Beauty Bakerie Review: One Sweet Slice of Inclusive, Cruelty-Free Makeup

Hey there, beauty lover! If you‘re like me, you‘re always on the hunt for the latest and greatest in indie makeup. One brand that‘s been blowing up my social media feeds lately is Beauty Bakerie. Known for their "sweet" branding, long-wearing formulas, and message of empowerment, this Black woman-owned company has quickly become a favorite among celebs, influencers, and everyday makeup enthusiasts alike.

As a bona fide beauty junkie, I couldn‘t resist trying out some of Beauty Bakerie‘s bestsellers for myself. In this review, I‘ll be sharing my honest thoughts on the brand‘s story, products, and overall shopping experience. So grab a snack and let‘s dive into this delectable Beauty Bakerie review!

The Beauty Bakerie Story: How a Breast Cancer Survivor Built a Sweetly Successful Brand

Before we get into the products, I want to touch on the incredible story behind Beauty Bakerie. The brand was founded in 2011 by Cashmere Nicole, a single mom who started the company while battling breast cancer. As someone who found solace in makeup during her own health struggles, Cashmere dreamed of creating a brand that would empower others to embrace their beauty and find joy in the little things.

But Cashmere‘s mission wasn‘t just about making people feel good – it was also about shaking up the beauty industry‘s lack of diversity. Throughout her career as a makeup artist, Cashmere rarely saw brands that catered to a wide range of skin tones or showcased models who looked like her. With Beauty Bakerie, she set out to create a truly inclusive line that would celebrate beauty in all its forms.

Beyond the products themselves, giving back is a core part of Beauty Bakerie‘s DNA. The brand‘s Sugar Homes initiative provides housing and support for orphaned children in Uganda. It‘s rare to see a company with such a strong philanthropic focus, and it‘s just one more reason to feel good about supporting Beauty Bakerie.

Decoding the Bakery Theme: Swatches That Look Good Enough to Eat

One of the first things you‘ll notice about Beauty Bakerie is the playful bakery theme that extends from the brand name to the packaging to the shade names. Each product is decorated with mouthwatering pastry puns and comes packaged in boxes that look like they belong in a fancy patisserie.

The Lip Whips, for example, are housed in tubes that resemble ice cream cones and frosting bags. The setting powders are sold as sifter jars of "flour." Eyeshadow palettes have names like "Breakfast in Bed" and "Do It For the Graham." Even the outer shipping box is designed to look like a bakery box tied with a bow.

While some might write off the bakery concept as gimmicky, I find it utterly charming and unique. In a sea of minimalist millennial makeup brands, Beauty Bakerie‘s whimsical theme feels like a breath of fresh air. It shows that the brand doesn‘t take itself too seriously and aims to make the makeup experience fun and joyful. The fact that the theme is incorporated so cohesively across all touchpoints shows an impressive attention to detail.

Of course, cute packaging will only get you so far. What really matters is the quality of the products inside. So let‘s sink our teeth into Beauty Bakerie‘s top sellers and see how they stack up.

The Lip Whip: A Lipstick That Can Survive Anything

If there‘s one product that put Beauty Bakerie on the map, it‘s the Lip Whip. This liquid lipstick promises smudge-proof, transfer-proof, all-day wear in a rainbow of bold matte shades. The brand‘s website even claims that it‘s "so resilient, it‘ll survive an apocalypse!"

The Lip Whip has earned somewhat of a cult following online, with beauty influencers singing its praises and customers giving it a near-perfect 4.8/5 star rating on the Beauty Bakerie website. Some of the most popular shades include:

• Mon Cheri: A classic blue-toned red
• Versailles: A rich chocolate brown
• Cranberry Stiletto: A deep, vampy burgundy
• Bubblegum Crisis: A cool-toned bubblegum pink

As soon as I unboxed my Lip Whips, I could tell these weren‘t your average liquid lipsticks. The packaging is a delight, with each shade housed in a color-coordinated box featuring a different dessert illustration. The lipstick tubes themselves are shaped like ice cream cones, complete with a red cherry-shaped cap. It‘s almost too cute to use – emphasis on almost.

