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I usually try not to get too sucked in by new beauty products that pop up on my Instagram feed. If I gave in to every new release from my favourite brands, my bank account would not be thanking me, that’s for sure!
But every now and again, I come across something that convinces me to throw that restraint out of the window, and VIOLETTE_FR’s Bisou Balm was that product for me.
I’m not a matte lipstick person, so I’m not sure why this balm appealed to me so much, but every try-on I saw pushed me closer to buying it… and eventually I did (along with a couple of other goodies).
My final VIOLETTE_FR order consisted of the iconic Bisou Balm, the Bisou Blush and the Yeux Paint. A lip product, a cheek product, and an eye product – I felt like this would give me a pretty good introduction to the brand.
Here’s how I got on…
About VIOLETTE_FR
Founded in 2021, beauty brand VIOLETTE_FR is the brainchild of French make-up artist Violette Serrat. With experience as the International Makeup Designer for Dior, the Global Beauty Director for Estée Lauder, and now the Creative Director of Makeup at Guerlain, it’s clear Violette knows a thing or two about makeup. Starting her own beauty brand was the natural next step.
VIOLETTE_FR’s main goal is to bridge the gap between the understated and the bold, offering options for both the makeup minimalist and the maximalist. The brand’s all about empowering people to express themselves through makeup, creating products that are as simple and easy-to-use as possible.
Their entire offering is vegan and cruelty-free, and there’s a big focus on sustainability here too. VIOLETTE_FR gives 1% of its revenue to environmental organisations through 1% for the Planet, it offsets it’s carbon footprint by funding reforestation projects with One Tree Planted, and is an official member of the Pact Collective, which works to reduce packaging waste in the beauty industry.
VIOLETTE_FR Makeup Review
Bisou Balm
VIOLETTE_FR’s Bisou Balm is a lipstick-balm hybrid which offers a sheer wash of colour and a matte finish. It’s meant to help you achieve a blurred, ‘just kissed’ look – that soft kind of effect you would usually get by applying your lipstick and then blotting it with a tissue. This just cuts out that extra step.
The intention isn’t vibrancy, although you can build up quite a bit of colour by layering. This balm is all about effortlessness. You don’t need to worry about applying it perfectly, the more undone the better really.
Because the Bisou Balm is so sheer, you’re never going to get an opaque, full-coverage finish. But I kind of like that about it, it makes the product more forgiving. The ‘bouche mordue’ look is meant to be smudged and a little bit worn after all!
I’ve got this in Bêtise which is a warm berry shade. It’s slightly deeper than my natural lip colour but looks pretty natural once I’ve blended it out. I tend to apply a few swipes then blur the edges of my lips with my finger. This helps get rid of the harsh lines, really making it look like ‘my lips but better’.
In terms of finish, this is soft and velvety – pretty much what you’d expect from a matte lipstick. It’s not as drying as other matte formulas I’ve tried, but I wouldn’t say it’s hydrating either. My lips do feel like they’re calling out for a lip oil by the end of the day!
If we’re talking longevity, the wear time on this Bisou Balm is ok. It lasts a couple of hours but it does start to fade quite quickly in the middle of my lips. The beauty of this product though, is that it still looks good even as it wears off. And it only takes a couple of dabs to touch it up. It’s a great low-maintenance option.
Bisou Blush
VIOLETTE_FR’s Bisou Blush is a marbled cream blush in stick form. The brand actually calls this a “flush not a blush” as it’s meant to be very soft and natural-looking. The inspiration behind this product comes from Neoclassical and Renaissance art where pinched, rosy cheeks were commonly featured.
I love this idea and can totally see how the Bisou Blush achieves this natural ruddiness. The texture is balmy and pretty sheer. It’s not super pigmented but it can be built up to achieve the desired level of colour. I will say, though, that you sacrifice some of the longevity in favour of the sheerness. It does tend to fade pretty quickly because of this.
I’ve got the shade Inès which is a pretty, soft pink. It’s very similar in colour to Rose Inc’s Cream Blush in Ophelia, just a tad less pigmented.
I have to admit, the marbled effect does look nice when the product is untouched. The idea is that you have two blushes in one – one sheer shade and another more intense shade – which blend together to give you a “multidimensional flush”. However, with use, the distinction between the two shades disappears, and I can’t say I notice the difference when I apply it on my cheeks. It all just blends into one.
The brush on the bottom of this blush stick is a nice idea, and makes it really handy for travelling. The fewer beauty tools I have to carry with me the better! But on a day-to-day basis, I would probably use a separate, fluffier brush as the one attached is quite dense (though still very soft) and not the most effective at diffusing the product.
This blush has a slight floral scent to it but nothing off-putting and I don’t really tend to notice the fragrance when it’s actually on my face.
Overall, it’s a nice blush but it doesn’t wow me in the way other blushes do.
Yeux Paint
The Yeux Paints weren’t really on my radar until I properly browsed the VIOLETTE_FR website. I hadn’t set out to buy this, and I actually only added it to my basket to make it up to the free delivery threshold. But, surprisingly, this is the product that I think is the most worth buying of the three.
This is a 2-in-1 liquid eyeshadow and liner, promising buildable colour and long-lasting wear. It comes in two finishes, Matte and Twinkling, and 17 different shades. You’ve got your everyday, neutral tones (like Petite Culotte) right up to those bold, vibrant colours (like Dieu Bleu and Violette Sauvage).
I went for the Yeux Paint in Scarabée d’Or which is a green-gold shade. Despite being one of the ‘Twinkling’ variants, this doesn’t feel like a glitter eyeshadow at all.
It’s smooth, lightweight, and feels super comfortable on my eyelids which really wasn’t what I was expecting!
The Yeux Paints start off quite thick and opaque (which makes them great for lining) but can be quickly sheered out with a brush or finger for an all-over eyeshadow effect.
You’ve got a short window in which to blend the Yeux Paints as they do dry down quite fast. But that’s not a bad thing if you’re in a rush and you don’t want to be waiting ages for your makeup to set!
These are nicely pigmented so you only really need a small dab to get a decent wash of colour. And the small tube makes this a really convenient product to keep in your handbag in case you need to turn your daytime look into an evening look.
I love this product and would definitely pick up more shades if I were to make another VIOLETTE_FR order!
Where to buy VIOLETTE_FR
You can purchase these products through the VIOLETTE_FR website. There’s free UK shipping on orders over £70. You can also shop the brand on Oh My Cream, which has a slightly lower free delivery threshold (£60).
If you’re shopping from outside the UK, you may be able to pick up VIOLETTE_FR from MECCA or Sephora.
Final Thoughts: Is VIOLETTE_FR worth the spend?
My experience with VIOLETTE_FR’s makeup line wasn’t quite what I expected. I thought the Bisou Balm or the Bisou Blush would for sure be at the top of my list, but it was actually the Yeux Paint which I liked the most.
The blush is pretty, and I really like the balmy texture it has, but the wear time lets it down slightly. I have similar products, in similar shades, which I’d reach for before this one.
The Bisou Balm is great in general. I love the soft, blurred look it gives, and the fact that it achieves a low maintenance, classic French red lip. Like the blush though, I just wish this were a bit more long-lasting!
The Yeux Paint is my overall winner. It’s pigmented, durable and really comfortable (seriously, this feels almost undetectable on my eyes). I struggle to find liquid eyeshadow formulas that I like and this one has totally hit the mark.
Ultimately, I think VIOLETTE_FR does have some really great products on offer. However, they are very expensive and I do think it’s possible to find similar products at a more affordable price point.
What are your thoughts on the VIOLETTE_FR makeup line? Would you try any of these products? Let me know!
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