Here's a supplement to my previous post on this topic. I bought myself one of the Bite Beauty Mix and Mingle mini lipstick duos a couple of weeks ago as a reward for completing some especially horrible job applications. Not without a lot of dithering, however--they just look so small! They're basically two "deluxe" sample-size lipsticks attached back to back, with a total weight of 0.1 oz. (Note: The Sephora listing is incorrect, because it says that they weigh 0.5 oz x 2. In fact, they are 0.05 oz/1.55 g x 2, as labeled. BIG FUCKING DIFFERENCE. A 0.5 oz. lipstick would be huge.)
According to Sephora, the duos are a $24 value for $14. Since they are Bite's Luminous Crème lipsticks, that's not completely accurate. A full size Luminous Crème does cost $24, but it weighs 0.15 oz., not. 0.1 oz. The Bite High Pigment Pencils, however, are 0.09 oz. and also cost $24, so I suppose they are calculating the cost as somewhere in between these two.
And that is what actually persuaded me to buy the tiny lipstick duo (in Scarlet/Mulberry). By weight, it's about the same size as a typical lipstick crayon, so it's not outrageously small. In fact, it's exactly the same weight as the hideously expensive Tarte crayon that I used as a comparison last time.
Since those Tarte crayons cost $24, that makes them $240 per oz. This Bite lipstick, then, is a more reasonable (ha!) $140 per oz. But are they really the same size?
I just don't see it. What do you think? Maybe there is something going on here with the components of the different lipsticks weighing different amounts. After all, we're measuring these by weight, not volume. Is it better for a lipstick to be heavier or lighter? That is something I just don't know at the moment. It would depend what ingredients weigh more, and if those are the things you want more of (pigment or moisturizing ingredients, etc.). Will a heavier lipstick last longer than lighter one--or vice versa?
The Tarte crayon is a bit sheerer than the Bite lipsticks, if that tells you anything. I am quite happy with the little Bite lipsticks, in any event. I'd been wanting to try this lipstick formula, and this was a relatively inexpensive way to do so. I'll write more about the formula (etc.) in a future post on dark/vampy lipsticks, but here are some quick swatches, in case you're interested! Scarlet on the left and Mulberry on the right.
If you have any insight on the weight/size problem, please share!
