Did you know some lipsticks contain lead? In fact, many red shades do. And some contain more lead in them than is allowed in candy (also scary). Thankfully, alternatives are popping up for the more health conscious consumer.

Located on 142 N Larchmont Blvd in Los Angeles is the acclaimed Bite Beauty Lip Lab. For those that don’t know, Bite Beauty is a cosmetic company that specializes in formulating non-toxic organic cosmetics. Their collection features everything for the lips, from lipsticks, to liners, crayons and even lip masks.

Since launching in 2012, the company has gotten some serious attention from bigger companies, such as Sephora, which has also implemented the brand into their stores nationwide and online. With Bite’s top-selling product being their Amuse Bouche Lipsticks featuring a creamy rich consistency, it’s no surprise it has become one of the brand’s top-selling products.

So what sets apart Bite Beauty from the rest? El Vaquero reporters had a special tour inside the Lip Lab by Bite Beauty and  interviewed Karisa Preto, assistant store manager, to find out how Bite Beauty is different from their competitors.

Preto explained how the original creator of the brand Susanne Langmuir, wanted to move in a more clean direction. Langmuir became intrigued with the idea of formulating a product that involved safe and high quality ingredients, so that’s exactly what she did. Not to mention, the cosmetic line only specializes in lip products, hence the brand’s name, Bite Beauty.

The company is completely organic, as well as cruelty and paraben free. This has placed the brand in a unique category for consumers who find themselves itching for an all around safe option for the lips. In turn, Bite has had the opportunity to grow and expertise within their company off of this unique market that sets them apart from most.

The average lipstick user consumes 7 pounds of lipstick in their lifetime, which means they are ingesting potential toxins and chemicals. The brand has had an appealing approach in that they are the very definition of being a paraben free safer option.

The Lip Lab is small and intimate, but also resembles a science lab where anyone can customize color and type of lipstick to their heart’s desire. Preto went into detail on the purpose and process involved. Bite offers the ability to create a custom shade. The fee begins at $55 and allows a client to formulate a lipstick from beginning to end. You begin the process by picking a perfect shade from the given 200-plus pigments.

The next step is to choose a finish, either a matte or gloss, depending on preference. Step three, is picking a scent. There are nine different natural scents to choose from. The list includes mint, coconut, vanilla and so on. The final step is watching the process and lipstick come to life! The best part of the experience is actually getting to see the lipstick come together.

For customers who already know what color they want, Preto revealed that Bite’s lab can recreate an old favorite lipstick from virtually any brand. For example, customers can come into the store with their used up favorite lipstick and ask for a replica with higher grade ingredients.

That’s where the Bite Lip Lab comes in. Bite’s main mission has been to create a brand that thrives on organic ingredients that are safe to ingest while eliminating the need for harsher additives. In turn, this has placed the brand in a unique sector within the cosmetic industry and has been prospering ever since.