The Audacious Lipstick are insanely beautiful to look at. Granted I am not really drawn to the colors, but the design is just spectacular. NARS ditched their standard rubberized matte packaging that collects dirt like no other, and switched to a sleeker, almost satin-matte package with a magnetic cap that just falls into place. It still says NARS around the rectangular sides, which I’ve always thought was a nice touch, but now it’s in a glossy black making it a subtle and more elegant touch. My complaint with this lovely looking package is that it somehow still ends up covered in fingerprints. Not like a metallic tube, but they’re there and they kinda bug me. But I can get past that.
Do you see the subtle smudges? They just bug me!
The bullet itself is also stunning. I can’t exactly explain why, but somehow the way they’ve shaped the tip and the sides, yet maintained a flat front with “NARS” embossed into the lipstick – stunning! There really is no other word for the look of these lipsticks.
As far as the formula, well here’s where we have issues. Yeah, where it actually counts. Yes, they are incredibly creamy. Yes, they are insanely pigmented. They have a nice matte-satin finish and they are super easy to apply. They don’t transfer too badly, but they don’t really last any longer than other lipsticks. They aren’t really drying…at first. However, after wearing them for maybe half an hour or so, my lips don’t feel as though they’re drying out as with many other matte lipsticks, but somehow my lips do feel dry. I’m sure that makes a lot of sense. My lips just feel like I need to apply a lip balm, but they’re not parched or actually dried out. Kind of dry to the touch if that makes sense. There’s just no slip left. Maybe that’s the beat way to put it. So there’s that. Not cool and not unbearable, but I want more for $32!
My next problem is actually the way that they look after applying. Louise pointed this out in her review here, and I totally agree. The lines of your lips are heavily accentuated. They almost look dry even if they don’t feel it. I would have to say that I’m not quite sure I’ve ever seen the lines of my lips look quite so prominent as with this lipstick. My lips do look a touch larger, which I remember seeing somewhere that part of the intent was to do just that. They totally look fuller, but with all the lines going on, I’m not sure it’s worth the trade off. Add that to the dry feeling, and I’m anything but impressed with the NARS Audacious Lipsticks.
There's a subtle difference, but look at the lines towards the sides
and on the top lip. More obvious, right?
(And excuse the staining in the top pic. I was testing a new lip stain -
it stains! J)
Anita is a pretty color, and NARS has so many shades to choose from – 40 to be exact, but I expect more from a lipstick, especially one with a hefty price tag. The shades are rather unusual as well, but I really don’t think I’d waste the money. Even if you have lips that are in great condition with few lines, I think you’ll find that the NARS Audacious Lipsticks will accentuate even the best of lips. If the added lines don’t bother you, you better be ok with a creamy-dry hybrid texture that just feels kind of odd after a rather short period of time. I actually like the former NARS lipstick formula, though it isn’t terribly unique, but the Audacious Lipsticks just don’t cut it for me. I would only recommend buying these lipsticks if you’re hoping to impress people with a lipstick tube when you pull it out of your purse. That’s really all they’re good for. Sorry NARS!!!
