I love Byredo perfume as you know. This year they went out and launched a makeup line. Byredo founder Ben Gorham collaborated with British makeup artist Isamaya Ffrench to create a line with a different approach to makeup which is creative and color focused. You can see the packaging is absolutely stunning. It drew me in right away, so artistic. I grabbed four items to play with. Keep in mind this is a luxury makeup line as the perfume and Byredo is also a luxury brand. It's not extreme luxury prices but it's not low end either.
First up is the Mascara in Space Black. Have you ever seen a more beautiful design? I have not. I have to admit I totally expected this to be a pretty packaging only and fall short in the delivery aspect. I was wrong. The silicone wand is smaller than average making it easy to get all your lashes including those small ones on the inner corners and the lower last line as well. The color is a rich black. The formula is not super wet but it's not dry either. The precision combined with the formula really give definition and volume to my lashes. It's not a super lengthening or curling style, it does great as precision, defining and volume.
I really enjoyed this mascara overall. So the first month of it was great, but then this started to dry out a little bit. Which ultimately caused some flaking. I had no flaking the first month at all. This doesn't smudge on me at all. The formula wasn't super wet to begin with so I'm thinking that's what it lasted about four weeks before it started to dry out some. I think I got about six weeks total out of this mascara before tossing. I would definitely consider buying it again, I loved the performance the first month, plus the packaging is just utterly breathtaking.
I was very intrigued by the Color Sticks. A multi-use stick with different finishes for eyes, lips and cheeks. These are slim and small-about the size of a slim lipstick. The packaging of the Color Sticks is a lightweight silver plastic. There is sixteen shades that range from pale sand, warm neutrals, blues and olive to black. You really can play to your heart's desire with these plus they're very easy to use. Just apply, blend with your finger and go. Very quick and easy. I love that about cream based multi-use products.
Ancient is described as a warm shimmering dark brown. It's a deep shimmery almost burgundy tinted chocolate brown. It has the dry cream formulation which has a satin finish. This can be sheer or built up for more intensity. It's not super sheer, nor super pigmented. I loved it as an easy cream eyeshadow. It's not a shade I would wear on my lips or cheeks but for deeper skin tones it would be more versatile. If you like a deep chocolate lipstick you might like it for that. Unfortunately this creases on the eyes in about an hour. It doesn't have much lasting power. It requires frequent touch ups. Luckily it's small, slim and portable so you can take it with you and touch it up. For the record I do not have oily eyelids, used a primer and live in a humid climate.
Babi is described as a gentle coral. It's a peachy pink coral. This also has the dry cream formulation same as Ancient. I used this as a blush which is works beautifully for. It has moderate to light pigmentation. I love the finish of this as a cream blush. I don't like cream blushes that are too dewy or emollient and this one has a nice satin finish and it works well on the cheeks. It doesn't have long lasting power, maybe 4 hours before starting to fade. Again, small easy to take with you packaging so touch ups are easy. I always find a multi-use product designed for eyes and cheeks tends to perform well as one and fall short on the other. This formula makes a great cream blush but creases fast on the eyes. So depending what you're looking for or prefer you'll either love these or not.
The other Color Sticks can have a dewy glossy sheer finish or a creamy finish like the black or the dry cream texture. The packaging is a little cheap feeling on the color sticks compared to the other items from the line I tried which feel very luxe. I like the idea of the Color Sticks but overall they fell short for me due to longevity. They're fun for a photo shoot I imagine.
The Lipstick is the gem or star of the collection. One look at the packaging, totally exquisite. I can't think of a more aesthetic looking lipstick. The gold and gunmetal case curves slightly and has a magnetic closure. It's very luxe and a weighty case. The lipstick is slim in shape. I grabbed Earth Dust described as a pale nude with yellow undertones. I was scared it would be too pale and yellow but it very much looks like it does on the models in the photos. It's more of a light pink nude. It's literally my perfect nude pink. One of the best nude pinks for me I've grabbed in a while, neutral and not too yellow or warm nor too cool. It's not too pale and doesn't wash me out, nor is it too dark.
The finish is satin and the texture is very lightweight. This lipstick glides on with ease and is quite pigmented. I love the super lightweight feel yet it's really comfortable on the lips (I have dry lips). It feels like you're not wearing lipstick at times. A superb formula and one of the best of the year I've tried. One of the best in my current lipstick collection. They do have matte lipsticks in addition to this satin finish so there's two overall. I give this one a 9/10 on the formulation and luxe uber cool packaging. The only reason I deduct one is because the case scratches extremely easily. I put this is my purse next to a chapstick in a pocket and by the time I got to work from minimal friction it was already scratched up. This does come with a cloth sleeve you can carry this in, I suggest doing that if you don't want scratches on the case.
Here is Earth Dust on the lips:
Overall I enjoyed the launch. The ones I loved the most are the lipstick and the mascara. I would probably not grab any more of the Color Sticks unless the glossy formula gets more shades I would use on my lips as a glossy lipstick. I might grab a nude pink Color Stick I could use as a blush. I do have my eye on the nude Corporate Colour eyeshadow palette as the outer packaging just looks so divine. Have you tried Byredo makeup yet?
Top to Bottom-Earth Dust, Ancient Heavy then Light, Babi Heavy then Light:
