NARS Audacious Lipstick Review : Anna and Natalie

Nars Audacious, perfection in a lipstick form. Elegant packaging, creamy formula and longevity are all perfectly balanced in one single lipstick. As François Nars said: ''I have a real love affair with lipstick. It gives you more power.'', this lipstick line truly feels luxurious and charismatic. Each one has a unique name after golden movie actresses to truly bring out lipstick personality. Dressed in everlasting matte black with magnetic closure and embossed with Nars logo, Audacious lipstick is worthy of admiration. Only one swipe with full opacity will be a new world - even for an experienced lipstick enthusiast.

LITTLE MORE ABOUT THE FORMULA ITSELF...

Nars Audacious lipsticks have a buttery smooth texture that glides perfectly with one feathery touch. Highly pigmented formula is out of this world as it provides full coverage and comfortable finish for the rest of the day. Meaning, longevity is pretty much the strongest point of Audacious line. Creamy finish usually tends to vanish within 2-3 hours, while Audacious line sticks on for at least 6+ hours. Nudes, mauves and light shades are not a deal breaker either. Scent-free formula is just perfect as it slowly dries down but still retains moisture with ingredients, which nourish your lips. Lipstick is feathery light on the lips and it doesn't dry them out. Colours? Over magnificent 40 shades that won't be a deal-breaker with such a wonderful formula. Can you find your own name among Audacious line?

MY 2 SHADES OUT OF 40 CHARACTERS

You can probably imagine how difficult is to choose only one out of Audacious variety. In fact, all 40 shades are named after inspiring movie actresses in the past. 

My ultimate colour choice was Anna, a smokey mauve rose with purple undertones. Just like what film actress Anna Karina once wore. It's a more balanced version of rose and purple mauve, looking differently under various lights. My perfect mauve. Formula is consistent and potent as Nars Audacious concept.

Natalie, named after legendary actress Natalie Wood, is a vibrant flamingo pink. It has a coral undertone while pink is still the prominent feature. Warm tones and pink are flattering on all skintones but it's not the most wearable choice if you are afraid of vibrant shades. Still, it's fuss-free and stays put over 7+ hours.

Everything is perfect, except when it comes to price. At about 30€, Nars Audacious Lipstick is firmly on the high-end side. Price makes you think twice, but if you fancy a lovely lipstick with a perfect formula, Nars Audacious is totally worth every penny, cent or dollar. Would I repurchase? In a heartbeat! But probably more wearable shades like Anna, to get the most out of it. Next on my list is (online exclusive) pink lilac Dominique and wearable nude Barbara. You can easily order Nars Audacious lipsticks online, including their official site and Look Fantastic.

Eye Look was already featured here for Artdeco Spring 2016 Collection.

Scented and soy Chelsea Candles in the background are sold here.

7 Fall Lipsticks worth the Look (EU & US Edition)

Want bold lips or you're flirting with honey nudes? Here's my self-picked set of lipsticks that will encapture warm earthy tones and snuggly wine based vamps. I've intentionally chose an array of different brands to cover the best from Europe and also US. Actually, you can  easily find all 7 lip colours online too. Why 7 lipstick you ask? Halloween is coming and let's just say 7 is a magical number for our witchy souls. Now who's reddy and berry for this upcoming Fall season?

SLO

Iščete šminke v barvi jagodičevja ali topli medeni barvi? V tej objavi boste našli vse in še več, saj sem nabrala najbolj jesensko obarvane odtenke. Šminke se vrstijo od medenih ''nude'', vse do vinsko/bordo vampirskih tonov. Namerno sem izbrala nabor šmink, ki pokrivajo evropski kot ameriški trg, da zadovoljim večino mojih bralcev. Prav tako lahko vseh 7 omenjenih šmink kupite na spletu, če slučajno niso na voljo v naših majhnih drogerijah.  Zakaj točno 7 šmink? Mogoče sem že malce pod vplivom prihajajoče Noči čarovnic in se sliši ta številka kot magična izbira za vampirske ustnice.

Let's start with the boldest, smokiest grey purple out there, Wet'n'Wild Megalast lipstick (2,75$, buy online & US drugstores) 916D Ravin' Raisin. It's a long time favourite of mine and a pretty convincing Mac dupe for Smoked Purple. Highly pigmented and quite stiff texture are the properties that make this lipstick last for numerous hours. Finish is somewhere between creamy and satin but dries slowly within several hours. A pretty unique, almost terrifying shade that's wearable and actually flattering on cooler skintones. Another Wet'n'Wild Megalast pick is 908C Sugar Plum Fairy, classic warm berry that suits everyone. Looks familiar? It's another perfect dupe for glorious Mac Rebel. Again, a bit thicker texture but highly long lasting with a prominent berry stain. Packaging of Megalast is crap though.

