Bite Beauty Spice Things Up Amuse Bouche Lipstick Collection
Bite Beauty Spice Things Up Amuse Bouche Lipstick Collection
The Details
Make the everyday exotic with this collection of warm, spice-inspired Amuse Bouche Lipstick shades. Take your own spice trip to the souks of Marrakesh, La Boqueria of Barcelona, or the bazaars of Istanbul. Indulge the senses with heady nutmeg-nudes, turmeric-tinged tints, and smoky saffron hues. Wherever you’re headed this summer, spice things up.
Now online
Spice Things Up Amuse Bouche Lipstick, $26.00 (Limited Edition)
- Crushed Chili Russet-red
- Hot Harissa Brick-red
- Lit Turmeric Muted medium orange
- Pink Salt Medium pink-mauve
- Saffron Fire Vibrant red-orange
- Smoked Za’atar Plum chocolate
- Star Anise Muted lavender
- Toasted Cardamom Toasty rose
Bite Beauty Spice Things Up Amuse Bouche Lipstick Collection
Bite Beauty Spice Things Up Amuse Bouche Lipstick Collection
Bite Beauty Spice Things Up Amuse Bouche Lipstick Collection
Anyone else feel like Bite is placing some of its customers in the center of its perspective while exoticizing some of its other customers. Kind of microagressive and ignorant?… pretty colours though and top quality wear as usual probably.
Not sure I see this. I think sometimes it’s hard to remember to look at things in context. BITE has always named its colors after the natural world to fit with its theme of using natural ingredients. The names range across all cultures and continents: sake, thistle, verbena, sangria, whiskey, kale…and they often come in collections by theme. Last summer for example, they had a tubor theme (jamaca, lotus root, etc.) Since spices are such beautiful, colourful things, I think it makes sense to base a collection around them. Considering the diverse spices they’ve chosen for this collection, I see it as an attempt to be inclusive rather than exclusive. The cosmetic industry is often one that seeks to capitalise on “exoticism”, so perhaps your past experiences have made you wary?
I agree with this very thoughtful comment, taking into consideration the history of Bite’s marketing and the brand logo. I don’t see any issue with the names.
On a separate and related note, these colors are gorgeous.
I think you’re right about this. Bite Beauty is also doing an astrological themed collection, and, surprise, surprise…it is hugely popular and sells out quickly.
I think they may have a wider customer base because they really do have a color for everyone!
I can only give my perspective, as someone who is white and not from any sort of underrepresented culture. However, as someone who has studied post-colonial literature and the topic of exoticization for a few years, I have to say that I don’t think so. From my perspective, exoticization is all about “Look how different and strange X, Y, Z thing/person/place/activity/etc. is”. It implies a separation of “us” and “them” in which one can only appreciate the “exotic” from an outside perspective as something different or unusual. It also suggests a romanticization of the “primative”. To me, this collection really doesn’t seem to be about “othering” the cultures that use these spices, but about appreciating their beauty. Their tag line “make the everyday exotic” seems like a call to incorporate and appreciate things that you might not usually, to mentally put you in these places you many not be able to go. Also, these spices are used in the modern everyday lives of many cultures, which represents an interest in these cultures as they are now, not just in their past. I hope what I said was clear (my English major brain is turned off for the summer). Like I said, I can only speak from my perspective, and I fully accept that I could be wrong and that others may know more than me about this topic.
I think this is right in terms of what exoticization is — that these types of spices may be prominent and famously sold at the souks and bazaars in the middle east (or “Asia”), but are used in many different and overlapping cultures, including America (I definitely enjoy turmeric too!).
I can see where Rachel is coming from though, that the line “Make the everyday exotic” does imply that these specific spices are “exotic” and not Canadian, for example (Bite is Canadian, I think).
I’m “exotic” in origin and use each and every one of these spices in my everyday cooking. Historically, spices were often used as cosmetic ingredients and Bite is known for naming cosmetics after food items (chai being a favorite). However I get what you are saying — I have no issue with products named after spices as there are sooooooo many products out there named after spices, but the description is a bit annoying “Take your own spice trip to the souks of Marrakesh, La Boqueria of Barcelona, or the bazaars of Istanbul.” They certainly didn’t say “take a trip to your garden with our kale inspired lipstick!” But at the same time, I understand that this is another marketing ploy to make the consumer feel like they are purchasing something special with colors that have been out there over and over again. If they really wanted to turn up the inspiration on “exotic” settings, I’d do something with the packaging!
No. Sam put it perfectly.
I just wanted to say that I appreciate this conversation and how everyone has been able to speak respectfully. Such a convo is very rare.
