This Lipstick Week is turning out to be a super fun idea! It's Day 4 and I think I have just enough topics left to round out the week. On top of that, I've gotten so many products out of my review pile and instead of draining me, it's actually feeding me more inspiration! 

Even though I technically missed two days, this is my blog and my rules of time apply so I am still on Day 4.  Also included in my rules: a lip pencil gets featured in Lipstick Week. There's nothing anyone can do about it.

Okay, so everyone's losing their shit over the Clinique Chubby Sticks and I may seem out of the loop for featuring NARS Velvet Matte. It's not really super new buuuut my favorite red is a NARS Velvet Matte and I just can't do Lipstick Week and not feature a reliable red.

NARS Velvet Matte Lip Pencil in Red Square

Every girl needs a dependable red lipstick. Sure you get more mileage out of safer alternatives such as pinks, oranges and tints but for that special occasion where you feel like standing out and want to POP... You need a great red lipstick.



Price:
I honestly cannot remember whether I got it for HKD 120 or HKD 240 / 2.4g, because I got it back in December 2012 and I'd just started blogging. I was undecided about a lot of things, including the posting of product prices. I remember I made a price list of everything I got during that vacation then threw it away when I got back home. Yeah, that's how I am.

I got this at the shopping mall our hotel was connected to and I remember neither the name of the mall nor the hotel. I'm not being very helpful, huh? NARS can otherwise be found in Rustan's Department Stores.

If you can, however, it'd be better to just buy all your makeup in Hong Kong. Makeup junkie tip #1: makeup is cheapest in Hong Kong. I'm not talking about nameless, mystery makeup either, but actual boutique makeup and then some.

To get an idea, a NARS blush in the Philippines costs Php 1450 while in Hong Kong, it's HKD 240 or about Php 1300. The largest price differences I've seen are in the 40% range.


Product Description:
Velvet Matte Lip Pencils are lipsticks in pencil form. True to it's advertising, it has a velvet-ty matte finish and is highly pigmented so there is no need to use a lot. The pencils are about as long as my palm is wide.

I love jumbo lip pencils because they're the easiest lip product to apply. As long as the formula is good, you don't have to use a lip brush, twist the bottom nor dip a wand. Just uncap and draw. The only downside is that when the point gets dulled down, it's so difficult to fill in the corners of the mouth.

NARS Velvet Matte Lip Pencil in Red Square

Red square is a super bright red with a warm undertone.


How to Use:
Glide and store! While there are claims that it moisturizes, it is in fact a little drying.  I'd recommend a balm especially if you want the cracks and lines of your lip to be less obvious. However, if you want to preserve the velvet-ty matte finish, you should either stick with a lip primer or a bright red, matte gloss.


Performance:
It's very easy to layer and the creaminess makes application such a breeze. I once didn't bother to do any kind of prep on my lips before using this and was amazed to find that it drew neatly over my chapped lips.

Lip swatch: NARS Velvet Matte Lip Pencil in Red Square

I find it strange though because I didn't expect that out of a matte lip color. I'm so confused because it's drying (just as I expected) but at the same time handles chapped skin really well (which it shouldn't.)

It's suuuuch a beautiful color. I love that it's so bright and makes my whole face stand out. The color and texture combination is so intense and it seems like I have a stop sign on my face, in a very couture way. My lip swatch ran a little blue/cool and I couldn't figure out how to fix it. This portrait is the more accurate depiction of Red Square.

NARS Velvet Matte Lip Pencil in Red Square

Lasting Power:
There are no words. This one lasts all day, as in ten hours and probably more! Dang, does it stay put. It can last through a meal and even after the second, you would need only minimal retouching.


Edge:
High color fidelity, intense staying power and the color (Red Square) seems to be universally-flattering! I have this theory that if you can imagine a lipstick shade suiting celebrities of different ethnicities, and it looks good on all of them, then that shade is universally-flattering indeed.

I can see this color on Beyonce, Katy Perry, Zhang Ziyi, Eva Longoria, Gisele Bundchen, Alyson Hannigan, Scarlett Johansson and Iza Calzado! Well yeah, I always think of a Filipina celebrity at the end of my list, duh! Anyway, I think Red Square would work really well on all of them.


Rebuy:
Oh yeah, baby.


Beauty by Tellie score:
5/5!    The shade, pigmentation and texture all combine for a genius effect. It's like I'm on my next-level face when I'm wearing this. I feel so confident in it that one too many times I've felt like randomly, fiercely strutting on the streets. The color jumps out at you and i t doesn't hurt that it's very convenient, too.


Check out NARS Cosmetics' Velvet Matte Lip Pencils here.