Lip Pencil Archives - The Beauty Look Book

Pat McGrath Labs LuxeTrance, MatteTrance, Permagel Eye and Lip Pencil Review

November 2, 2017

I recently did a massive Pat McGrath Labs beauty haul from Sephora. A large number of you have asked me for a review on the MatteTrance Lipsticks ($38 each for 0.14 oz/ 4 g) and since I’ve never really been big on matte lips I did not plan on looking into these. I don’t think I’ve ever received so many review requests on a single product so once I saw that she launched a creamy formula called LuxeTrance Lipstick ($38 each for 0.14 oz/ 4 g) I ordered a handful online sight unseen. I also added some of the MatteLuxe Lipsticks, Permagel Ultra Lip Pencils ($25 each for 1.2 g/ 0.042 oz) and one shade of the Permagel Ultra Glide Eyeliner ($25 each for 1.2 g/ 0.042 oz) to my cart to try out. A couple days ago I finally saw the line in person at my local store and everything is just stunning! Since I just received my order recently this is more of a first impressions rather than a detailed review.

A look at the stunning display in store:

First can we talk about the box packaging? I know super pretty boxes and packaging can be a waste, but the presentation is just so pretty. Opening any of the lipsticks or pencils is like opening a present. I don’t know if the gold embossed icons on the front have any meaning but everything is so artistic and creative.

The Permagel Ultra Lip Pencils and Permagel Ultra Glide Eyeliners are super smooth and creamy. They glide onto the skin and are waterproof. They have about the same smoothness as the Urban Decay 24/7 Glide-On pencils (which last long but aren’t budge-proof on me). The Pat McGrath Labs pencils have VERY impressive lasting power. I swatched them on the hand and they would not come off easily. On the lips they stay put all day long. The liner on the eyes does not smudge all day. They have enough of an emollient smooth gel-like quality that you can apply and blend it out a little before it dries and sets. But once it sets it stays put. Pigment is ultra rich, there’s no tugging with application, it feels comfortable and performs well.

Colors I bought:

Permagel Ultra Lip Pencil in Buff is a medium neutral pink
Permagel Ultra Lip Pencil in Done Undone is a lighter pink nude with a hint of pearl
Permagel Ultra Lip Pencil in Bare Rose is a pretty soft rose with a slight sheen
Permagel Ultra Lip Pencil in Suburbia is a deeper rose pink
Permagel Ultra Glide Eyeliner in Blitz Brown is a deep bronze with shimmer

At the store I also looked at Supernatural and Contour. Both were more brown without any pink tones, along the lines of MAC Lip Pencil in Stripdown. I didn’t buy any more as I had already hauled quite a few. I don’t typically wear brown lipliners with the exception of MAC Stripdown and Oak so I felt the pinks and neutrals were my best bet. I do think I’ll consider other shades of the Permagel Ultra Glide Eyeliner but for now I love the one I have. All the pencils come with a sharpener.

Comparison swatches below to NARS Man Ray Velvet Eye Pencil in Santiago, Marc Jacobs Matte Highliner in Earthquake, Charlotte Tilbury Lip Cheat in Iconic Nude and Pillow Talk, MAC Lip Pencils in Boldly Bare, Whirl, Dervish, Spice and Soar.

Next are the lipsticks which are mind blowing good. It was pretty risky for me to order so many colors in a new-to-me formula sight unseen. The last time I did that with a brand I hadn’t tried before, it was total a fail. These Pat McGrath LuxeTrance and MatteTrance Lipsticks do not disappoint and they are easily among the best I’ve tried. I would say the matte formula tops all other matte formulas I’ve tried with the exception of the Louboutin Mattes. I’ve said that Charlotte Tilbury Matte Revolution Lipsticks (also swatched here) have been in my favorites list. That was before I tried Pat McGrath’s.

