried blue lipstick before. So of course I told her about the time I swatched a blue lipstick from Fenty Beauty. But I wasn’t a fan, since it gave me a little too much zombie corpse vibe.
I also didn’t like how it left a mess on my face and required a lot of wipes to get off. Plus I didn’t like that it left a light stain that made me look like I asphyxiated.
Shade 1: Denim Blue
Looking at Diamond’s mixing plate, I wasn’t actually sure if I liked the color or not. When I think of blue, my default is cobalt blue since that’s my favorite blue.
But I thought, “Eh, why not?” since I came here anyway mainly to experience something new, rather than being dead-set on a specific lipstick color.
Plus, I figured if I wanted to commit to blue, I could just ask for modifications based on how the first one looked on me. That did seem to be the whole point of the Lip Lab experience, after all.
I was pleasantly surprised and thought it looked good on me, even with my sloppy application. Both Diamond and J were so invested and curious about how it would look. They watched me like a hawk, and it felt a little intimidating.
I laughed and told them as much, saying I felt like this was my first time applying lipstick, given how intensely they were watching. Understandable, since they were curious to see how it would look on me & my reaction to it, but still.
Surprisingly, I loved it! The color looked more indigo on my lips after it dried, versus the bright denim blue against a white palette. Makes sense, as it mixed with the natural color of my lips. However, I expressed my concern that it’s a lip color I can only wear with a narrow selection of clothes.
The three of us even had a mini-debate on whether it would look good while I’m wearing denim or not – would it enhance the denim, or just give me denim-on-denim vibes like the early 2000s? Consensus: probably a little too close to early 2000s denim-on-denim vibes, and not in a good way.
So while I loved it, I felt like it would be a waste of money if I would only wear it once in a blue (haha) moon. It’s just a tricky look to pull off, so it would only look great with certain outfits. But that’s too constricting for me.
Like yes, it’s a vibe I could probably pull off. But it’s not a vibe that’s appropriate for a lot of occasions. I don’t mind standing out from the crowd, but I’d prefer it to be because I look stylish, not clownish.
Shade 2: Amethyst Purple
For my second shade, I was torn between requesting the cool light pink I intended, or a purple lipstick. In the end, I asked for a light-to-mid purple that wasn’t lavender, since I already had a lavender at home.
The result: Perfection. Spoiler alert, if that wasn’t enough of a foreshadowing: This was the lipstick shade I ended up leaving the Lip Lab with.
The odd thing was I couldn’t even pinpoint its exact color. It’s not quite purple purple since it has strong hints of pink. But it’s not quite violet either since it has too much of a blue base.
The most concise description I could come up with is either an Amethyst purple or an Orchid purple. For my non-artistic husband, I just say it’s a cool purple with hints of pink.
Either way, it looked cute enough that even my friend J was curious enough to try it too. She asked our color expert if there was enough sample for two lip swabs. So we both got to try it on! For a moment, we both chuckled at the thought of having matching lipsticks.
I knew I loved it before I even finished applying it. I thought it was just me & my love for purple. But even my friend J, our color expert, and the color expert next to us complimented how well that Amethyst purple worked for me.
Specifically, J mentioned how it made my whole face look brighter. Funny enough, I already had the same thought while I was watching it get mixed. Thanks to the color analysis experience I had last year, I knew the cool purple would be right up my alley.
I didn’t mention that to our color expert or J though, so it’s good to know that other people see it too! Always glad to know getting my colors analyzed wasn’t a total waste of time & money.
Anyway, the lipstick I ended up with is an Amethyst purple that’s, well, purple enough to make my soul happy. But it also looks “natural” enough to work for everyday use, thanks to the hints of pink and berry tones.
The most important thing that made me pull the trigger (a $65+tax trigger, at that) was the fact that I felt I could confidently wear this color any day, anywhere, and anywhen.
From running errands to attending parties and celebrating special occasions, I now have ONE (non-nude) lipstick to rule them all!
The whole “day to night” outfits from the early 2000s might’ve been a lie, but my casual-to-formal lipstick is very much real.