The formula has a light, whipped texture that applies smoothly and evenly in a single swipe. A little goes a long way – these are seriously pigmented. I was impressed by how lightweight and comfortable they felt on my lips, especially for such a longwearing formula. Many liquid lipsticks I‘ve tried have left my lips feeling dry and shriveled, but the Lip Whips actually seemed to keep my lips hydrated throughout the day.

But the real test came when I put the Lip Whips through their paces. I wore Mon Cheri to a friend‘s wedding, where it lasted through tears, champagne toasts, hors d‘oeuvres, and even a makeout session with my boyfriend (TMI, sorry). The color stayed vibrant and perfect the entire night – no touch-ups needed. I also wore Versailles to a summer music festival, where it held up through 95 degree heat, dust, and greasy food truck meals. Needless to say, I‘m a believer.

Removal does require an oil-based makeup remover, but that‘s a small price to pay for such invincible wear. The only potential downside is that the Lip Whips can be a bit drying after several hours of wear, so I recommend exfoliating your lips beforehand and applying a lip balm at night to keep your pout in prime condition.

The Flour Setting Powders: Airbrushed Skin in a Sifter

As someone with oily, acne-prone skin, I‘m always on the prowl for setting powders that will keep my foundation in place and combat midday shine. Beauty Bakerie‘s Flour Setting Powders have been getting lots of love in the beauty community, so I knew I had to put them to the test.

The Flour Setting Powders come in five shades – Oat, Cassava, Almond, Rice, and Corn – that cater to different skin tones and undertones. The finely milled, silky texture rivals that of prestige brands like Laura Mercier and By Terry. Each jar comes with a powder puff for easy application and a sifter to control the amount of product dispensed.

I opted for the Oat shade, which is a translucent white powder suitable for fair to light skin tones. Upon application, I noticed how silky and lightweight the powder felt on my skin – it didn‘t look cakey or settle into fine lines. The finish was a natural matte that blurred the look of pores and texture, giving me an airbrushed, soft focus effect.

As the day wore on, I was impressed by how well the Flour Setting Powder controlled oil and kept my makeup intact. I didn‘t feel the need to touch up until well after lunchtime, which is a rarity for me. The powder also worked beautifully for baking my undereye concealer, brightening the area and preventing creasing.

Customer reviews echo my positive experience, with the Oat shade earning a stellar 4.9/5 rating from over 1,500 reviews. "This is my holy grail setting powder!" raved one reviewer. "It‘s so finely milled and lightweight, yet it keeps me matte for hours. I‘ve already repurchased twice."

The only criticisms I could find were from customers who found the packaging messy and the sifter tricky to use. Some also noted that the lighter shades could leave a white cast on deeper skin tones. But overall, the Flour Setting Powders seem to be a hit among Beauty Bakerie fans.

The Eyescream Palettes: A Sweet Treat for Your Lids

For eyeshadow lovers, Beauty Bakerie offers a selection of dessert-themed palettes to create endless looks. The Breakfast in Bed palette caught my eye with its array of warm neutrals and pops of cranberry and purple. The shade names, like "Crepes" and "Maple Syrup," are just the icing on the cake.

The cardboard palette itself is adorned with a colorful illustration of a tray overflowing with breakfast goodies. Inside, you‘ll find a generously sized mirror and 12 eyeshadow pans that smell faintly of vanilla. The shadows are a mix of mattes and metallics in finishes described as "cinnamon sugar," "powdered sugar," and "syrup."

Swatching the shadows, I was impressed by the buttery, blendable texture and rich color payoff. These are the kind of eyeshadows that practically apply themselves – no primer or special brushes needed. The mattes are creamy and pigmented, while the metallics have a wet look on the lids.

