Currently Obsessed: NARS Satin Lip Pencil in Majella

Hi, all! Those of you who know me personally will know that the past few days have been extremely difficult for me. I pondered taking a break from blogging, but decided against it. This blog has been excellent therapy for me in the past, so I'm deciding to stick with it!

And I'm sticking with it in fun fashion, as I'm here to introduce my latest Current Obsession! If you saw my recent Wishlist Post, you'll know that I've had my eye on the brand-new, ultra lovely NARS Satin Lip Pencils. I own a couple of NARS' Velvet Matte Pencils (uber-matte, rich colours) and Velvet Gloss Pencils (sheer, juicy shades) and love them both. The Satin Lip Pencil formula is a bit different. Neither glossy nor matte, they offer bold shades and an easy to wear formula that leaves a slightly shiny, satin-like (duh!) finish.

The Satin Lip Pencil range offers 13 stunning shades that are unique, yet instantly flattering. Because my budget wouldn't permit me to leave Sephora with the entire collection, I had to pick just one. I ended up swooning the most over the incredible Majella. Described by NARS as "Garnet", Majella is a slightly warm, rich red with both berry and subtle brown undertones. It is deep, but not vampy, red, but not quite classic.

Here's a peek at the pencil itself:

NARS Satin Lip Pencil in Majella

And swatches! Here is Majella on its own, against my NC15-20 skin tone:

NARS Satin Lip Pencil in Majella (in natural light)

And here is Majella swatched beside NARS Velvet Matte Lip Pencil in Cruella (left) and NARS Velvet Gloss Lip Pencil in Baroque (right). While the colour comparison is interesting, I found that the photos best display the difference in texture.

As you can see, the Velvet Matte pencil is a true matte, with zero sheen, while the Velvet Gloss pencil is much sheerer and has a pronounced glossy finish. Majella's Satin finish lies somewhere in between. More of a glow than the matte formula, but more pigmented and decidedly less shiny than the gloss formula:

Comparison between NARS' Velvet Matte, Satin, and Velvet Gloss Pencil Formulas
Shades (L-R): Velvet Matte Lip Pencil in Cruella, Satin Lip Pencil in Majella, Velvet Gloss Lip Pencil in Baroque

(L-R): Cruella (Matte), Majella (Satin), Baroque (Gloss)

This is what Majella looks like on my lips. As with the swatches, you can see that the formula is pigmented and smooth with a slight sheen:

NARS Satin Lip Pencil in Majella

And in the context of an entire makeup look:

Obviously I'm totally smitten with this (wouldn't be featured in my "Currently Obsessed" series if I wasn't!), but here's a full breakdown of the benefits and drawbacks of this product:

Pros:

• Rich, pigmented colour- a little goes a long way!
• Super easy application
• Perfect compromise for those who don't want to commit to a full-on matte formula but still want something with impact
• Incredibly long-wearing. Very few touch-ups required!
• The satin formula makes lips look fuller without having to go full-on glossy
• Amazing selection of unique, yet wearable shades!

Cons:

• At $30 this definitely isn't cheap, so it may not fit everyone's budget (though as I said, a little really does go a long way!)
• After a couple hours, some of the satin finish is lost, making this look more like a matte formula
• Even though this is long-wearing, it isn't smudge-proof (so watch out if you're kissing anyone! ;))
• It can be ever-so-slightly drying on the lips by the end of the day, but nothing a touch of balm can't help!

And a few more shots for good measure!

So overall, I am totally pleased with this! The shade is like no other red lipstick in my collection (and that's saying a lot!) and the finish is so flattering on the lips and goof-proof to apply. The formula is not quite perfection (can be slightly drying and lean a bit too mate, given it's not a "matte" product), but the pros far outweigh the cons for sure! I've been wearing this constantly since I bought it a couple weeks ago.

Is this a shade you would wear? Have you tried any of the other NARS Satin Lip Pencils yet?

Thanks for reading! xo