I Tested the TikTok-Famous Bisou Balm for That “Just Bitten” Lip Look, and I’ve Never Felt So French

It smells like a fresh-made waffle cone

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Published Sep 12, 2024

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PureWow/Marissa Wu

Efficacy: 20/20
Longevity: 17/20
Scent: 20/20
Ease of Application: 16/20
Value: 17/20
Total: 90/100

From the age of approximately 10, I have been an ardent Francophile. It began with hearing about my grandparents’ summers spent in Provence, and then devouring the 832-page Paris: The Novel in a matter of days. In high school, I spent hours conjugating verbs and muddling through Le Petit Prince and in university discovering French pop—to which Louanae’s Chambre 12 and Stromae’s Racine Carrée were the soundtrack. The pinnacle of my obsession was a cumulative two years in France, during which I was a fastidious pupil of French women’s mysterious and effortless style. From their sophisticated capsule wardrobes and fail-proof fashion rules to no-makeup makeup, these are my lodestars when shopping for my own closet and vanity. When I came across cool-girl French makeup brand Violette_FR and its viral Bisou Balm ($29) on TikTok, I knew that I needed to try it. While Parisians are known for their bold red lipstick, they’re just as likely to opt for a more subtle “bitten lip” (the “bouche mordue”), and that’s exactly what the Bisou Balm is promising. Below is my review after weeks of wear.

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What Is Violette_FR?

Violette_FR is a French beauty brand founded in 2021 by makeup artist and industry veteran Violette Serrat, who is also Guerlain’s creative director of makeup. The product range spans makeup for eyes, lips and cheek, plus skincare, fragrance and hair products. Formulas are vegan, clean and cruelty free, in compliance with Sephora Celan and EU regulations. Additionally, Violette_FR has made extensive sustainability commitments. It’s Leaping Bunny Certified and a member of 1% for the Planet and the Women’s Earth Alliance. The majority of its packaging is created using recyclable materials, including post-consumer recycled plastic.

How I Tested the Bisou Balm

Over the course of a month, I’ve tried the Bisou Balm in every shade, evaluating it on the PW100 scale. I scored the balms on the following: efficacy (was the color payoff good?), longevity (could it make it through a ham and cheese croissant?), scent, ease of application (did it require a lot of prep?) and value, for a total score out of 100 points.

bisou balm review: bonbon coquelicot, bêtise, amour fou

Marissa Wu/Left to right: Bonbon Coquelicot, Bêtise, Amour Fou

My Bisou Balm Review

Violette_FR’s tentpole product is available in six shades: Bonbon Coquelicot (“bonbon coe-klee-coe”), Bêtise (“bay-tease”), Amour Fou (“ah-more foo”), Sucette (“sue-set”), Guimauve (“ghee-mauve”) and Calisson (“cal-ee-son”). The brand describes them as “a moisturizing matte lipstick-meets-balm hybrid that imparts a sheer kiss of color,” while also promising blurring and buildable color payoff.

While six colors seem scant, they are versatile enough that no matter your skin tone, you’ll find at least one that works for you. (I’m personally partial to Calisson and Amour Fou, the latter of which is considered the cult classic.) And, the scent is incredible. Think of a fresh waffle cone in an ice cream parlor, sugar slightly caramelized—it’s divine but not overpowering.

bisou balm review: sucette, guimauve, calisson

Marissa Wu/Left to right: Sucette, Guimauve, Calisson

When it comes to efficacy, the Bisou Balm delivers as promised: one swipe yields a gentle wash of color, but you can build it to a more opaque hue. However, do note that this isn’t a true lipstick, so it will never look rich the way an actual lipstick formula will. If you seek a bold lip, skip. Personally, I like this subtler look, and the fact that the colors aren’t too bold means there’s more room for error when I inevitably draw outside my lip line. The longevity wasn’t any more or less impressive than most other lipsticks I’ve tried; it required reapplication after eating but never completely disappeared.

Marissa Wu/Top to bottom: Amour fou, Guimauve, Sucette, Calisson, Bonbon coquelicot, Bêtise

Though not necessarily a real “con,” I will say that as someone with incredibly dry lips, the matte formula isn’t the best match made in heaven. The brand—and Violette herself—actually advise applying lip balm before the Bisou Balm. (Just be sure to pat your lips to remove the excess lip balm before using the Bisou Balm.) I’ve found that helps tremendously, but do feel that unless I’ve devoutly conditioned my lips to smooth perfection, the Bisou Balm can look patchy on dry areas, especially if I’m wearing a brighter color. But, the Bisou Balm combined with lip balm is pretty moisturizing and creamy. Just expect a little prep work if you have chapped lips. Otherwise, I’d opt for the brand’s newly-launched, more moisturizing Bisou Jelly ($29), which I’ve also tested and love for its vitamin E-infused shine.

buy it ($29)

Summary

At $29, the Bisou Balm falls in line with similar lipsticks from other boutique beauty brands, including the Kosas Wet Stick, MOB Beauty Cream Lipstick and Ilia Color Block Lipstick. Overall, I’ve scored it 90/100. It’s ideal for nailing an off-duty French girl look, with versatile shades, understated and sophisticated color payoff and a creamy matte formula that’s a pleasure to wear. (And, bonus, the packaging is a work of art.) It’s, as the French would say, très cool.

Marissa Wu

Associate SEO Editor

Writes across all verticals, including beauty, fashion, wellness, travel and entertainment, with a focus on SEO and evergreen content
Has previously worked at Popular Photography and Southern Living, with words in Martha Stewart and Forbes Vetted
Has a B.S. in journalism from Boston University

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