I think my favorite lip product formula is the NARS Velvet Matte Lip Pencil formula.  They are super long lasting (he darker shades easily last 6+ hours on me), they don’t dry out my lips, and they doesn’t transfer or smudge if blotted.

I recently added the shade Dolce Vita, a my-lips-but-better (mlbb) shade to my growing collection of NARS Velvet Matte Pencils.  This pencil has the same velvety texture as the other shades I own (Cruella – my favorite red of all time – and Damned), though it seems a touch more moist.  Because it’s a much lighter shade, it definitely doesn’t last as long. I’ve tried to do a wear test a couple times, but it’s close enough to my natural lip shade that it’s just too hard for me to accurately tell when it wears off.   My best guess is that it lasts around three hours, which is decent (though not great), for a lighter shade like this.

The color of this is very pretty, though not especially unique.  As noted above, it’s a my lips but better type shade on me – though on someone with less pigmented lips, it might be more of a deep pink/ rose color.  NARS also makes a Dolce Vita lipstick, which I do not own; however, the Dolce Vita pencil is similar to a different NARS lipstick that I do own, Gipsy.  Gipsy is one of my favorite lipsticks, so it’s not suprising that I love the color of Dolce Vita!

NARS Dolce Vita; NARS Gipsy

Because this is fairly close to my natural lip color, I’ve included a photo of both my bare lips and a lip swatch of Dolce Vita, so you can see that it does actually add some color!

Bare lips

Dolce Vita

I would love to hear your thoughts on the Velvet Matte pencils – do you love them like I do, hate them, or are you just “meh” on them?

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As regular readers know, NARS Cruella Velvet Matte Lip Pencil (review) is one of my very favorite makeup items.  And now, NARS Damned – another Velvet Matte Lip Pencil – is about to join the ranks of my favorite lip products!

The Velvet Matte Lip Pencils are chubby lip pencils. I like NARS’s packaging because is sleek and minimal, which is exactly my style.    Note that this is a pencil you sharpen, not a twist – up. However,  I’ve used Cruella approximately ten times without needing to sharpen it; so, you don’t need to sharpen them frequently.

I love the texture of the Velvet Matte lip pencils. They are creamy, velvety, and feel weightless on the lips.   They are very pigmented and have a completely matte finish. I haven’t tested out Damned for wear time yet, but Cruella lasts until removal for me, unless I eat something greasy – I accidentally slept in it once, and it was still perfectly intact in the morning.  I find them very comfortable and non-drying.

Damned is described by NARS as a “rich magenta.”  I have trouble describing this color, but it’s a bold, beautiful statement lip.  I’ve also swatched it next to NARS Cruella so you can see it compared to a red; I think that helps show the true color of Damned.

And finally, a lip swatch! My lips are not in great shape right now, and the Velvet Matte Lip Pencils actually work quite well with that – they don’t emphasize dryness or flakiness, and actually hide it a little bit.

Sephora.com carries NARS Velvet Matte Lip Pencils in twelve shades, including both Damned and Cruella. I highly recommend this product!

This post contains an affiliate link. For more information please see my disclosure policy.