The lipsticks come in a sleek metal black and gold tube. Both formulas have the same packaging. They have a cute gold embossed/raised lip which I think could have been really tacky to be frank, but they managed to make it look sleek and luxe. There is a good weight to the tube so it feels solid. They are well designed in every way.

LuxeTrance of course is my formula of choice. It’s a creamy opaque lipstick with full coverage. All the shades are creams without shimmer. They’re one-swipe wonders and make the lips look full. They glide onto the lips, feel super smooth, have a comforting feel and have impressive lasting power. I would say you get similar coverage with the Hourglass Confession Ultra Slim Lipsticks. They are also just as opaque as the Bite Beauty Amuse Bouche formula but more creamy with a bit more slip. The LuxeTrance isn’t super thick but it does have substance and when you wear it, it looks like you are definitely wearing lipstick. Colors I picked:

Donatella is a pale nude, it pulls pinkish on me
Sextrology is a light salmon pink
Realness is a perfect peachy nude
Valletta is a light peachy pink
She’s Heaven is a neutral brown-pink
Beautiful Creature is a stunning plum
Attitude is a neutral brown

For other nudes, I also saw La Beija in store. The online swatch made me think it might be too dark/brown so I did not order it. In real life it’s a lot lighter than the stock swatch. It’s a pretty light-medium peachy beige and I would have bought it but they were sold out.

The MatteTrance Lipstick formula has a unique almost whipped like feel. They glide onto the lips and have a nice sheen even though they are clearly matte. They don’t make the lips look dried out or flat. They didn’t dry out my lips and lasted a decent amount of time. The texture of the lipstick in the tube looks almost like they took a sponge to make an imprint on the exterior. There is no texture when you apply though – it’s 100% smooth.

1995 is a stunning light neutral pink nude
Omi is the perfect rose pink

As far as I can tell there’s no detectable scent with these.

Bottom line pure love and lots to explore. There are a lot of bold shades in all the formulas. I did take a look at the Eyeshadow Palettes which are quite impressive in size and color selection. Each one had quite a few glitzy shades or at least 2 shades in each palette I didn’t think I’d use so for now I’ve passed. I do hope they launch more palettes or singles so you’d be able to pick and choose. For now I’m more than happy with my lip picks and eyeliner.

You can find Pat McGrath Labs exclusively at Sephora and Pat McGrath Labs.

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Sephora

Sephora Favorites Give Me Some Nude Lip

January 23, 2017

Mini lip products are my weakness and for spring Sephora launched a new Sephora Favorites set called Give Me Some Nude Lip ($28 for a $88 value). It has six lip colors from different brands with a mix of four minis and two full sized products. To me the color theme seems to have some more mauves and neutral pinks rather than all nude shades but I really like all the colors.

In this set you get:

Bite Beauty Amuse Bouche Lipstick in Honeycomb (0.05 oz/1.55 g) which is a perfect creamy beige, it has full opaque creamy coverage, also reviewed in this post here
Marc Jacobs Beauty Le Marc Lip Creme in Slow Burn (0.05 oz/1.7 g) I have the liquid version reviewed here which I adore, I thought I had the lipstick version but after checking my stash I found I did not, this has full opaque creamy coverage
Buxom Full-On Lip Cream in White Russian (0.07 oz/1.55 g) is a sheer white beige gloss that plumps up the lips and has a slight tingly sensation, on me it doesn’t sting but I definitely feel the cooling effects and it has a noticeable tingle, this has a high shine and semi-thick texture but isn’t goopy, also swatched here
Too Faced Melted Matte Liquidified Matte Long Wear Lipstick in Queen B (0.08 oz/2.3 ml) is a soft light pink mauve, it’s a formula I had been curious about for a while so this set was the perfect way for me to try it, the color is wearable on me for a cool-toned shade and I liked that it didn’t dry to an overly matte finish
Urban Decay Vice Lipstick in 1993 Comfort Matte (0.11 oz/3.4 g) comes in a full size, it’s a brown shade with a very slight cool undertone, this did indeed feel comforting on the lips and even though it’s matte, it had a soft looking finish that didn’t feel or look dry, based on this I may give the lipsticks another go (from my first experience I found a different finish very dry)
Estee Edit The Barest Contour Lip Liner in In the Buff (0.009 oz/0.25 g) is a pretty nude rose, I have semi mixed feelings about this one, as a liner it’s medium-sheer so it won’t give full coverage, but it has a smooth texture that is easy to use and doesn’t tug if you line the edges of your lip, I love the color and the finish for a truly bare kind of liner that won’t look too done up, most of my liners though usually have more pigment, but I do think this is one I could get used to