Shade 3: Seafoam Green
You’d think that would be the end of my Lip Lab experience…
But wait, the ride wasn’t quite over! I had already committed to using the cool purple shade as my custom lipstick, but my curiosity wasn’t quite satisfied yet.
While J and I were getting our shades mixed, the other customers who were there before us slowly trickled out. By the time we were both trying on my purple, we were the only customers left, with the occasional passerby coming in to ask, “What’s a Lip Lab?”
So when our color expert asked if there were any other shades we wanted to try, both J and I thought of the seafoam green. It was a sample under the “wild” shades in the booklet they gave us as soon as we sat down.
Maybe it was because they didn’t have as many reservations coming up. Possibly, we had some time left over since between me and J, it only took 3 shades for us to settle on the one lipstick for us. Either way, our color expert was game to mix the seafoam shade for me to try!
In an ironic reversal of the denim blue shade from earlier, I absolutely loved the color while it was on the palette. Meanwhile, seeing it on my lips was… well, I didn’t quite hate it, but well…
I simply couldn’t stop laughing at myself – it looked like I had an Instagram filter or a badly done virtual makeup try-on. I looked ridiculous because it just looked so out of place on me.
We all agreed it’s a no-go, though Diamond mentioned that if she added more of a cool-brown base, it could blend in better. At least, as much as seafoam green lips could, anyway! But I knew that even if she remixed it to better fit me, it’s not a color I would reach for every day – and I have absolute confidence she could’ve mixed a better seafoam shade for me.
It just looked too much like a costume – unlike with the blue lipstick, I couldn’t even begin to imagine what outfits this lipstick would look good with. Maybe an elaborate onstage production?
So in the interest of saving us both time, and since my curiosity was satisfied, I declined version 2 of the seafoam shade.
Wrapping up (Packaging)
So this is where I both wish that I had done more research on the process, but also glad that I didn’t: We get to (or had to, if you’re an overthinker like me) name our custom lipstick. That name gets engraved on top of the lipstick case we choose.
That may not seem like a big deal, but as someone who grew up on J-RPG and MMORPG video games, this was a crisis. You’re telling me I have to think of a name on the spot RIGHT NOW?
If I was in a cheesy rom-com, the camera would pan to me vomiting.
As someone who spends an obscene amount of time stuck (by my folly) at the character customization screen of any game that has one, naming anything is a long process that one simply doesn’t rush.
I know some readers out there would say, “Just use your name!”
Dear reader who would tell me to just use my name: Clearly, we had vastly different childhood experiences. That’s simply not how I roll. No, I will not be taking any notes or critique on it.
Honestly, at that point, I was just glad I didn’t walk in there with the perfect name for a pink lipstick because I would’ve been…upset with myself. To put it mildly.
Luckily, since J had her shade figured out before mine, hers was going to get engraved first so I had a little bit of time to scramble.
Outwardly, I was calmly (I hope) looking through the lipstick tubes they had available: silver, gold, rose gold, gunmetal, blue, green, and purple are what I can remember – all with a metallic finish.
Internally, I was panicking but not showing it (I hope), because I didn’t want to explain how and why naming anything stresses me out A LOT because I knew I would look insane.
Diamond did suggest the gunmetal finish would go great with the cool purple lipstick, so maybe I didn’t look as chill as I thought I did. That or she was just sincerely suggesting it, and I’m just paranoid. She was right though: the gunmetal finish looked great with my purple lipstick, but I didn’t quite love it.
I ended up picking up the swab I used to apply the purple shade and put it up against the tubes I liked the most: gunmetal, green, and rose gold.
The purple lipstick looked superb against the green. And wouldn’t you know it, that helped me come up with a name: “Mermaid Mood”
Crisis averted!
The Service
I wasn’t sure at first how I would feel since we had only 1 color expert between the 2 of us. Would one of us be bored, while we’re just sitting there waiting for our turn? Apparently not, since the process was so fascinating.
It was equally fun to watch our color expert mix my lipstick shade as it was to watch her mix my friend’s shade. After we’ve had at least 1 shade each to try, we mostly checked to see how it looked on us. Plus take some selfies, of course.
Both J and I were extremely happy with Diamond! We agreed she did an amazing job, mixing the exact shade J said she was looking for, and the shade I didn’t even know what I wanted. The latter of which sounds a lot harder, so kudos to Diamond for her patience & expertise!
