This Blush-and-Lipstick Combo Creates Peak French-Girl Makeup, and I'm Obsessed
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@kaitlyn_mclintockThese lipstick-balm hybrids are hydrating, so they never make my lips feel dry or chapped. Plus, thanks to the modern matte finish and a cool blurring effect, they give me a "bouche mordue," or just-bitten, lip look. It looks truly effortless yet elevated.
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@kaitlyn_mclintockAdmittedly, I've never loved matte lipstick, but this formula is different. Here, I'm applying the shade Guimauve. It doesn't make my lips look flat or one-dimensional like so many other formulas do. Instead, it makes them look soft and plump. To me, it's a timeless look that will never fall out of style or lose its charm. Even when it fades off my lips, it does so in a subtle and intriguing way—like I just sipped a cappuccino outside of a Parisian cafe.
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@kaitlyn_mclintockThere are three shades, but personally, I love the one called Inès. It's a soft pink that makes my skin look bright and youthful. Actually, it mimics the natural flush I get from taking a brisk walk or going outside in cold, crisp air. Since it basically melts into the skin and has an attached brush for blending, it's convenient for use on the go.
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Violette_FRWould you say these products encapsulate the classic French makeup aesthetic?
I grew up knowing only this—the French aesthetic. Our DNA in beauty and fashion is so strongly ingrained that sometimes we don't realize it until we move or are out of the country. My goal is for Violette_FR to be for everyone. You won't hear me saying French is better because it goes against what I believe in. I want everyone to feel welcome. I almost want people to forget this is a French brand and just look at it thinking, "Oh I love it. I'm inspired by it" or "I want it," no matter where it comes from. I have noticed French people connecting to my brand a lot, and I think a large part of that is because they resonate, and they see a brand with the same DNA, which is so nice because I want my culture to welcome the brand. My culture will always be my number one muse.
What was the inspiration behind Bisou Balm?
This product has been a longtime dream of mine. In France, other than a signature red lip, our favorite lip look is called bouche mordue, or just-bitten lips. The DIY way to achieve this casual look is to apply lip balm and add a touch of lipstick, creating a subtle flush of color that looks fresh and natural. I've always been obsessed with capturing this effect and improving upon it. I was determined to create a formula that would imitate the true texture and a kiss of color for the lips. So Bisou Balm was created to perfect that soft blur and is easily achievable every time you apply. A velvety, matte, effortless tint that adds warmth without the work.
What was the inspiration behind Bisou Blush?
When my eldest daughter Inès was a baby, her cheeks always had this incredible natural blush. I had always dreamt of making it a blush, so I combined my real-life muse, Inès, with a classic technique I had learned while studying Italian Renaissance painting. I love the connection between art and beauty. I learned about sfumato, which is an oil painting technique that Leonardo da Vinci mastered. It's an ultra-fine blending of colors that melt colors into each other without visible lines. It creates true-to-life, radiant skin using layers of translucent color like the paintings we see during the Renaissance period. I wanted to bring this same practice to the lab with me so that we could replicate the multidimensional color that emits when our cheeks flush.
Do you have any application tips or tricks for the products?
I personally love applying Bisou Balm above my lips. It gives this plump effect, like you've just been kissed. I also love having Bisou Blush at the apple of my cheeks, at the center, because it provides this very fresh, natural flush. I also love to mix a few colors, such as Louise as a base and all over the cheekbone and then add Inès at the center of the apple. This is what I love to do. However, both products are the most mistake-proof products ever.
This was the first product I ever tried from the brand, so it holds a special place in my heart. Even though I'm not someone who wears red lipstick every day (or even that often), I reach for this one when I do. It was inspired by velvety crimson rose petals, so it gives the lips a bewitching wash of color.
This golden shimmer–flecked highlighter melts into the skin and gives it the prettiest glow. It's one of my favorite highlighters because it doesn't look too glittery or obvious on the skin.
In my opinion, you can't find liquid eye shadows that have a better shade range than Violette_FR's. They're creamy and ultra-pigmented, and they dry down to a budge-proof finish. For a subtle wash of color, I love this neutral shade called Petite Culotte.
For a bolder, more colorful look, I'm obsessed with this lilac shade. It's the perfect purple—not too light and not too dark.
Don't sleep on the brand's shimmer eye shadows. They look just as incredible on the eyes as they do in the tube. This one called Scarabée d'Or is basically begging to be worn on a night out.
This is a toner, serum, and moisturizer all in one. The probiotic-based solution hydrates, soothes, and rebalances the skin. It's the perfect pre-makeup step.