Sephora's birthday gift this past month was a good one: two decent-sized NARS lip pencils, one of which, Cruella, I thought I'd showcase for this LOTW. Described as a "passionate scarlet red," it's the perfect shade to wear when you want to toughen up a sweet outfit, and I'm a big fan of its matte finish. At first, I thought it seemed a bit, well, dark (even by my standards) when I applied it, but it wears to a beautiful wine colour after a few hours and didn't need a single touch-up throughout the day.
The Lowdown on Cruella
Brand: NARS
Product Type: Velvet Matte Lip Pencil
Shade: "Passionate scarlet red"; deep wine/burgundy
Price Range: $26US / $$
Celebrity Fans: Charli XCX
Vibe: Intense, edgy
I recently raided Vicky's lipstick collection and unearthed this little beauty: NARS' Bolero, a lip pencil in a Velvet Matte finish. A light peachy-pink colour (described on the NARS website as "pink cantaloupe"), it's a far cry from my favoured bright/intense shades, but it feels perfect for this time of year -- very springy and fresh. And I love that because it's so soft, I can pair it with a more defined, smoky eye.
A word of warning, however: it is very drying (even more so than other Velvet Matte pencils I've tried, for some reason), and can easily look cakey/flakey if you haven't exfoliated well beforehand. Also, the swatch on my hand is somewhat misleading; on my lips it's definitely not quite so vibrant a colour.
The Lowdown on Bolero
Brand: NARS
Product Type: Velvet Matte Lip Pencil
Shade: "Pink Cantaloupe"; light, peachy-pink
Price Range: $26US / $$
Celebrity Fans: Alexa Chung
Vibe: Fresh, playful, retro
http://cdn2.bigcommerce.com/n-zfvgw8/3ynyz/product_images/uploaded_images/pantone-spring-2015.jp
1. Oscar de La Renta shirt / 2. Dorothy Perkins bikini / 3. Dorothy Perkins cardigan / 4. Roksanda culottes / 5. Miss Selfridge skirt / 6. Choies skirt / 7. Victoria Beckham tote / 8. Valentino dress / 9. Charlotte Russe hat / 10. Mango coat 
