Edward Bess Baby Pink Lip Palette: Review & Swatches

When I first saw promo pictures of this limited edition palette, I knew it would be a love or hate item. The colours are such a departure for Edward Bess that many long-time fans of the brand were bound to be disappointed.

Personally I'm excited to see EB branching out a little. I love his natural, elegant aesthetic, but I also enjoy loud, fun colours now and then, and I don't see why a beauty brand can't do both well. EB's lipstick formula is one of my HG's, but the shade selection is quite limited if nudes aren't your thing. I'd been hoping for a few pinks to be added to the range so when I saw the Baby Pink palette I knew I had to give it a shot, even though I wasn't 100% sure I could make it work for me.

When it first arrived on my doorstep, I was shocked by it's size. I'd been expecting something the size of one of EB's travel palettes, maybe a little smaller. In fact the Baby Pink palette is gigantic in comparison. The eight lipsticks in the palette are the same size as EB's regular tubed lipsticks. Before I discovered that, I'd found the price a little prohibitive. Now I think it's an absolute bargain.

This palette is every pale pink lovers dream come true. The colour range is limited, but the hues are nuanced enough that their differences do make themselves known. It may be too samey for a lot of people, but with colours like this I feel that even the smallest shift in undertone makes a world of difference.

The palette itself is fantastic quality. The thick plastic is sturdy and the closure is tight, so it's definitely suitable for throwing in your bag. The pans are deep, which I always appreciate in a palette. The massive mirror, emblazoned with EB's signature, is very practical and the lip brush is excellent, definitely not your average included applicator.

L-R: Cloud, Tulle, Satin, Sunset, Bouquet, Dream, Paramour and Embrace

Cloud is a very, very, very pale pink. It's almost ashy.

Tulle is a slightly brighter, more cotton candy blue based pale pink.

Satin is a very pale milky pink.

Sunset is a darker baby pink compared to the previous three, but it's still very white based.

Bouquet is a nice, bright medium pink.

Dream is a very blue based medium pink.

Paramour leans almost towards lilac, and is practically neon in certain lights.

Embrace is the odd man out with no obvious white base, making it the most universally wearable of all eight colours.

My lips were painfully dry when I did these lip swatches so they aren't the best, however I felt this was one product where lip swatches were really necessary. The top lip swatches are accurate, the bottom lip swatches are a little less bright than in real life (the white based formula tends to wash out the colour a little in photographs). EB's lipsticks are extremely forgiving. Usually I wouldn't be able to go anywhere near colours like this if my lips weren't in perfect condition. Considering the state of my poor chapped lips all these lipsticks still looked pretty good!

I love the way Edward Bess lipsticks feel. The creamy texture is just so luxurious. The pigmentation is fantastic, and the wear time is good. The palest shades do need to be touched-up more often than the darker colours, which is to be expected. I've played around with using these as cream blushes, and while they don't have the blendability of EB's compact rouges, they can definitely do double duty. 

Overall I'm surprised by how wearable I find this palette. The colours do make a statement, but apart from Tulle, which looked pretty pasty on me, they didn't clash with or wash out my very pale, very cool skintone. I know baby pink/pale pink lipstick has a bit of a rep for looking trashy/Barbie-ish, but I've always had a bit of a fascination with it so I'm over the moon with this palette. It's not for everyone, some would probably argue it's not for anyone, but I love it! I know there are a lot of fans of NARS Turkish Delight lipgloss and MAC Saint Germain and Snob lipsticks out there. This palette would definitely be a big hit with anyone who loves those kinds of pinks.

I really hope EB releases a few more of these. I'd die if he brought out a palette of berry shades or a palette of reds! 

I purchased the Baby Pink palette from Zuneta for around $70. EB's individual lipsticks retail for a little over $30, so even if you only wanted three shades in this palette you've still gotten a bargain!

What are your thoughts on pale pink lipstick? Fun and pretty or tacky and trashy?

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