Bite Beauty Lipsticks 'Retsina' & 'Cava' | Review

Bite Beauty is one of my top five favourite cosmetic brands when it comes to lipstick. Though I only own two of the Luminous Crème Lipsticks (both 3.74g/.13oz) in the shades Retsina and Cava, and also the High Pigment Pencil in Madeira, these have got to be the only lipsticks that have truly impressed me. They are soft, creamy, pigmented, moisturising and they even smell good too. Enriched with moisture to soften and hydrate the lips, these Bite Beauty lipsticks have definitely got to be my favourites, especially the beautiful nude/baby pink Retsina. 

 

Say ello to my little friend!

Retsina is the nude pink/baby pink of perfection. It's opaque, soft and creamy and glides on like a dream...seriously, it does. The moment I applied this to my lips, I fell in love with it. It's my go-to nude pink lipstick where only one or two swipes covers the red/rose pigment in my lips.

Lip Swatches

Photos rarely show the true colours of lipsticks which is a shame, but the swatches above are pretty close to its exact colour—a nude pink that can lean toward a baby pink. If you are a lover of nude pinks and baby pinks, do yourself a favour and buy this. Trust me, it's the best lipstick you'll ever own!

Hand Swatches

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Note: Retsina and Madeira aren't coral!

As you can see from above, the Luminous Crème Lipstick in Retsina and the High Pigment Pencil in Madeira are 99% identical except one is a lipstick and one is a lip pencil. When applied on the lips, Madeira has a bit of a slight brown undertone, making it more of a nude rather than a pink nude unlike Retsina.

Combining the two results in the same colour so if you're wanting to purchase both of them, think twice before you do in case you waste your money on the same shade. However, if you have both or you're planning on buying them, I would use the pencil to outline your lips then use Retsina to fill them in. It isn't a total waste after all and the colour is gorgeous!

Pros:

• Moisturising
• Pigmented
• Soft and creamy
• Perfect baby pink/nude pink shade
• Everyday colour
• A colour for all seasons
• Suits every skintone
• Smells nice (and even tastes nice but in a weird way!)
• Keeps lips soft and hydrated
• Two swipes is enough for full amount of colour.

Cons:

• Expensive and very hard to find in Australia which is a real shame (you can buy it here if you're interested!)
• Lasts maximum 2–3 hours without eating or drinking
• Packaging isn't anything amazing, quite weird at first since it has a matte/rubber feel to it.

5/5
Perfection!

Cava is a bit of a tricky one to describe. It's decribed as a pale purple toned pink, but on my pigmented red/rosy coloured lips, it leans toward a wearable light, nude beige lilac side with a hint of cool toned pink. The word 'pale' tends to scare some lipstick lovers, but I can tell you by pale purple, it isn't a pale lilac like something Nicki Minaj would wear—though it is a nice colour if pulled off well—it's just a nice, subtle, buildable and wearable purple. Nothing too intense and nothing too sheer.

Lip Swatches

I'm not a big fan of purple lipsticks I must admit as I don't think they suit me, however, Cava is the exception since it has a slight pink undertone to it. I don't know why cameras never show the true colour of lipsticks and it's frustrating, but I can tell you Cava doesn't look that pink in the photo above—not on me anyway. As I said before, imagine a light, nude beige lilac shade with a hint of cool toned pink and the slightest hint of brown and there you have it. It's perfect for autumn and winter!

 Hand Swatch

For anyone who likes purple lipsticks that are pretty, subtle and not extremely opaque, then this lipstick is for you! However, if you are like me and love your nudes and pale pinks, give Cava a go if you're looking for something different. It's the best colour to start off with when trying new colours, especially purples!

Pros:

• Moisturising
• Soft and creamy
• Perfect for autumn and winter
• Subtle and wearable
• Great colour if you want to start wearing purple based lipsticks
• Keeps lips soft and hydrated.

Cons:

• Expensive and very hard to find in Australia which is a real shame (you can buy it here if you're interested!)
• Lasts maximum 2–3 hours without eating or drinking
• Packaging isn't anything amazing, quite weird at first since it has a matte/rubber feel to it.
• Not for everyone
• Can wash certain skintones out if not worn that right way (makeup look, clothing etc.)
• More on the sheer side and takes more to build up
• Different/weird colour that you need to see for yourself
• Looks different on everyone's lips.

4/5

For a comparison, here are a couple hand swatches of Retsina and Cava swatched beside each other. As you can see—unlike the lip swatches—Retsina is more nude/pink based whereas Cava is nude purple/beige lilac based.

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These lipsticks are amazing and I highly recommend them to anyone and everyone. There are different other shades available, but I felt these two were the best choices for me and luckily enough, I find them on eBay for a great price! They're amazing high-end quality lipsticks that are healthy and great for your lips. Honestly, nothing I own even compare to these, except maybe only the Yves Saint Laurent Rouge Volupte lipsticks, but even then it's tough call. Either way, they are the best and will always be my favourites!

A+

Absolutely love them!

~♥~