Last Updated on October 19, 2023 by Eve Dawes
Make your own Lipstick at a Lip Lab, Custom Lipstick Bar or Online
Custom lipsticks and everything you need to know before you go about how to make your own lipstick. Plus we’re taking a peek into how to create your own custom lipstick, all of the options available and what sets custom blend lipstick companies and custom lipstick colors apart!
Everything you need to know about custom lipstick | Your questions answered
Full disclosure: I own a custom lipstick company, Dawes Custom Cosmetics and lipstick lab. So yes, it’s naturally in my interest to blog about this. However, that also means I have a ton of experience and knowledge I wanted to be able to share with you and to answer all of your questions on custom blend lipstick and cruelty-free beauty.
Please, feel free to ask questions in the comments or by messaging me on Instagram @glamourandgains. I love cruelty-free beauty and am happy to help and have a little chat.
Thanks to everyone who responded to my Instagram stories question sticker with all of the questions you wanted answered about custom lipsticks. Here are the questions you wanted answered. If there’s any questions I missed, please drop them in the comments below and I’ll get back to you.
How to Make Your Own Lipstick | Turning a dream into reality and solving your lipstick problems
Why create a custom lipstick?
I can’t speak for other custom lipstick brands but I created Dawes Custom Cosmetics for many reasons.
- I was fed up of wasting time and money searching for the perfect shade and texture of lipstick and lip gloss.
- There were no luxury, cruelty-free makeup brands, that were made in the USA.
- I wanted lipsticks and glosses that weren’t full of chemicals and would dry my lips out.
- There had to be a solution to leaving makeup artists and not having the right shade to reapply later.
- Brands would discontinue my favorite color and I wouldn’t being able to get it again. Meaning the hunt for the perfect lip color had to start all over again. If you bring your favorite discontinued shade to us, we’ll try our best to color match it.
What is a custom lipstick experience?
A custom lipstick isn’t just about creating another lipstick or gloss but about the experience, creating memories and a lipstick you love. I’ve always struggled to find the perfect nude, pink and red in particular and custom lipsticks solve that problem.
I’m more into experiences now than just buying things, especially when it comes to gifting or doing things with my girls. My first experience with custom lipstick was in New York and I loved how exciting and interactive custom makeup services felt and how special they make you feel. I gave it a super cheesy, unoriginal name ‘Eve in NY’ so I’d always remember that trip.
But there wasn’t anywhere in Las Vegas to create your own custom blend lipstick so I wanted to solve that. Knowing how much fun it would be for bridal parties, bachelorettes, birthdays, corporate events and any woman who loves makeup.
A custom lipstick experience means you become part of the cosmetic creation process. I’m a bit of a control freak and I love that this allows us to be in control! We’re not just being sold something that the salesperson’s making the most commission on that week.
How do you make your own lipstick? What happens at a custom lipstick appointment?
After you’ve made your custom lipstick appointment (bookings are required), your color artist will work with you to create your perfect color and create your lipstick under your guidance.
The process for making your custom blend lipstick starts by you deciding what color you’re leaning toward e.g. pink, red, orange, nude, how dark or light you want it, and whether you want frost/shimmer, etc. Then we’ll look at your coloring (warm, cool, neutral) and start blending. We’ll keep asking you questions throughout the entire process and have you sample your lipstick as we go to get it just right.
But it’s not just about the custom shade! Your color artist will create your custom blend lipstick which in most locations will or should include:
- Your bespoke lipstick or lip gloss formulation
- Choice of finish/texture (e.g. cremé, matte, gloss, long-lasting, etc)
- Your choice of scent
- Wide varieties of flavors for you to choose from (this is where you get to be really fun and creative. I love lime and coconut in the summer or cherries in the Fall).
- Your choice of lip treatment (SPF, moisture, lip plumping, etc).
- Naming your exclusive lipstick or lipgloss (get your creative thinking cap on!)
- My company, Dawes Custom Cosmetics will even save your unique formula for quick and easy online reordering online, so you don’t have to pay the custom blending fee again.
Should I wear warm, neutral or cool tones of makeup?
Rules are made to be broken, especially in the beauty industry. However, by looking at your veins we’ll suggest which tones we think will suit you best (blue veins tend to suit cool tones, green veins warm tones and a mix of both suits neutral and can pretty much pull off anything).
It’s a great starting point for creating your custom color but you don’t have to follow our suggestions, this is about what you like and what will make you feel your best.
Is there a universal red lipstick that suits everyone?
Yes, but it’s also about personal preference on finish and texture which makes it hard to find a red lipstick that truly everyone likes. ‘Seduction’ red lipstick is the most universal of Dawes Custom Cosmetics reds.
Dawes Cosmetics red is a true cool-toned red, with a hydrating natural finish that doesn’t accentuate fine lines in the lips, stays on for hours and looks amazing on everyone. Cool tones tend to be flattering on most people as they make your teeth look whiter.
Custom lipstick making should be truly individualized beauty experience where you create your lipstick based around you and your specific wishes. If not, speak up! It’s all about you! We’ve even had clients (an events company) ask to match the lipsticks to the wine they were serving.