Swatches

Lip Swatches

It can be easy to get suckered into value sets or palettes. I usually try to stick with a rule that if there are 2 shades I don’t think I’ll use then I’ll try to pass. Sets are easier for me to justify because I can always gift away portions to friends. In this case the $28 price point didn’t seem like it would break the bank and the set had items I was interested in trying. I already have Honeycomb and White Russian but didn’t mind having another one of each, especially since they are minis.

For those wondering if you need both the Marc Jacobs Beauty Slow Burn Le Marc Lip Creme Lipstick and Liquid, the colors are identical. The liquid is more opaque with a glossy sheen while the lipstick has a more matte/satin finish. I would say it’s a tough pick – right now I have a slight preference for the liquid version, but they are both excellent.

To me the only real “nude” is Bite Beauty Honeycomb but I know everyone has a different take on what they think the color should look like. Overall I think the set has a great mix of shades that are neutrals but they are all very different from each other.

If these colors are up your alley then I think this is a great buy – you’ll use up all the colors because of the size and it’s a great way to try six formulas and brands at an affordable price. If not then I’d say save the $ for something you think you’ll really love.

The Sephora Favorites Give Me Some Nude Lip can be found online and in stores at Sephora for $28. These sets are limited-edition and usually stick around for a season.

Have you tried any of these formulas yet? What did you think?

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LOC Love of Color Dream Team Ultimate Collection

August 15, 2016

Birchbox launched their own makeup line called LOC (Love of Color) and today I have a review of their new summer colors from the Dream Team Collection. I was able to play with the items at the Birchbox Soho Store while in New York and they were kind enough to ship a set out for me to try out. For those new to the LOC makeup line, the products launched so far are in pencil format sized at the right size to ensure you can easily use up the color by the end of the season. It’s perfect for those who like to stay on trend. There are a number of ways to try these – individually or in multiple curated sets. Price point wise, I find them reasonably priced and the quality is on point.

I have the LOC Dream Team Ultimate Collection ($52, a $95 value) swatched to review for you today which has 5 Ultra-Gloss Lip Pencils and 3 One and Done Shadow Sticks. In the set you also get a large pencil sharpener. If you’re the kind of person who really likes value sets, I think this one will be a winner in your book.

The Ultra-Gloss Lip Pencils come in two kinds of formulas. One is a sheer glossy shades and others are full coverage creams. All the ones I tried are non-shimmers and apply flawlessly with smooth coverage. Colors are as follows:

Birthday Suit is a pale nude, on me it’s a bit pinkish in color and very pale. The formula is pretty flawless though which I found surprising for such a light color. Most pale lip colors end up looking chalky on me or require a lot of blending or added liner. This one is an easier-to-pull-off nude compared to the Charlotte Tilbury Kim KW Hot Lips (at least on me).

Cupid’s Bow is an ultra-cool blue-based fuchsia. This one is full coverage with a glossy sheen. The formula is really good, color is not my cup of tea. I usually find colors this cool-toned to be very hard for me to pull off.

Cherry Bomb is a perfect cherry red. It’s warm toned but not orangey. Coverage is full.

Punch Line is a sheer bright pink which I’m obsessed with. It gives a healthy pink glow to the lips that looks natural because of the transparency.

