Thread Beauty Review: The Lip Bar Launches Sister Brand at Target
Inclusivity and simplicity are becoming prominent themes in today’s beauty landscape. TLB (formerly known as The Lip Bar) is the latest brand to embrace these principles, having launched its new sister brand, Thread Beauty, at Target on February 22, 2022.
Target has been fairly diligent over the last decade in partnering with and promoting brands that benefit underrepresented communities. During Black History Month, Target doubled down on this effort by giving more prominent space to some well-loved Black-owned brands, and they introduced us to some new ones. Thread Beauty is the newest Black-owned brand launched at Target. I purchased all three items from the new collection – here’s my review!
About Thread Beauty
Thread Beauty is a new brand developed by Michelle Butler, founder, and CEO of The Lip Bar. Where The Lip Bar appeals more to young professional women of color, Thread deliberately markets to Gen Z and BIPOC communities, as well as their allies. Thread embraces inclusivity across ethnicity, gender, and income level. In addition to being Black-owned and female-founded, Thread’s products are also 100% vegan and cruelty-free.
Thread Beauty Products
Thread’s initial offering includes three products for a simplified routine:
- Face It Completion Stick
- Blend It Multistick
- Color It Lipstick
Face It Complexion Stick
The Thread Beauty Face It Complexion Stick is designed to be a one-stop shop for the face. Face It can serve as a foundation, concealer, or bronzer. It can also be used in shades darker and lighter than your foundation to highlight and contour. This complexion stick comes in 24 shades, grouped by tone and undertone.
I ended up purchasing 120 Medium Warm Red and 130 Medium Warm Golden. As advertised, the coverage is medium to full buildable coverage. This foundation is fairly comfortable to wear and skin-like to the eye. I felt like the Complexion Stick looked good at first swipe, but I actually enjoyed it more as it aged on my face.
Verdict: Mighty Fine
Blend It Mulitstick
The second step in the Thread Beauty routine is the Blend It Multistick. Multi-use makeup is all the rage right now, and this color stick is right on-trend. Blend It comes in 14 shades matte and shimmer shades, meant to add a wash of color to eyes, cheeks, and/or face.
I chose matte shade Humble, a reddish-brown, and shimmer shade Woke, a bronze gold. When I’m pressed for time, I like to do easy monochrome looks in flattering shades. Using Humble for eyes and cheeks was a near-perfect pop of warmth to my face. I like how the color is buildable – it can be a gentle wash or a bolder look.
Verdict: Might Fine
Color It Lipstick
The finishing touch on a Thread Beauty look is the Color It Lipstick. Color It satisfies our need for both liner and lipstick. Color It comes in 4 satin mattes and 4 soft mattes. Where the first two products are meant to be buildable, Color It delivers a pop of pigment right out the gate.
I have become quite partial to red lips over the years, so I often use a product’s red shades as the litmus test to judge. Of the four reds in the brand’s array, Passionate leans the bluest. I like the pigmentation of the stick, but I’m not crazy about the feel. The formula still felt dry, even though I did moisturize my lips prior to application. I will say that the color stayed on for hours until I ate a large meal. I’m willing to try another shade in the opposite finish to see if it wears a bit better.
Verdict: It’s OK.
My First Impression of Thread Beauty
Overall, I think this launch is a good first offering for the brand. I love the simplicity of the products and the fresh, youthful appeal of the marketing. Thread Beauty’s products are a good value for the price – all products retail for $7.99. The fact that they are available in-store at Target lends itself to greater exposure and convenient access. This brand also appeals to my love of Black-owned brands, as well as my appreciation for brands that promote inclusivity, access, and expression.
The one thing I’m curious about is the name. In researching the brand, there are many beauty businesses with the name “Thread Beauty.” None of them are in the exact same niche, but I did have to do a lot of digging to uncover this particular brand. I hope that this isn’t a deterrent from people finding out about it. But hey, YOU heard it hear from me – so go and spread the word!
You can purchase Thread Beauty’s products in-store and online at Target, or on their website, threadbeauty.com. (Be sure to check out Thread’s Instagram page for a discount code for their website!)
