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So… Hi! I’ve been a bad beauty blogger but let’s not dwell. Instead, let’s talk about the new NARS Velvet Lip Glide formula, which NARS claims ‘glides like a gloss, cloaks like a lipstick, blends upon contact’. If you’re over the whole matte liquid lipstick trend, good news: It’s not a matte liquid lip. I’m not sure I’d even call it a velvet but we’re getting ahead of ourselves, look at the pretty swatch video I made…

Slow bow. Thank you, thank you. Song can be found here!

Let’s get the boring bits out of the way. There’s a standard doe foot applicator, unfortunately no diamond shaped applicators. The nice people at Mecca Cosmetica sent me a good bulk of the range and the colour selection seems nicely curated, everything from nudes to reds to vamps.

The Good

The Velvet Lip Glides avoid the undesirable elements of both a gloss (not sticky, more creamy) and a matte liquid lip (no shrink wrap sensation at all). I’d describe them as two parts conventional lipstick and one part gloss; moderately pigmented and definitely not matte, even velvet is a bit of a stretch. They’re very comfortable, lightweight and I didn’t find that they exacerbated the appearance of chapped lips of which I have in abundance.

The Bad

Given that the formula doesn’t set much at all, some shades have the tendency to pool at the lipline when one presses the lips together. I’ve compared one of the best performing shades to one of the worst performing shades…

NARS Velvet Lip Glide Review & Swatches

Playpen is phenomenal and I would happily wear it everyday but Toy is patchy, pools in areas and is prone to bleeding. It looks messy, right? Even with my (somewhat) careful application. The outcome isn’t improved by blotting which removes the vast majority of the vibrancy, leaving a stain. The reds sit somewhere in the middle but truth be told, I avoid slippy/glossy formulas for most bold lips because no doubt they will smear across my face.

The Verdict

If you’re eyeing one of the nude or mid-toned shades, go for it. The deeper shades are temperamental – pooling is a problem even when paired with a lipliner. I would have preferred the formula if it set to some degree but alas, the Velvet Lip Glides are decidedly glossy (which might be your thang!).

NARS Velvet Lip Glides retail for 26USD in the US and 37AUD down under. Have you tried this formula? What are your thoughts? Let’s chat in the comments 🙂

xxkarima

* NB: This selection of shades was sent to me for consideration. I’m always honest, obviously 😉

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  1. I recently got Unlaced which is super beautiful. Totally concur that it’s comfortable to wear with fab colour payoff. Unfortunately, it did emphasize my own chapped, dry lips (more of an issue during colder months for me; I suspect it’ll be better in the warmer months).

  2. I’ve been eyeing of Bound for the last month and it’s been sold out nationwide! So glad to see this post. Looking forward to more blogs from you.

  3. Karima, loved the idea of putting a swatch video along with your thoughts on them. It’s especially helpful to see how colours apply IRL than just the final outcome of a swatch! Thanks!

  4. Yes Karima, you are always honest. Love that about you! That, plus your exacting standards and beauty aesthetic are the reasons why what you think matters a whole lot to me 😉 I was looking at Playpen and thinking “yes! a warm pink! i bet that one would appeal to Karima”. I could use a better performing liquid lip color and I’ve been intrigued by the Lip Glides. But I gotta pass because it sounds like the wear is high maintenance and I’m just too time-pressed and lazy for that. Appreciate your point of view, as always, thank you!

  5. Yay. Welcome back. I was missing your block. I love your posts so hoping you will continue.

    I like the nude shade, but the whole Nars Velvet lips are not my cup of coffee. I don’t like this glossy type of formulas on the lips.

  6. I’m so glad to find someone who agrees with me about the darker/bolder shades! I tried Danceteria, and the whole time I wore it I was utterly freaked out that it was moving outside my lips or onto my teeth or face. It was an anxiety-inducing shade. If I’m going to wear a bold shade, I’d much rather it grip my lips a bit. This was just too slippery. Love your blog, btw! 🙂