I've always had such a love for a neutral lip - just something in between pink and brown that looks quite like my normal lip colors, just a bit more enhanced. Lately I've been so into NARS lip products, probably inspired by their newly-released Velvet Lip Glides, that I've noticed how many of these neutral shades I have from them.
Anita, Audacious Lipstick | The Audacious Lipsticks have one of the loveliest formulas I've ever tried. They're so incredibly pigmented, they glide onto the lips with ease, and they set to a satin finish with good lasting power. My favorite shade is Anita, a neutral rose-y shade that's a definite "my lips but better" shade for me - the intense pigment still lets it be known that you're wearing lipstick.
Rikugien, Satin Lip Pencil | The Satin Lip Pencils are my favorite of their three lip pencil formulas. They go on with more of a glossy sheen but set down to a more luminous matte finish that lasts well. Rikugien is another neutral rose shade that lets a bit more of your natural lip shade show through, making it such a pretty choice for every day. This one keeps more of its sheen as it dries down than the other two Satin Lip Pencils I'm going to mention, so it doesn't have quite as good of a longevity. It's still one of my favorites.
Bansar, Satin Lip Pencil | This is probably the best brown for my skintone that I've tried. It's got quite a pink tone to it, making it look like an incredibly natural shade of "my lips but brown-er." I can definitely see myself wearing this one down to a nub and repurchasing.
Het Loo, Satin Lip Pencil | I bought this one strictly because of Emily Weiss from Into the Gloss - in her Get Ready with Me video, she smudges this on her eyes. It's a warm red-brown, perfect for that '90s look. It really does look lovely smudged onto the eyes, although it does crease. This one is really pretty when smudged and worked into the lips - the subtle red tone leaves a "bee-stung" look.
Bound, Velvet Lip Glide | I can't even tell you how much I love this new formula. I tried this shade once and immediately hopped online and ordered another shade. It glides on like a beautifully thick and pigmented gloss, and as it sets the gloss wears away and leaves a velvety stain. The shade Bound is a nice mauve-y shade that works really well with my skintone. They have a couple warmer-toned nudes if this one's too cool-toned for your liking, but it's just beautiful.
Area, Velvet Lip Glide | This one is a little dark to be considered a neutral, but it's a true brown shade so I figured it could still count. The shade Area isn't quite as pigmented as Bound, so it's easy to wear more sheered out and add just a tint of brown to the lips. I'm sure some people wouldn't be too happy about this, but I love that it makes it more versatile - it doesn't get gunky or cakey when layering for a stronger look.
Top to Bottom: Anita, Rikugien, Bansar, Het Loo, Bound, Area
NARS has some of the best lip products out there, and I think I've started quite the obsession with the pencils. I definitely need to get a few of the matte ones next - I've had Bahama and Walkyrie (as well as Dragon Girl but that's not a neutral) on my wishlist for ages.
What's your favorite NARS lip product? Have you tried the new Lip Glides?