NARS Velvet Lip Glide

Lip products are usually not something I splurge on – mostly because there’s so many good ones at the drugstore and I live on samples and minis that I’ve picked up in sets along the years.  A while back I was in Sephora and decided to treat myself to one of the highly raved about NARS Velvet Lip Glides in the shade Bound.

ACCORDING TO NARS

Covetable comfort meets confident color in a high-pigment formula that glides like a gloss, cloaks like a lipstick—and feels like nothing else. Semi-matte color glides on a stays supple without drying or feeling sticky. Developed with Oil Infusion Complex, an innovative concentration of precious oils, fused to create a smooth-glide effect. Fully coats lips on contact with smooth, saturated, semi-matte style.

Named for the personal power and play of ’70s counterculture, Velvet Lip Glide shades invoke the era’s new vibe with references to legendary venues and unforgettable attitude.

PRICE & AVAILABILITY

$26 USD / $34 CAD for 0.2 oz

Available at Sephora, NARS, and Hudson’s Bay

PACKAGING

The Lip Glide is housed in a clear, thick plastic rectangular tube with a black rubberized cap.  It feels durable but not bulky.  Nothing bugs me more than when a cap on a lip gloss doesn’t twist all the way closed – this one snaps into place which is both satisfying and reassuring – there’s no worry of the cap coming loose and having lip gloss smeared all over the inside of my purse!   The applicator is a paddle-style doe foot applicator – not my favourite design but it does the job.

SCENT

A very light vanilla scent that lingers slightly after application but fades away shortly after.

FORMULA

Most of the reviews I read/watched on these stated that these are as close to a liquid lipstick you can get without being an actual liquid lipstick.  Given my poor history with liquid lipsticks, I was very interested to experience the formula myself.  I have to agree with that description.  It’s got a very thin mousse-like texture that glides on to your lips. It feels thicker and silkier than a gloss but it’s still very comfortable to wear.  It dries down to a cream finish and the sheen fades throughout the day.

PERFORMANCE

If you’re looking for the longevity that a liquid lipstick provides, then you will likely be disappointed with these.  In my opinion, these have a similar longevity to a cream lipstick. I find they last a couple hours after which they start to fade and require reapplication.  They also need to be reapplied after eating or drinking.  They do leave a light stain behind.  I don’t find them drying at all but they can emphasize dryness or flakiness when my lips are in a dry phase, not unlike any lipstick or thicker gloss.

SWATCH & SHADE

 

Bound is described as a rose pink – it shows up much more brown toned on my lips, particulary in comparison to others swatches I’ve seen online.  I do really like the shade though – it’s a great, wearable everyday colour that goes with anything.  No surprise that it’s touted as a Customer Favourite on the NARS website.

VERDICT

Overall, I’m pretty impressed with my purchase and I’d actually like to add more shades to my collection.  I’m not a big fan of traditional lipsticks – I much prefer glosses or balms.  This is the best of both worlds for me – I get the pigmentation from a liquid lipstick but the comfort from a lipstick and gloss.

Have you tried NARS Velvet Lip Glide?  What did you think of them?