Naya

Bite Beauty Crystal Creme Shimmer Lip Crayon, Review

What happens when "smooth-gliding shimmer meets boldly brilliant colour"?

Foreword

The answer is - Crystal Creme Shimmer Lip Crayon. Those of you, who are not new to this blog, know that there is nothing I love more than lipstick and sparkle; but what if you could combine the two? While I am not a fan of the metallic lip trend, the minute I heard about Bite Beauty newest collection of shimmery lip crayons, I got very curious about it. What is even better - these little guys are infused with actual mineral shimmer (not plastic glitter) and they are 100% clean. Want to know more? Then please keep on scrolling!

About the Product

Crystal Creme Shimmer Lip Crayon (24 USD; Made in Canada) is basically a mix of mineral shimmer blended with orange peel wax, grape skin extract, jojoba, shea butter, sunflower and passion fruit seed oils. This formula is 100% clean, cruelty-free, vegan and (drum roll please) gluten-free.

The latter part excites me the most, because for more than a year now - I am on a gluten-free, lactose-free diet. This has nothing to do with "trends"; my body actually does not like gluten (like...at all) and even when I cheat from time to time, I do see negative impact immediately. While it is hard to eliminate gluten altogether, I applaud Bite Beauty for truly sticking to their motto and creating yet another beautiful range of safe lip products. Crayons do have that signature, citrusy and delicious Bite Beauty scent/taste to them (which is my absolute favourite!).

Colours: there are ten brand new shades in the collection; while most of them are on a safe, classy side, there are at least two that are more daring in feel. Now, photos do not really do them any justice, because only in real life you can actually see and appreciate the gorgeous, multidimensional sparkle that these little guys have. I am quite happy with the shade spectrum here; there is only one or two colours that I would not wear as much. I often mix these with my Amuse Bouche Lipsticks in order to create that perfect, sparkly nude/bright lip combo (more here).

All ten shades have a differently coloured sparkle. To me it varies between: yellow gold, red, pink, lavender, blue or champagne-gold.

Please click on images to zoom in

As always, all of my swatches are raw and unedited (no extra saturation or brightness here, baby!)

Packaging: unlike the brand's OG (FYI award-winning) Matte Creme Lip Crayons, that come in soft-touch/rubberized tubes, these have a sleek and somewhat sparkly gunmetal packaging. Each crayon has a colour-matching sharpener attached to it; so even if you own quite a few of them, you won't have a problem finding one you need. Another thing I like is that - every cap here offers a secure closure, which means it won't come off in your bag (and create a "colour me mine" chaos in your handbag).

Application: I have big lips, so typically I am not that crazy about tiny little lipstick bullets or lip crayons in general. However! With all that in mind, I have soon discovered that, similarly to my favourite Matte Creme Lip Crayons, these were just as easy and hassle-free in application. Plus you can always sharpen your pencils when needed. Sheer them out or wear them opaque - you're the boss. The only two shades, that apply a bit sheer-ish and not as opaque as others, are Violet Icing and Grape Glaze.

Feel & Wear: most metallic or glittery lipsticks feel drying or gritty; these don't. You do not feel shimmer particles at all and since the formula is so lightweight, it is almost like you have a lip balm on. Since most of us are in the winter now and suffer from chapped, dry lips - I would recommend using a small amount of a hydrating lip balm underneath Crystal Creme Shimmer Lip Crayon. I am currently having a love affair with the brand's very own Agave Lip Mask in Maple. It actually smells like real maple syrup [pancakes] and is one of the most intensely hydrating lip products out there.

These last for at least 5 hours; I do touch up my lips after meals and have no complaints regarding re-application. Crystal Creme Shimmer Lip Crayon does not bleed, move or slide around. The sparkle here is more on a grown-up, sophisticated level: it is not chunky, obvious or (for lack of a better word) distracting. I still wear mine to work or during the day-time, without feeling like people stare at my mouth. The sparkle is so pretty, I almost wish these could be used on the eye - especially since most shades here would double as an eyeshadow in my (not so humble) opinion.

Now, as I have mentioned earlier, I have never enjoyed a metallic lip. Having said that, while some shades here somehow give me that late 80s, Ofra Haza vibe, I still think that this range differs from most mainstream metallics we've seen so far this year. Plus, if you think outside of your usual "makeup" box, you will soon realize that these type of lipsticks layer incredibly well on top of any matte colour. You can easily create an ombre, 3D or multidimensional pout using Crystal Creme Shimmer Lip Crayon - all I am saying, don't be afraid to unleash your inner makeup artist!

Favourites: Cherry On Top, Mauve Marzipan, Cocoa Crush, Molten Chocolate, Rose Glace.

Favourite Trick: apply a small amount of product, rub it in with your fingers to activate shimmer particles; believe me - these shine brighter when you do that and you're left with the prettiest shimmery pout (that is, of course, if you are a magpie like moi and don't shy away from glitz).

Verdict

Crystal Creme Shimmer Lip Crayon is a lovely new product launch for those of you, who like that pearlescent, borderline metallic lip, yet with a lot of gorgeous sparkle to it. Most shimmery lipsticks I've tried in the past did not live up to my expectations; they were gritty, chalky, dry. These on the other hand feel nourishing, hydrating and I oddly feel like they look even better when most of the colour fades throughout the day. They do not fill or accentuate lip lines either. As I have mentioned above, I do rub them in just a little to activate the sparkle. If you are strictly into your mattes, then this launch might not be for you and I would recommend Matte Creme Lip Crayons instead. However, if you always wanted to rock that shimmery pout trend, but did not feel like gluing actual glitter to your lips, then this new Bite Beauty might be right up your makeup alley. Personally, I often layer these on top of my original Amuse Bouche Lipsticks - almost as if I am glazing a cake. Sadly, photos do not show just how sparkly these lip crayons are, so if you are interested - definitely swatch, play with them next time you're at Sephora.