NARS Lip Pencils

Hey, guys!  OK, so I didn't even bother feasting on the buffet of sales Black Friday had to offer this year.  Participating and becoming a part of the annual stampede of ravenous shoppers just didn't interest me this go 'round.  But far from having a case of FOMO (Fear Of Missing Out), I'm happy to report that I had my appetite for beauty bargains sated the week prior.  In addition to the lip gloss Birthday Babe, I was also able to cop a set of lip pencils that I'm absolutely over the moon for.  Some of you may already be familiar with them, but for the uninitiated... well, I just gotta spill the beans!  So, if you have a few moments, I'd love to share with you my thoughts on NARS' Lip Pencils in Rikugien and Cruella. 

Every year, Sephora offers up little birthday freebies to those who are enrolled in its buyers' rewards program and this year's perk is an exceptional plus - two mini NARS Lip Pencils.  Short on size but long on color, this diminutive duo is a great sampling of the range of hues as well as the finishes available from the line (Velvet Matte and Satin).  These crayon-like lipsticks boast rich emollients, including vitamin E and silicon, to help keep lips from drying out during wear and aid in achieving a "smooth like buttah" application.

First up is Rikugien, which is described as a "rose-pink".  It's a gorgeous, muted nude/natural with a Satin finish that felt super smooth during application and very comforting on my pout.  Nicely pigmented, it offered just a hint of shine with no discernible taste.  It did have what I would call a faint "ingredient" smell, which I didn't find off putting and did not transfer to the lips at all.

 

Second out of the pack is Cruella, which is a burnt blue-red.  It is potently pigmented and, true to its Velvet Matte moniker, the shimmer-/shine-free finish felt über plush during application and wear.  It glided across my lips with ease without a tug or pull in sight.  Again, no discernible taste, but a faint "ingredient" smell. 

RiRi Woo (top), Cruella (bottom)

Out of curiosity, I lined it up next to MAC's infamous blue-red Ruby Woo (I have Rihanna's version RiRi Woo) and - as you can see - Cruella is darker, Woo is much brighter.  No dupe here.  Curiosity cured!

Rikugien (top), Cruella (bottom)

Well, there you have it!  You can safely color me impressed with this one, guys.  I mean it!  These NARS lippies are legit and definitely kept my lips feeling moisturized and soft.  The wear is so comfortable, even the matte, that it honestly felt like I was wearing nothing at all.  Both had nice staying power, however, they did fade significantly after eating.  But that's nothing that a little underpinning of lip liner can't solve.  So if your lips are in need of some hydrating, color therapy and you're in the market for yet another lip product, you may wanna give these lip pencils from NARS a look-see.  They come in a slew of arresting shades and would be a merited addition to any makeup maven's collection!

NARS Lip Pencil in Rikugien and Cruella are available at Sephora and beauty.com, and retail for $26.