At NARS, Lips Play With Purple, Red and Rose for Summer 2012 ...
NARS Never Say Never Velvet Matte Lip Pencil
Man, I’m so tired… (How tired am I?) I’m so tired that I could go to bed right now. In my work clothes. Without removing my makeup.
I actually tried to take a nap this afternoon — which I almost never do because it throws off my sleep schedule — but the phone rang right as I was dozing off.
Rinnng! Rinnng!
“Wha!? Hello? This is Karen.”
“Did I wake you?”
“Oh, hi Mom. No, I was just napping…” 
My mom’s superpower is her ability to call right as I’m about to fall asleep (“Did I wake you?”), or at the exact moment I’m contemplating doing something potentially unwise (“What are you doing?”).
After the call, I considered just blowing off the rest of the afternoon, grabbing some fro-yo, and passing out on the couch, but then I wouldn’t have been able to share the revelations I had about the NARS Summer 2012 collection at the dentist earlier today.
Yes, girl, I thought about makeup at the dentist’s office. It was the only thing I could do to keep from losing my sh*z!
Never Say Never Velvet Matte Lip Pencil ($24), Calabria Soft Touch Shadow Pencil ($24) and Buenos Aires Velvet Gloss Lip Pencil ($24)
A little back story…
When I was a kid, I had a really mean dentist who seemed to derive great joy from making me cry (I’m pretty sure he was a masochist). To this day, I bawl like a baby during cleanings.
But my current dentist, who looks like Steve Martin, he’s an angel. He’s so nice and patient, and he’s great about walking me through the process, which I really like. He even reminds me to relax my shoulders and unclench my fists while I’m sitting in the chair.
But yeah, he looks like Steve Martin, and whenever he’s hovering over me with that little silver hook, I start playing tunes from Little Shop of Horrors in my head…
Moscow Pure Matte Lipstick, $25
Luckily, today’s cleaning went great (no cavities, yay!), but the anxiety of wondering things like, “What if an earthquake strikes while he’s scraping at my molars and he crochets my gums with that hook?” left me physically and mentally drained.
Vendanges Lipstick, $24
Between swishing, spitting and trying not to cry, my mind wandered to the new NARS 2012 collection. I thought about François and how the team at NARS must have had lips on their minds when they created it, since four of the nine pieces in the release are lip products.
Vendanges Lipstick, Moscow Pure Matte Lipstick, Never Say Never Velvet Matte Lip Pencil and Buenos Aires Velvet Gloss Lip Pencil
Did they play it safe with a summery selection of shiny coral, gold and pink? Not hardly. Instead, they took a risk on mattes and played with purple, red and rose.
Was it worth the risk? Let’s find out.
NARS Never Say Never Velvet Matte Lip Pencil
Never Say Never Velvet Matte Lip Pencil ($24): Was it named after the Bieber song? The world may never know (well, never say never…). Either way, this lilac rose has a matte finish that turns the idea of a bright summer lip on its head. Long lasting and non-drying, it’s my favorite lip product from the launch. I think it’s darn near perfection paired with the Marie-Galante Duo.
MAKEUP AND BEAUTY BLOG RATING: A+
Moscow Pure Matte Lipstick
Moscow Pure Matte Lipstick ($25): Now that’s bold, baby! A matte red lip for summer? Cool and crazy. I probably wouldn’t wear this strawberry matte red lipstick to the beach, but everywhere else sounds good. I like that I don’t have to bother with a lip pencil, so it’s easy to apply. And it lasts for hours. I expect to wear this one well into fall.
MAKEUP AND BEAUTY BLOG RATING: A
Sheer Lipstick in Vendeges
Sheer Lipstick in Vendeges ($24): Sheerness kept this crushed grape from going all the way to goth. It could look extra lovely on pigmented lips with purple undertones. Neat color, but it only lasts about 90 minutes on me.
MAKEUP AND BEAUTY BLOG RATING: B
Velvet Gloss Lip Pencil in Buenos Aires
Velvet Gloss Lip Pencil in Buenos Aires ($24): I love a good nude lip as much as the next girl, but this one makes my lips disappear! — unless I pull some trickery, like lining them first with a warm peach or coral pencil. It could look really pretty with the Ramatuelle Trio, with the beige shades playing off each other. Only thing is, it doesn’t last long on my lips. We’re talking one or two hours, tops.
MAKEUP AND BEAUTY BLOG RATING: B
Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,
Karen
P.S. Time for bed. Zzzz…
¶ 10:25 PM 
Post a Comment