Začnimo na začetku, pri najtemnejši, skoraj črni šminki. Wet'n'Wild Megalast (4,55€, Destination Pretty & v ZDA) v odtenku Ravin Raisin je vsekakor moj dolgoletni favorit in dokaj dober približek Mac Smoked Purple. Močno pigmentirana in hkrati dokaj gosta in trda tekstura sicer niso popolne za popoln nanos, ampak omogoči celodnevno obstojnost. Sama tekstura je nekje med kremnim in satenastim, z urami se počasi pretvori v bolj mat zaključek. Barva je res čudovita na hladnejših tonih kože, hkrati pa dokaj nosljiva kljub začetnemu strahu. Še en biser med Wet'n'Wild je Sugar Plum Fairy, klasična topla barva jagodičevja, ki pristaja vsem. Izgleda znano? No, tudi naj bi bila 'približek za kultno Mac Rebel. Tudi tukaj je tekstura podobna in pusti močan odtis barve na ustnicah.

Topshop lipstick (10,96€, online & Topshop stores) in Sashay Away (review here) made it's cut back into Topshop makeup range this Fall, which probably means it's quite a seller. And I agree, it's a perfect out of the box  greyish chocolate brown with silver particles. Worn on it's own, Sashay Away doesn't show it's full potential yet layered over a lipliner, it really looks gorgeous. Currently, it's sold out on FeelUnique so try luck in UK & US Topshop stores.

Topshop šminka (10,96€, na spletu & Topshop v Veliki Britaniji) v odtenku Sashay Away se je ponovno vrnila na police to jesen, kar je pri Topshopu redkost in pokazatelj popularnosti odtenka. In se strinjam, sama ne morem prehvaliti tega čokoladnega odtenka (ocena tukaj) s srebrnimi delci. Sicer je trenutno na FeelUnique le nekaj odtenkov, vendar upam da bodo dodali tega nazaj po obnovljeni zalogi. Sama šminka sicer ni najbolj privlačna na ustnicah, vendar če jo uporabimo v kombinaciji svinčnika za ustnice, je zgodba popolnoma drugačna. Retro izbor z najbolj nenavadnim odtenkom.

Urban Decay Revolution lipstick (21,24€, online & Urban Decay counters) has the most pleasant formula that's right in between creamy and velvet. Longevity is also a bonus point while my picked shade Rapture is a lovely, muted smokey medium mauve with purple tinge. Still defining but somewhere between neutral and berry/mauve category.

Urban Decay Revolution šminke (21,24€, na spletu & Urban Decay v tujini) imajo eno izmed najbolj prijetnih formul za ustnice. Sama tekstura čudovita kombinacija satenastega in kremnega občutka kar doda obstojnost. Izbran odtenek Rapture je tako mešanica sivkasto zamolkle, srednje vijolične. Barva je ravno nekje vmes, saj je dovolj nevtralna za vsak dan hkrati pa kriči po jeseni.

All three shades from Artdeco are from their current, trendy Mystical Forest collection. Art Couture Classic 233 Cream Skin (14,99-20,60€, online & German drugstores) in particular looks exactly like Mac Honeylove in the tube. Surprisingly, it leaves a much more creamy and shiny finish with medium opacity. An easy, throw on honey nude. On contrary, Art Couture Velvet 675 Velvet Dark Queen (14,99-20,60€, online & German drugstores) is a true blood red with brown undertone. It has a velvet finish and more grip than Art Couture Classic.

Zadnji trije odtenki so iz  trenutne Artdeco kolekcije za jesen, Mystical Forest. Vsestransko uporaben ''nude'' odtenek Art Couture Cream šminke 233 Cream Skin (okoli 14,99€, Müller & Artdeco.si) izgleda v sami tubi popolnoma enako kot Mac Honeylove. Glede na to, da sama šminka izgleda mat v tubi, preseneti z zelo mazljivo teksturo in skoraj sijočim zaključkom. Šminka je kremna in prijetna za nošenje tudi na razpokanih ali izsušenih ustnicah. Barva je srednje prekrivna, zakar lahko sami prilagajate intenzivnost barve. Enostavna za uporabo in medeno topla, popolna kot dodatek ''smokey eyes'' izgledu. Popolno nasprotje je Art Couture Velvet 675 Velvet Dark Queen (okoli 14,99€, Müller & Artdeco.si), čisto prava temno vinsko rdeča - slika ji vsekakor ne dela pravice. Le ta ima satenasto teksturo, ki ne polzi čez rob ustnic in se z nošenjem počasi približa mat učinku.  

Reddish berry Artdeco Perfect Color Lipstick 25A Mystical Heart (10,00-13,00€, online/sold out & German drugstores) is a more daytime appropriate spin on a berry lip. It's comfortable yet not as opaque and in your face like the rest. You can easily layer it for more intensity while one layer will give that ''barely bitten'' look. Lipstick shape is perfect for precise application.

