If your favorite lipstick was discontinued, bring what is left of it to Lip Lab. The Seaport studio can work with an existing shade as a reference, or help you come up with something new. You get a say in the color and the name on the case. Someone else handles the mixing.
Lip Lab is now at 80 Pier 4 Boulevard. Older stories list a different address, so use the current location when booking. The experience works as an outing with a friend, a birthday plan or an excuse to finally find a red you like.
What you make at Lip Lab
The choices include custom lipstick, high-shine gloss, butter balm and a cheek stick. You work with a staff member the company calls a Color Expert, choosing a shade and then personalizing details such as scent, case color and the engraved name.
You don’t need to arrive with a fully formed idea. A color you already wear is a useful starting point, as is a clear sense of what you dislike. If every pink you buy looks too bright, say so. That gives the person mixing it something more useful to work with than a vague request for a flattering shade.
The staff physically mix, pour and manufacture the product. Your part is choosing and giving feedback. Think of it as having a lipstick made for you, rather than taking a cosmetics chemistry class.
For a discontinued shade, bring the actual product to the appointment. Lip Lab says matching is done in person, so a favorite old tube is worth taking out of the bottom of your makeup bag.
Choosing a product and a budget
Compare the current products and packages before committing to several items. The published U.S. bundle prices include $115 per person for two custom lipsticks, $110 for a lipstick and gloss, and $150 for lipstick, balm and gloss. Those are individual bundles, not prices for two or three guests.
Buying more only makes sense if you want the extra products. Decide whether you are coming for one everyday lipstick or several shades before the appointment, especially if you are organizing a group with different budgets.
The studio also advertises an express Gloss to Go service for a semi-customized gloss made in minutes. It is worth asking about that option if you want a smaller commitment than a full color session.
Leave enough time for the appointment
Reservations are strongly recommended; walk-ins depend on availability. Lip Lab estimates that a lipstick appointment can take up to an hour for two people and up to two hours for six. The butter-balm service usually takes less time.
That makes this easier to plan before a relaxed lunch than immediately before something with a hard start time. Product choices and the number of people affect how long you need. Ask about your particular booking rather than assuming every session takes an hour.
Read the studio’s appointment guidance before bringing someone who only wants to watch. Guests with reserved seats are expected to make a product. A companion can come along, but a seat is not guaranteed. Anyone under 18 needs a parent or guardian present.
Going with a group
For six or more people, submit a party request. The party packages list a gloss party at $75 per person and a lipstick party at $85, including a $20 party fee per person. Reserved seating is included; a private room is available only at locations that have one.
Check the cancellation terms before collecting money from friends. The party fee has restrictions on refunds, including cancellations within fourteen days. For a standard party, plan your food and drinks elsewhere: the published rules prohibit both inside.
Once you have a shade you want to keep wearing, Lip Lab saves the formula for reorders. You can get the original formula again without starting from scratch. Changing the finish, however, requires a new in-store service.