The shade selection is curated and cohesive, making it easy to put together polished looks for any occasion. You have your essential base and transition shades, lid shimmers, and smoky accents to add depth. While the color story may not be groundbreaking, I appreciate the foolproof combinations and wearability factor for everyday use.

In practice, the Breakfast in Bed shadows lasted all day on my lids without fading or creasing. I experienced minimal fallout during application and was able to build up the pigmentation to my desired intensity. The palette has earned a 4.9/5 rating from nearly 400 customers, who rave about the quality, versatility, and adorable theme.

"This palette is perfect for beginners and experts alike," wrote one reviewer. "The colors are so easy to work with and blend seamlessly. It‘s become my go-to for everyday looks and special occasions. Plus, the packaging always makes me smile!"

My only gripe is that some of the lighter matte shades are a bit too similar, and I would have loved a deep brown or black for more smoke and drama. But overall, the Breakfast in Bed palette is a welcome addition to my collection and proof that Beauty Bakerie knows their way around eyeshadow.

Areas for Improvement: Navigating the Customer Experience

While my experience with Beauty Bakerie products has been overwhelmingly positive, I did notice some potential areas for improvement when it comes to the overall customer experience.

A quick Google search reveals a sprinkling of negative reviews calling out issues like missing orders, product inconsistencies, and unresponsive customer service. On Sitejabber, Beauty Bakerie has a below-average rating of 2.69/5, with several users reporting lengthy delays in receiving orders or difficulty obtaining refunds.

To Beauty Bakerie‘s credit, representatives did respond to many of these complaints with apologies and promises to make things right. But it‘s clear that the brand has some work to do in streamlining their order fulfillment and customer support as the business scales.

In my personal experience, I didn‘t encounter any major hiccups when shopping on the Beauty Bakerie website. The checkout process was smooth and my order arrived within the promised timeframe, neatly packaged with a handwritten thank-you note. However, I live in a major city and am admittedly less price sensitive than the average consumer.

Beauty Bakerie‘s shipping policy is fairly standard for an indie brand, with free shipping on U.S. orders over $50 and a flat rate of $5.95 for orders under that threshold. The company also ships internationally, with rates calculated based on destination.

One potential downside is that Beauty Bakerie does not accept returns or exchanges due to the nature of the products. Defective or damaged items can be refunded within 30 days of purchase, but only if you contact customer service with photographic evidence. For a brand with premium price points, a more flexible return policy could go a long way in building customer trust and loyalty.

The Bottom Line

So, is Beauty Bakerie worth the hype? In my humble opinion, absolutely. The brand‘s bestselling products – namely the Lip Whips, Flour Setting Powders, and eyeshadow palettes – deliver exceptional quality, performance, and charm. The bakery theme is executed in a way that feels fresh and fun rather than gimmicky, and the brand‘s commitment to inclusivity and philanthropy is admirable.

That being said, Beauty Bakerie is not immune to the challenges that come with rapid growth and scaling. There‘s clearly some room for improvement when it comes to the customer experience, particularly in the areas of order fulfillment and responsiveness.

But I believe that Beauty Bakerie has the potential to rise above these hurdles and cement its status as a true powerhouse in the indie beauty space. With a few tweaks to their operations and customer service, they could be giving the big-name beauty giants a serious run for their money.

As a beauty lover, I‘m excited to see where Cashmere Nicole takes the brand next. In a few short years, Beauty Bakerie has made major waves with its innovative formulas and mission-driven ethos. I have no doubt that they will continue to push the envelope and challenge the status quo in an industry that sorely needs it.

So if you‘re looking to support a Black woman-owned business, treat yourself to some cruelty-free goodies, or simply upgrade your makeup bag, I highly recommend giving Beauty Bakerie a try. The products are well worth the splurge in my book – your sweet tooth (and your face) will thank you.