It was also a lot of fun to chat with the other color experts who were finished with their customers. Especially during the brief time that J and I were the only customers inside the store.
We got to ask general things about how long most of the color experts have been there (since they opened). We also asked if an art background was necessary for the job (apparently not, but I’m guessing they got some basic instruction in color theory upon hiring).
Honestly, knowing that Diamond didn’t have formal art training was even more impressive, given how well our lipsticks turned out for us.
Then we got to ask more fun questions such as what other customers were typically like, whether they get more difficult customers than easy-to-please ones, and whether it was easier or harder to work with customers that do have an art background.
Overall, both J and I had a great experience and a lot of fun!
The Product
My custom lipstick was buttery & smooth. I vaguely remember it as being similar to previous “bite” brand lipsticks I had years ago before they disappeared (other than the lip labs). Then again, since it’s been a while.
Regardless, I’m absolutely happy with the quality of the lipstick I walked out of the store with, despite the hefty price tag.
It goes on smoothly, and when I tried it on again at home I didn’t experience drying or chapping. Which is honestly my biggest concern with any matte lipstick I encounter.
Other than the lipstick itself, I’m also pretty pleased with the packaging. The metal tube is a little heavy, but I like that it has a heft to it. It makes me think I’ll hear it if I drop it or if it somehow slips out of my bag.
Plus, it’s magnetic! It’s very satisfying to hear the cap click close.
Overall, everything from the personal touch of a custom experience, the product quality, all the way to the packaging cumulatively make the price tag surprisingly worth it.
Was it worth it?
I honestly do believe it was worth it.
At the end of my session, I walked out with an everyday-use lipstick I wanted, just not quite in the shade I thought I would.
I’m glad I went into the appointment with an open mind and a lack of emotional attachment to my first idea of a cool, light pink.
It also helped to have an encouraging friend (even if it sometimes feels like she is partially encouraging me so she can feel adventurous by proxy..?). Plus a color expert who’s game to indulge my love for crazy colors.
Would I recommend it? Who do I recommend it to?
I had a lot of fun, but I know the experience (and price tag) isn’t going to appeal to everyone. But if you love lipstick in particular rather than just makeup in general, and have the funds to spare then it’s a fun thing to try.
Otherwise, if you’re looking for an activity for a girl’s day out, this is an experience that isn’t just drinking overpriced cocktails or… whatever it is that people do nowadays. I stopped keeping up after the banana bread phase, to be honest.
We happened to arrive at the tail end of what appeared to be a bachelorette party/group, and I can see the appeal. It’s definitely a more unique bachelorette party activity.
I wouldn’t recommend it for a bachelorette though. Being part of a wedding party is already expensive, and unless everyone’s getting matching lipsticks for the wedding it doesn’t make sense. I suppose everyone can get different colors, but it’s hard for me to justify the cost.
On the other hand, I think it’s a marvelous idea for a birthday activity or gift. Especially if you want to do it for a teen or young adult who’s just getting into makeup. The custom experience could make them feel grown up. I would probably recommend a lip gloss for teens though.
It’s still honestly a little pricy for a teen, but it is a nice coming-of-age gift type of thing.
What to keep in mind for your own appointment
This isn’t the type of experience that micromanaging can improve, much less make it fun. While I understand wanting to get exactly the shade you want, given the customized experience and the price tag, I wouldn’t recommend telling them how to do their jobs.
Go in with an open mind. Trust that your color expert knows what they’re doing unless they prove otherwise.
It’s one thing to ask for qualities such as, “lighter, darker, brighter or more muted, or more of a certain color.” But unless you have a solid basis in color theory AND experience with the specific pigments they use, I suggest you wait to see what the color looks on your lips after it dries.
Even us artists would tell you that pigments can dry differently between brands, no matter that they both say “burnt sienna.” That’s because each brand’s formula will be slightly different, which I knew to expect with my custom lipstick.
If I have to sum it up, just trust in the process. If you still don’t like how the color turns out after it dries on your lips, that’s when I would suggest getting more specific about what works & what doesn’t work for you.
