NARS Velvet Matte Lip Pencil Review

Velvet Matte Lip Pencil First Impression

I am trying to broaden my horizons, and I have heard some chatter about the NARS Velvet Matte Lip Pencil, so I figured I’d pick them up and do a review. (Click here to see the Becca Cosmetics products I have been loving lately).

I got a duo set from Sephora for $20. I thought the colors were pretty and I loved the way it felt on the back of my hand when I swatched it in the store, so I picked it up. There are 3 duo sets to choose from – so first I chose Damned and Walkyrie. I liked them so much I went back and picked up Train Bleu and Intriguing. Each pencil is 0.06 oz/ 1.8 g. Or you can get the full sized pencil, 0.086 oz/ 2.4 g that comes in 26 colors, for $27 each.

Velvet Matte Lip Pencil Review

Packaging – 5/5

The packaging is definitely on brand. It comes in a very minimalist box when you buy it and the product is literally just the pencil and the lid. The lid is black, and the pencil is primarily black, with the bottom of the pencil being the actual color of your pencil. This makes finding the right color, when you have more than one so easy.

 

 

Portability – 5/5

This is a total no-brainer. Yes it is portable. Can fit in your jeans’ pocket, purse, clutch, or makeup back.

Application – 5/5

This is one of the main reasons why I bought this product. You can apply it just like you would a lip liner or lipstick. It is not a traditional lip liner pencil, think of it more like a lip crayon. What I also like about it is it is a chunky sized pencil. So it only takes a couple of swipes to color in your lips. Another thing is these pencils are can be sharpened. But unlike lip pencils, you don’t have to sharpen them to get the end pointy, just enough to expose more produce, so I believe you end up wasting less when it comes time to sharpen them.

Pigmentation – 4/5

NARS was good to market these as a matte lip product and not a stain, or a liquid lip product. The color is true to what you would expect. What I like about it is that it feels more like lipstick and less like a liquid lip stain. So it is not nearly as drying and it is much more comfortable to wear, even for several days in a row. Now the trade off of that is you do have to pass about 2-3 times on your lips to get that good, matte look. I don’t have a problem with that, but because you need to add more product than what I would expect from a matte lipstick, I am giving it a 4.

Longevity – 3.5/5

I would say this product lasts 6-7 hours, without reapplying, with noticable fading after meals and talking. Now if you are ok with going the work day with applying your lipstick once after lunch, than you are fine. If you like to wear a matte color, eat lunch and go the whole day without reapplying, you might be a little disappointed. Also I do think this product does best with an actual lip pencil. It does bleed some outside my upper lip, regardless if I eat or not, in all 4 colors, if I wear it without a lip liner. When I wear a lip liner I have not noticed any bleeding.

Overall Score 4.5/5 = A

So I love this product. Clearly, I went back and bought 2 more colors. I think this is a great alternative for those of us ladies who like to wear matte lip colors but do not want the drying on our lips. I would definitely recommend this product to anyone on the market for a new matte lip product.