Design your own lipstick at Lip Lab in Boston’s Seaport

Choosing your color and the details

The custom experience includes lipstick, lip gloss, balm and cheek stick. You work with someone the company calls a Color Expert to create your shade, then personalize details such as scent, case color and the engraved name. liplab.com

That makes the appointment different from picking a tube off a shelf. You can explain what you’re looking for and give feedback as the color develops, whether you have a specific shade in mind or a clearer idea of what you don’t want.

Bring useful references rather than worrying about knowing makeup terminology. An existing product, a picture or a simple description of why your current lipstick doesn’t work gives the conversation somewhere to start. “Less orange” is perfectly useful information.

The staff physically mix, pour and manufacture the custom products. Your role is choosing and giving direction, so you don’t need to arrive knowing how to blend pigments. liplab.com

Bring that discontinued lipstick

If you’re trying to replace a discontinued shade, bring the actual product. Lip Lab says its Color Experts can work on matching it in person; the service isn’t offered virtually or by mail. liplab.com

That’s a reason to hold onto the old tube, even if you’ve reached the stage of digging out the last bit. Treat it as a reference for the appointment rather than a promise that any formula can be reproduced exactly.

What it costs

Look at the published experience and pricing page before deciding what to make. Lip Lab lists a two-lipstick bundle at $115 per person, while a custom lipstick and gloss bundle is $110 per person. liplab.com

Those prices are for the stated combinations, so don’t confuse a bundle with the price of a single product. Choose around what you’ll use, and confirm the current charge when booking.

If you want a quicker visit, Gloss to Go is a separate express service. Lip Lab describes it as semi-customized gloss made in minutes, currently priced at $42 in the US, with optional shimmer and a choice of case. The brand says this service doesn’t require a reservation. liplab.com

Booking an appointment with friends

For the full custom experience, Lip Lab recommends reserving, because walk-ins depend on availability. It says lipstick appointments can take up to an hour for two people or up to two hours for six, depending on the products and number of items being made. liplab.com

Leave some room in your plans if you’re booking lunch afterward. Choosing a color is more fun when you aren’t watching the clock and trying to decide between two shades while someone waits for you elsewhere.

Everyone included in the reservation must create a custom product. A friend who only wants to watch can come along, but Lip Lab doesn’t guarantee a seat for that person. Food and alcohol aren’t permitted, so save the birthday drinks for another stop. liplab.com

You can order your shade again

If you make a shade you want to keep wearing, Lip Lab offers online reorders. Its custom lipstick reorder is currently listed at $40, with a choice of case and an engraved name.

Keep track of what you called your shade, since the reorder form asks for it. Lip Lab says it can guarantee the same engraved name, although symbols and engraving placement may differ from your original store purchase. liplab.com

The appeal is having a say in the thing you’ll take home. You can spend the appointment working toward a familiar everyday color or choose something you’ve never found on a shelf, then leave with a name on the case that you picked yourself.