Veracious Product Review: Nudestix Intense Matte Lip + Cheek Pencils

Hi, everyone! When it comes to trends in the beauty industry over the past few years, there are a couple standouts when it comes to lips: lipstick crayons and matte textures. In a sea of options, it really takes a lot to stand out, so I was understandably curious when Nudestix offered to send along two of their brand new Intense Matte Lip + Cheek Pencils** my way. I've been quite impressed with the Nudestix goodies I've tried to date (love the handy packaging and cheeky, modern aesthetic), but would these new matte pencils offer anything unique!?

Nudestix touts that their Intense Matte Lip + Cheek Pencils** offer smooth, creamy, non-drying matte colour that can be used as lipstick, lip liner, and/or blush. A triple threat! The formula promises to be long-wearing, comfortable, and impervious to feathering and fading. They also claim extreme pigmentation that is totally waterproof. A tall order, indeed! 

The Intense Matte Lip + Cheek Pencils** come in black, reusable metal tins, as with all Nudestix products. They also feature a handy mirror in the lid and an insert with full instructions. I also can't help but love the little heart graphics on these too :)

While these pencils are not twist-up, each comes with a corresponding sharpener to use once the initial nib of product is worn down. 

One of the taglines for the Intense Matte launch was "Are You Team Bold or Team Nude?", as the range offers a variety of both softer neutrals and punchier brights. The shades I received represent this battle quite well!

First we have Royal, a beautiful, balanced, classic saturated red. It's hailed as a Marilyn Monroe or a Taylor Swift red (depending on what decade your ideal icon comes from). Next we have Belle, a warm, peachy-brown mid-tone nude. It is neither too cool nor too warm, not too pale nor too muddy. I'd say it's likely to be universally flattering! 

(L-R): Nudestix Intense Matte Lip + Cheek Pencils in Royal and Belle

Along with the Intense Matte Pencils**, I was also sent the Blur Pencil**. This clear, smoothing pencil was originally created to smooth out fine lines and pores on the complexion, but the Nudestix gals also tout it as a perfect partner to matte lipsticks, creating a smooth, priming canvas on the lips, especially when things are dry and chapped. The Intense Mattes really do apply ultra well over top!

I attempted to swatch the Blur Pencil for you, but it truly is invisible. 

Now- most importantly- onto how these products work on the face!

Here I am wearing Intense Matte Lip + Cheek Pencil in Belle** on my cheeks as well as my lips. I've applied it directly from the pencil on my lips and used my trusty Real Techniques Stippling Brush to blend out the colour on my cheeks. While Nudestix promises that you don't need any brushes to use their products (and this is true; these do blend well with fingers), I can't help but reach for the Stippling Brush whenever using a cream blush product. 

As you can see, Belle is a perfect, balanced nude with my complexion, defining my lips and adding a subtle peachy warmth to my cheeks. 

Now here I am wearing Belle** on the lips and adding Royal** on the apples of my cheeks. I'm all for making red shades wearable, and was pleasantly surprised that Royal's saturated red hue did work on the cheeks! Yes, you do have to use an ultra light hand (I did go a touch overboard here), but it's totally doable. 

Finally, here is Royal on the lips! It really is an incredibly beautiful, flattering, classic red! It joined the ranks of my favourites instantly. I mean, seriously- reds don't get much more gorgeous than this! 

So it's clear that I think both shades are pretty, but how does this new formula perform? Here's a breakdown of the ups and downs of the Intense Matte Lip + Cheek Pencils:

Pros:

• The pigmentation of these pencils is truly impressive! Full coverage in one swipe
• The texture is quite smooth, so these apply easily without dragging or tugging
• These feel incredibly light and slightly creamy on the lips- extremely comfortable compared with other matte lipstick formulas I've tried
• These are about 90% matte, which make them a truer matte finish than many other recent "matte" releases that are much more satin-like, yet still allow for a flattering, non-drying effect
• The wear time on these are great! Even after a full meal, there is very minimal fading at the center of the mouth
• The pencil format allows for precise, foolproof application
• These are vegan and cruelty-free (as with all Nudestix products)!

Cons:

• You have to use a very light hand when using the bolder shades from this range as blush- the intense pigmentation means over-use is not forgiving! 
• These pencils have to be sharpened, which is slightly more high maintenance than a twist-up design
• At $28 CAD, these definitely lean towards the higher-end side of things, but a little goes a long way and the formula truly is comparable with other high-end options of there

As you can tell, I'm way impressed by these! These matte pencils from Nudestix are definitely on par with other long-term faves, like the NARS Velvet Matte Lip Pencils, and the fact that the Nudestix can also double as a blush (thanks to the slightly softer texture) really is icing on the cake! The pigmentation is tops, the texture is smooth and comfortable, and the wear time is formidable. And although I'm clearly a Team Bold sort of gal (and am 100% smitten with Royal), I have to say that Belle might be the prettiest matte nude shade I've tried. Lighter matte neutrals can really tend to wash me out, but Belle keeps me looking fresh and alive. I absolutely cannot wait to try more shades from this range! Also, the Blur Pencil proved to be a very nice primer for the matte lip shades- I've been using it quite a bit! 

I was lucky enough to attend a recent press event with the creator and faces behind Nudestix, Jenny, Taylor, and Ally Frankel, where we chatted about some amazing new products and social initiatives. Look out for more news on that soon! 

Have you tried anything from Nudestix? Are you a Team Bold  or a Team Nude lipstick kind of gal/guy? Are you a sucker for lipstick/blush crayons like I am?

Have a wonderful day! xo

Bloglovin'|Facebook|Twitter|Instagram

**These products were sent to me as PR samples for consideration and review. All expressed opinions are 100% authentic and my own.