This was such a fun idea and guests had something to take home to remember the event and the hosting company. You can be as creative as you like.
PHOTO: we always wear gloves when creating lipsticks or handling our ingredients but they don’t make for pretty pictures, so this was staged without them.
Custom Blend Makeup Benefits
Custom lipstick and custom makeup saves you time and money finding the right color, as they’re created with you, specifically and exclusively for you. You should walk away with a color you love and having had an awesome experience.
Custom Lipstick Pricing
The pricing is obviously higher as they’re not your cheap drugstore mass produced lipsticks! They’re:
- Made by hand
- Not mass produced
- Made to order
- Time consuming
- Should use the highest quality, botanically infused, natural ingredients.
What to look for in a custom lipstick companies makeup ingredients
I spent a lot of time sourcing and experimenting with cruelty free, natural ingredients to be able to create the perfect shades and textures.
If you’re going to another lipstick brand, I recommend looking for products that are:
- 100% mineral based
- Gluten Free
- Talc and Bismuth Oxychloride Free
- Cruelty-Free
- No Synthetic Fragrances
- Paraben-Free
- Sulfate-Free
- No Phthalates
- Made in the USA
- No GMO’s
- No Triclosan
- Vegan-Friendly
Dawes Custom Cosmetics is Leaping Bunny certified and uses only cruelty-free, natural ingredients and mineral colors that give more coverage, that don’t smell like cosmetics, and use packaging that’s sleek and glamorous.
Appointment options for creating your custom lipstick with Dawes Custom Cosmetics
Besides the actual custom lipstick, you can also choose whether to do it online, in person or just to customize one of our top selling colors (a more affordable option, great for groups, parties or when you’re in a rush).
Create a Custom Lipstick in the UK or Worldwide
Dawes Custom Cosmetics ships worldwide. Just book a virtual custom lipstick appointment to create with us and we’ll take care of the rest.
Create your own custom lipstick in person (Las Vegas Lipstick Lab)
In Person Custom Lipstick Appointment Dawes Cosmetics Las Vegas Lipstick Lab
Make your own lipstick!
With over 50 pigments, stains, frosts, and foils, the colors we can create with you are endless. You can be as conservative or creative as you like and create a lipstick as sheer or as full-bodied as you’d like.
You’ll get to have fun choosing your base, then let us mix the colors for you until you’re happy before enhancing it designed around your wants and needs with natural lip care additions (such as a lip plumper), scents, and flavors that really personalize and make it exclusive, before finally naming it.
Custom Eyeshadows & Ready-To Wear Makeup
We also offer custom eyeshadows, a ready to wear collection, limited edition lipsticks, mini lipsticks (perfect for handbags, pockets and your bra), faux mink lashes, and professional hair and makeup services.
Dawes Custom Cosmetics is all about elevating and enhancing your lipstick or gloss to give you a custom lip color that you won’t ever want to be without.
Virtual Custom Lipstick | Video Call Lipstick Creation
Virtual Custom Lipstick: Create your custom blend lipstick from anywhere in the world you have internet connection via a video call. Once we’ve created with you via video call, so you can direct us in creating, we pop your finished lipstick in the mail to you.
Create your custom lipstick online
Ready to Wear Online Custom Lipstick : Once you’ve chosen your lipstick color and base, these add-ons are shown as add-ons in the drop down menus. The lipstick colors we offer have been selected after countless experiments with colors and in-person testing to find not only the best color, but best coverage, textures, scent and for our pre-made seasonal limited edition colors, the essence combinations.
Who are Custom Lipstick parties good for?
Whether you want to come in by yourself or host a birthday, bachelorette, baby shower, bridal party, wedding makeup or corporate event, these make super fun and memorable experiences.
Custom Lipstick parties are an affordable yet luxurious experience to book while you’re in Las Vegas. Dawes Custom Cosmetics also offers lots of fun a la carte options such as alcoholic cakes, hair and makeup, so you can truly spoil all of your guests. It’s also great for bridesmaids gifts or the person who has everything!
We love hosting bridal and bachelorette parties, as you girls are always so much fun to work with.
Philanthropy | Cosmetics For A Cause
Being a pageant queen, I’ve been involved in philanthropy for as long as I remember and giving back to the community and leading by example is still at my core and wanted the same for my company.
One other thing that sets Dawes Custom Cosmetics apart is our philanthropy aspect. The Cosmetics For A Cause Program allows non-profit organizations to either book the custom lipstick experience for their charity events, galas, and fundraisers, create a special color online for their charity event, or have one available online with a percentage of proceeds going to their charity.
Questions about custom lipsticks?
Right, I think that about covers everything! But if you have any questions I missed, how to book, or personal experiences to share, please drop them in the comments below. I really love hearing from you and talking everything beauty related.
National Lipstick Day
Keep a look out on this blog or subscribe as I’m going to be doing a major giveaway and special discounts on Dawes Custom Cosmetics for National Lipstick day!
