Hourglass released their Femme Nude Lip Stylo in six shades of nude last fall ($30 each for 0.08 oz/2.4g). It took me a while to test in stores at Barneys and Sephora but when I did, I fell in love with all the shades but could only pull off the two darkest ones #5 a shimmering nude gold peach and #6 a mauve-toned nude pink. The concept behind the Femme Nude Lip Stylo pencils is that the best nude lip isn’t naked but rather enhanced. I agree since many of those perfect-looking nudes end up being too nude once applied on the lips. These pencils come in six full coverage shades to either create a dramatic nude or subtly defined nude. There is Vitamin E to help nourish and moisturize lips. I don’t see these pencils as moisturizing, however they do not dry out my lips. Paraben, phthalates, fragrance and sulfate free. No animal testing.
#5 is on top, #6 is on the bottom
#5 and #6 both look fairly similar when swatched on the hands. The difference is noticeable on the lips. #5 applies a nude peach with a slight hint of golden shimmer. #6 is clearly more mauve and pink but still very nude. I really like the packaging. These come in a sleek twist up tube with a removeable cap. Lasting power is quite impressive, I found them to last longer than normal lipsticks. The finish is not quite matte but almost. These have a satiny finish so there is just the slightest bit of shine but not much. If you’re a fan of nude lips definitely try one or two the next time you are at Barneys or Sephora.
Comparisons to NARS Isola Bella, NARS Bettina, NARS Biscayne Park and NARS Belle du Jour. I would say the texture of the Hourglass pencils is more like a full coverage creamy lipstick while the NARS pencils are more lightweight. Coverage is about the same.
The Non-Blonde has a lovely review of #6 which I highly recommend. You can find the Hourglass Femme Nudes at Barneys New York, Sephora, Space NK and Bergdorf Goodman in stores.
