Edward Bess has launched newly formulated lip colors, as many of you know. I featured two new shades of
Ultra Slick Lipstick recently. You may recall that Night Jasmine is a bit too dark for my tastes, and Naked Truth is lighter than I prefer. That's one reason I haven't been wearing them.
I did notice when I tried Night Jasmine that it was a little dry, not what I had grown to love from Edward Bess. I did not find the same dryness with Naked Truth. There was nothing wrong with the packaging of the items I received.
After hearing from reader Eileen and talking with my friend Gaia at The Non-Blonde, I learned that Edward has acknowledged quality problems since he shifted production to Taiwan. Gaia found that Night Jasmine was dry, but also that the caps wouldn't fit tightly to the Ultra Slick Lipsticks - something I didn't experience. Variations such as this are usually a sign of quality assurance issues, and I understand Edward Bess is taking steps to pull the products and ensure that the problems are fixed. Good for him!
I purchased Lover's Desire
Deep Shine Lip Gloss ($30), and there is absolutely nothing wrong with mine. I hear, however, that some customers have found the pigmentation to be difficult to apply evenly. I didn't experience that. The only criticism I can throw at this super-gorgeous lip color is that it's a little heavy. That's often the price one pays for longevity in a lip gloss.
Here is the beautiful color. My photos were taken in full sun, and they don't begin to do justice to the color on my lips. There's enough pigment that I can wear Lover's Desire without lipstick underneath, and it looks fabulous. On my lips, the color is a shiny warm pink that makes my blue eyes pop. It's absolutely stunning - exactly what I'd expect from an Edward Bess color.
This light-catching lip gloss delivers maximum shine, with a unique formula that
delivers a kiss of brilliant color without added glitter or shimmer. The
superior hydrating properties keep lips smooth and protect your perfect
pout with superb moisture. The must-have designer shades range from
barely there to bold and dramatic. Pucker up; your lips are in for a
treat.
I will pull out my Edward Bess lip glosses ( have been wearing my new Rouge Bunny Rouge shades for the last few weeks), and I'll test the heaviness of Lover's Desire vs. the colors that were not manufactured in Taiwan. In the meantime, what do you think? Have you purchased any of the new lip colors? Have you personally experienced the problems? If so, exactly what?
I purchased my Deep Shine Lip Gloss at Sephora. There are Edward Bess counters at Bergdorf Goodman and select Neiman Marcus stores.
Photo at top courtesy of Sephora; other photos by Best Things in Beauty
I had tried the new lipsticks and glosses at the counter and was disappointed in the formulation and packaging. It was obviously different as I think you'll see when you compare it to the BT (before Taiwan) products that are in your stash. I left empty handed and, when Gaia started reviewing his new products, I submitted a comment lamenting the decline in quality. Although my criticism was mainly a reflection of sadness over the decline, other comments were tranchent and cut to the heart of the matter: Too many poorly made lip products of dubious quality were being shipped out.
ReplyDeleteEdward quickly responded to the brewing discontent by reaching out to his customers via Facebook and he even made personal calls to hear for himself what his customers thought about the situation. I was deeply impressed when he said, "It was a mis-step and I have no one to blame but myself. The buck stops here." He spoke of his customers and his love of beauty with all the enthusiasm and passion of youth. He spoke of the quality control problem with all the authority and responsibility of someone many years his senior. As I said in previous comments, it was an extraordinary call from an extraordinary young man and I, for one, am looking forward to his next release. To redeem himself, I bet he'll knock our socks off! :-)
I want everyone to know that I am not in any way affiliated with EB--the person or the company. I am just one of many loyal customers who have been buying his products ever since he first introduced his line of incredibly chic lipsticks about 6 years ago. Until now, I have never been disappointed and that is why I've been willing to champion him. I think he excels at creating products that reflect an elegant and sophisticated chic, he has an obvious love of women and enjoys making them beautiful, and he has shown maturity and assertiveness in handling a major set-back. I think that means he deserves a second chance.
I commented on Facebook - they are sending me 2 lipsticks in the colors of my choice in the old round tubes. I call that excellent customer service!
ReplyDeleteHi Eileen,
ReplyDeleteThanks for taking the time to give everyone the back story. Did you try the glosses?
Wow, Bisbee!
ReplyDeleteHi Charlestongirl,
ReplyDeleteYes, I swatched both lipsticks and glosses and found them all to be less than I'd expect from EB. The thing that really saddened me was that the colors were absolutely gorgeous without being gimmicky; modern without being trendy. In short, classic Edward Bess. Had the quality been up to par, I would have left the counter with 4-6 new lip products. But, alas! I left with nothing :-( There is so much to love about the EB line, so many outstanding products, that I'm certainly not going to let this "mis-step" deter me from being a "Besstie". ;-) I say that with a wink and a smile because at 68, I'm hardly groupie material! LOL
Thanks Charlestongirl and Eileen. Many of the new shades look so pretty online. So is the idea that we'll know they are ok to buy when we see the old round tubes again?
ReplyDeleteHi Anonymous,
ReplyDeleteWhen I spoke with Edward he said that they intended to back to the old formula and packaging so I'd say the answer to your question is yes. You can check his Facebook page, though, for updates.
*Gasp* So pretty--this is EXACTLY my kind of gloss!
ReplyDeleteIt is gorgeous, Becca, just heavy on the lips - but it lasts forever!
ReplyDeleteDoes the quality issue extend to eye shadows? I just got Mirage and it's dry in comparison to his others shadows. It doesn't go on as smooth and I end up with sparkles under my eyes during the day. I was surprised
ReplyDeleteHi Marina,
ReplyDeleteI don't think so. I don't think there are any new formula eye shadows, but I haven't ordered one lately to check country of origin.
I've been dying to get on the EB train for sometime now, but when I finally had a chance to swatch the items at Bergdorf's a few weeks back, I wasn't overly impressed. I'm glad to hear that this is a temporary glitch in quality, and that Mr. Bess is taking immediate action to satisfy both his standards for excellence and his customers' expectations.
ReplyDeleteThe color is gorgeous. I'll be watching his FB page to see what happens. He does seem to be a person with a lot of personal integrity. Love that about him...and his talent!
ReplyDeleteHi Marina,
ReplyDeleteI had the same issue with Mirage. I returned it for another one which was fine. Mirage was manufactured in Taiwan!
I emailed them. Apparently, since Mirage is a baked eye shadow it should be applied with a wet brush or patted with a finger. It works better way, but shouldn't it be marketed as such?
ReplyDelete