I was just thinking the same thing 🙂 This is one of the reasons why I enjoy this forum so much; everyone is so respectful and kind to one another. If this topic were posted on the NYT FB page, there’d be flames a-plenty by now! Temptalia people are such lovely people <3
I’m Indian and the subcontinent uses every single one of these spices in our cooking. And, I don’t think this is exoticization for the reasons others have said: Bite’s history shows that this isn’t a gimmick for them. They’ve consistently used other global ingredients and that’s been their thing.
I love the look of these shades in the tube, but I looked at the arm swatches on sephora’s website and wasn’t nearly intrigued – they looked very ashy and not at all vibrant which is what I assume a spice collection would be.
Oh no! ?
I tend to agree with you, the only one that looks vibrant is saffron fire.
don’t you guys suspect Sephora more than Bite, when it comes to photo accuracy? Bite has its own website, as we learned here, so maybe check there. I would be surprised that these were washed out deliberately.
relooking at the actual photo, they do look rather muted. These spices are all used by me with regularity, and I do not consider any of them exotic. If you haven’t tried Zaa’tar version of ‘garlic’ bread, you really should.
Now I’m hungry at 12:37am! Sounds delicious!
Will wait for your swatches at least…tbh the way Bite has handles their astrology series thus far really put me off the brand but it’s still a favorite formula so I may capitulate and purchase one or two of these anyway once they’re in store can’t risk ordering online now that the Texas heat is upon us have learned from past disasters ?
ikr? Already decided to put off Linda Hallberg pencils, delivery to Boston. We’ve had 95 already. It’s a real caveat emptor situation, because it’s tough to blame the retailer, when your weather is too hot. I only order ‘meltables’ between October and May, most years.
Yeah it’s frustrating since there are literally about five months (even September can be too hot) I can’t order anything heat sensitive online 🙁 I swear it even affects how fragrances smell until they’ve had a couple days to sit and return to normal room temperature ?
I look forward to seeing in store, to see how the colors look in person. I’m always up to see what Bite’s doing; I have a couple of their lipsticks that I like a lot.
I’m dying to see Saffron Fire, Lit Tumeric and Hot Harissa swatches, should you decide to buy them. From their descriptions, they sound as hot as Phoenix in July!
Nancy, those are my top picks right now too!
Dying for swatches. These look gorgeous!
Looking at the shades as photographed against the cinnamon colored background they weren’t very compelling to me but seeing them against the white background I might need them all. There aren’t any shades that I don’t like so I a looking forward to seeing them swatched if you decide to get them, Christine.
You KNOW IM all over this ?! I currently have 21ish bite lip products, they’re my all time favorite!
Some pretty shades here. I’m looking forward to swatching Smoked Za’atar in the store, as “plum chocolate” describes the type of shade I’m into these days.
Also, I love that Bite Beauty names their lipstick shades after mouth-watering food and spices rather than the risqué—and sometimes crude—names that have been so prevalent lately.
I was set to purchase one or two of these, but it may well not happen. These look so easily dupable with other shades in Bite’s collection – for example, the arm swatch for Pink Salt looks a lot like the darker pinky nudes in the regular collection. And the arm swatches on Sephora’s website are really unflattering in general. Very anxious to see if Christine will be able to review and swatch these.
Oh, Bite Beauty. How I love your products. These are lovely, but I hope you do another run of the “Taurus” shade or make it a permanent part of the line.
I am happy to say I do not feel inclined to purchase any of these. The only one that appeals to me is Pink Salt, and I have so many pinky-mauvey shades (off the top of my head I’m wondering if it will be similar to Pastille) that I know I don’t need this one.
I did notice on the Sephora page that it states these are online only. I don’t think any of us will have the opportunity to swatch them in-store, unfortunately.
Hmmm – lots and lots of nude shades here, but there are a couple of colours that I like the look of.
I’m very much liking all of these shades!
Nice. One or two very appealing “living dead girl” nudes, (at least they would be on my yellow skin), and some good general MLBBs for various folk.
These all look beautiful and I have Saffron Fire and Pink salt in my cart at Bite’s site, but man I sure wish brands would get a clue that we need decent swatches! They put up a very chic looking video today for the Spice collection launch, and just showed some sad arm swatches and a few women with the lipsticks on. I had no way of knowing what colors they had on though, so if I saw one I liked I had to guess. Shopping online has got to have better tools for making color choices when I’m paying a premium especially! I want clear, naturally lit LIP SWATCHES on various skin tones. *steps off the lipstick soap box*