Entry No. 24 — the Pittsburgh file — filed under: cosmetics
Lipstyck Lab
As Pittsburgh's first custom lipstick and lip gloss bar, this boutique beauty lab lets you mix and mold your own signature lip color from scratch. Guided by a licensed cosmetologist, you'll blend pure plant-based bases, pigments, shimmers, and custom scents to create a bespoke cosmetic tube.
The story
Long before she became a licensed cosmetologist, owner Juana La.Faye 'Jaé' Wiley was stealthily combining her mother’s Avon samples to invent shades that didn't exist on department store racks. Lipstyck Lab is that exact childhood mad-scientist impulse given a brick-and-mortar reality, operating out of a fractional address on Murray Avenue in Squirrel Hill.
Instead of picking mass-produced tubes under harsh retail lighting, you sit down at a lab bench stocked with raw ingredients. You start with plant-based wax bases, loose mineral pigments, frosting micas, and aromatic scents, adjusting warm and cool undertones until the precise shade in your head materializes on the mixing slate.
Once your blend is locked in, the mixture is melted, poured directly into metal molds, chilled, and snapped into a bullet or gloss tube right in front of you. It is part apothecary work, part cosmetic tailoring, and entirely far removed from buying off a rack.
What it's like
Look for the half-address tucked along Murray Avenue's main commercial stretch. Inside, the space operates like a hands-on cosmetic lab, with stations set up for measuring powders, oils, and waxes. An instructor walks you through pigment ratios so you don't end up with mud, but you hold the spatula. If you book a BYOB slot, uncork your drink right at the bench while swatching experimental shades across your skin. The entire arc—from raw pigment powder to a fully set lipstick tube—takes under an hour.
The move: Book a BYOB Custom Color Session where you and your partner can sip your favorite drinks while playing with raw pigments, frost, and flavors to formulate a completely custom lipstick or gloss to take home.
- 📍 Squirrel Hill
- 💸 $$
- ⚡ Up for anything
- 🌗 Indoors
Where: 2713 1/2 Murray Ave, Pittsburgh, PA 15217
Hours: Added 2026-07-21 — confirm current hours before you go.
Pair it with
- Arts & Crafts: Botanica & Occult Shop — Pair custom cosmetic color blending in Squirrel Hill with hand-curated herbal and ritual formulation in Wilkinsburg.
- Pittsburgh Glass Center — Follow up the heat and molding process of making lipstick with a high-heat glassblowing session in East Liberty.
- The Weeping Glass — Contrast your custom cosmetic lab work with a trip to Allentown's dark oddities shop and anatomical workshop venue.
Good to know
Can I bring my own drinks?
Yes, you can book a BYOB session and bring your own wine, beer, or drinks to sip while you blend.
What ingredients are used in the lipstick base?
The lab uses plant-based bases mixed with pure pigments, frosts, micas, and custom scents.
Do I need to make a reservation before going?
Yes, custom color sessions require advance booking online to secure your slot at the mixing bar.
Where exactly is it in Squirrel Hill?
You'll find it at 2713 1/2 Murray Ave, set directly along the main neighborhood strip.
Plan a visit & invite your people →
Further reading: Official site · cbsnews.com · pittsburghmagazine.com
last checked: 2026-07-21