Rdečkasto malinasta Artdeco Perfect Color 25A Mystical Heart (okoli 10€, Müller & Artdeco.si) je primeren odtenek za vsak dan, saj je dokaj umirjena jesenska izbira. To šminko lahko z lahkoto slojite ali uporabite v enem nanosu, kar pričara učinek ''odtisa svežih malin'' na ustnicah. Sama oblika šminke je čudovita za natančen nanos. Tekstura je udobna in dokaj ne-sijoča, kar pripomore h boljši obstojnosti.

Of course Fall lipstick shades are totally up to your own personal taste. Here's just a magical bunch of suggestions in several price categories. My personal treasured pieces are Artdeco 675 Velvet Dark Queen and Ravin Raisin. All brands are also available worldwide online, Urban Decay and Topshop on FeelUnique, Wet'n'Wild on BeautyJoint and Artdeco on BeautyBay.

Odtenki za ustnice so seveda najbolj osebna izbira med vsemi vrstami ličil. Predstavila sem le nekaj ljubših odtenkov v različnih cenovnih razredih, katere lahko pobližje pogledate tudi v trgovinah ali naročite preko spleta, z demonstracijo pa Vam olajšala izbor ali nakup. Moja osebna favorita sta Wet'n'Wild Ravin Raisin in Artdeco 675 Velvet Dark Queen. Vse znamke lahko kupite na mednarodnih spletnih trgovinah, vendar je Artdeco lažje dosegljiv v Müller in Artdeco.si (ki bo zaživela konec meseca). Wet'n'Wild lahko naročite na slovenski spletni strani Destination Pretty ali mednarodni BeautyJoint z malce dražjo poštnino. Urban Decay in Topshop je na voljo na mednarodni FeelUnique.

Best Fall MAC Lipstick: Twig with Swatch and Dupes

MAC Twig, probably the most popular Fall muted brownish pink. This mauve rose is somewhere on the top position when we're talking about most desired MAC lipsticks. It's elegant yet bold enough to accentuate your features while soft and neutral to accompany you every single day. It's warm yet enough mauve to suit any skintone. As the name itself suggests it's a perfect Autumn edition and universal enough for every season. In several words...no wonder it's so popular.

Twig has a likable mix of tones - rose, mauve, red and nude tones all combine into a unique blend of darker nude that's also pretty common in lower-end makeup department. It's not the most youthful and bubbly shade you could choose but granny lips fit this sweater season as a glove. Transfered on the lips is slightly more lighter and less warm as in the tube. Popular Satin finish makes it longlasting for more than 6 hours and doesn't transfer as easily on your favourite scarf. It's still has properties of a comfortable creamy finish while it slowly dries up into a satin-matte in terms of hours. Easy peasy wear and quite astonishing longevity is just a cherry on top. Texture is a dream due to non-slippery feeling (for example, Amorous as a Satin is way more slippery and hard to manage), creaminess and signature vanilla scent. 

DUPES & COMPARISON

MAC Twig sounds fantastic and it really is, but drugstores are overflowing with similar shades that you might didn't notice due to extensive selection of colors. So if I start with the most obvious European dupe, it's Astor Lipcolor Butter Matte - Elegant Nude (around 6€, only in Austria/Germany). In a crayon form, it has a satin-like finish but dries into a matte within  hours. In terms of texture, it's almost spot on but slightly more slippery. Colour itself is matching but if you look a bit more closely, it's a tone warmer than MAC Twig. Another European dupe could be Catrice Ultimate Stay 020 All the she wants (around 5€) with a more creamier texture. Colour wise it has a blue sheen that makes this lipstick look slightly frosty but not noticeable on the lips. It's a colour or two deeper than Twig. UK version Rimmel Lasting Finish Kate Lipstick 08 (around 7€) can be also fairly easily find all across Europe and US. It's definitely the least dupable shade but offers similar tone with less warmth and less intensity. It's lighter in colour and almost borders Twig and MAC Faux (review & dupes here). A bit more mauve rose rather than pure rose and with a creamier formula. I also suggest looking up Rimmel Lasting Finish Kate 104, which is a darker version of 08. And saving the best for last, USA dupe is Maybelline Creamy Matte in Touch of Spice (7-10$). It's a shade darker than Twig but also way lighter and matte in texture. Frankly, I actually enjoy the Maybelline version slightly more than MAC - who would have thought. Unfortunately Touch of Spice will not hit UK and European market (try Ebay instead).

Connecting the dots, Twig is quite a universally flattering mauve-rose, especially suitable for Fall season. It's an elegant dark rose that would suit any skintone. It's easy to find a drugstore alternative as rose lipsticks go never out of style and are slowly overtaking the young crowd as well. I do recommend giving MAC Twig a go, but it's not a staple due to several dupes. MAC lipsticks retail for around 20€. Rimmel can be found on LookFantastic and FeelUnique, Maybelline Creamy Mattes on Ebay, Catrice in European drugstores and US Ulta's and Astor only in Bipa, DM, Muller (Austria and Germany).