Huawei's strange lipstick wireless earbuds, and they're actually pretty cool.

Disguising technology as other everyday items isn't necessary... but it's pretty cool.

Nobody needs the Huawei Freebuds Lipstick, and they're not going to top the list of the best true wireless earbuds any time soon, but in a world where all headphones look the same, it's nice to see something a little different, even if it's not that different.

What distinguishes them is that the case could fool you into thinking it doesn't contain wireless earbuds at all - it looks exactly like lipstick from the outside. And it's not just any lipstick; it looks like you've spent a fortune on Chanel or Hermès makeup because it's made from a luxurious shiny stainless steel similar to what you'd find on Selfridges' beauty floor.

When you take the lid off the tube, the bright red buds inside are supposed to be the 'lipstick.' Huawei is very astute. In fact, the earphones are identical to the Huawei Freebuds 4, but they come in a different case and are significantly more expensive.

Now, I don't want to nitpick, but the case isn't entirely accurate because it's a little bulkier than a lipstick case would be. It measures 70 x 27.4 x 27.4mm, is wider, and weighs 92g with the buds inside, making it slightly heavier. Not that anyone would notice; I'm sure most would look at it and assume it was a lipstick, which is all that matters.

I'm not sure why you'd want or need it to look like lipstick, but I suppose not everything has to have a purpose. At the very least, it might deter people from stealing it if they had the opportunity? The main idea here is that it's a striking feminine design that deviates from the typical box-shaped charging cases.

The earbuds themselves are one-size-fits-all, resembling the original Apple AirPods but in classic lipstick red with a glossy silver tip on the stem. To be honest, the design of the buds feels a little cheesier than the case, but I think that's because of the bright red.

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They're not as secure as in-ear headphones because they don't come with fitted silicone tips. Personally, I prefer this style of earbud because I find it more comfortable, and these stayed in place for the most part, though they did fall out once or twice during workouts. I suppose you wouldn't be wearing lipstick while working out anyway.

But it's not just about appearances; what about sound? When it comes to audio quality, these will hardly compete with the likes of the Sony WF-1000XM4, but they sound perfectly fine and I enjoyed listening to them - the Huawei Freebuds Lipstick definitely have some energy about them.

The sound isn't as powerful as other headphones without the seal provided by the in-ear tips, and it can get a little distorted when the volume is turned all the way up. But I didn't think it was a big deal because I don't listen to music at full volume on a daily basis.

The Huawei Freebuds Lipstick has a few extra features that set it apart from the competition. One such feature is adaptive sound, which analyses your individual ear canal shape and earbud fit to tailor the audio to you. Of course, I have no idea how well it works because I can only hear with my own ears.

They also have noise-cancelling technology, though it isn't as good as the top entries in the guide to the best noise-cancelling headphones.

Another useful feature is the wear detection, which pauses the music if you remove them from your ear or if one falls out. That way, you won't miss a beat from the track, and if you do, you'll be much more likely to notice if the music stops.

Throughout the workday, I mostly used these. The buds' battery only lasted about 2.5 hours with noise-cancelling turned on, so I had to turn it off if I intended to use them for longer than that. This increases the battery's life to about 4 hours. It's still not quite long enough, especially if you're prone to forgetting to put them back in the case after each use.

Despite the extra features, the Huawei Freebuds Lipstick have a fairly standard interior. I wish Huawei had added some sort of twist to the buds themselves. But on the outside, the design is unmistakable, and I think it's quite cool. Even though the gadget isn't as useful as a pair of x-ray sunglasses, it made me feel like the female James Bond that everyone has been talking about.

The Huawei Freebuds Lipstick is available now for £199.99 from the Huawei store.