Purple Reign is a sheer cool-toned purple which I also really like.

As far as I can tell, there is no detectable scent or taste. Texture is medium to thick but doesn’t feel heavy. They hug the lips well so they stay put and don’t bleed. Lasting power is better than a glossy or sheer lipstick but not quite as long as a matte lipstick.

Next up are the One and Done Shadow Sticks. These are creamy shadow sticks that set quickly so once you apply I recommend blending fast because once they set, they do not budge. For those who find eyeshadow fades quickly, I highly recommend you check these out because I found the lasting power quite impressive. I would have preferred it if these were in a twist-up format, but I suspect being packaged that way might cause them to dry out.

Heavy Petal is a shimmering champagne color. Peachy Sheen is a soft golden peach. Haute Cocoa is a chocolate brown shimmer. The shimmer in these blends out to a nice sheen. I found they layered well together. Given the fact that they dry and set quickly though I found that layering powder shadows on top needs to be done quickly if you like blending.

I give all of these a thumbs up for quality, price and lasting power. They all perform really well. Had I been able to pick out individual colors versus the set, I would have skipped Cupid’s Bow just because I don’t usually wear colors that bright or cool-toned. All others get a thumbs up from me and I especially appreciate that the Birchbox stock photos on their website of this collection are very accurate.

LOC Love of Color Dream Team Ultimate Collection can be found exclusively online at Birchbox.com and also in their stores. This particular set retails at $52 – but you can also pick and choose individual shades or other sets as well.

Have you tried LOC from Birchbox yet? If yes, what did you think?

LOC items provided courtesy of Birchbox for review consideration.

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Marc Jacobs Beauty

Marc Jacobs (P)outliner Longwear Lip Pencil

February 24, 2015

Marc Jacobs Beauty has released three new lip pencils called the (P)Outliner ($24 each for 05g/0.01 oz). These are long-wear twist up creamy pencils with rich pigment. All three are cream shades without any shimmer and are the perfect modern nudes. In terms of wear they glide on well although they aren’t super emollient (like some glossy pencils) so you may need to warm up the tip a bit by swiping on the back of your hand. Once you apply on the lips they go on very smoothly and with full coverage. Lasting power is very very good. I swatched all on my lips for reference (more below) and had to use a dual-phase eye makeup remover (my current fav is Chanel) to get the product off my lips. There is no detectable scent with these.

The three (P)Outliner shades include Prim(rose) which is a nude-brown rose, Nude(ist) which is a brownish flesh nude and Honey(bun) which is a peachy pinky nude. I’m completely in love with the names.

Here are swatches with the liners lined around the lips and filled in for reference. These are extremely pigmented lip pencils and due to the richness I recommend you apply some kind of lip primer or balm underneath if you want to use them all over the lip. The intensity can emphasize lip lines if you use it all over. I recommend using these as a traditional lip liner around the edges and blended slightly. Note these are all swatched on a bare lip.

Some comparison swatches for reference:

Le Metier de Beaute Nudite

Charlotte Tilbury Pink Venus

Charlotte Tilbury Pillow Talk

Charlotte Tilbury Iconic Nude

The labeling on the packaging really sums it up. These stay put on the lips for all-day wear and will go well with a wide range of lip colors.

Overall huge thumbs up. The three shades are all on the warm side but still lean neutral on my olive skintone. If you are one who can only wear strictly cool-toned colors these may be too warm for you. The formula is super creamy and the lasting power and pigment are phenomenal. These days I have neglected most of my lipliners (with the exception of Chanel and Charlotte Tilbury) because I am usually a swipe and go kind of lip person. These lipliners are really fun and go really well with the New Nudes Lip Gels though and helps to extend the wear. If you’re near a Marc Jacobs boutique or Sephora I highly recommend you give these a closer look. I hope Marc Jacobs will expand the color selection. The formula is really really good.

The Marc Jacobs (P)Outliner is available in stores and online at Marc Jacobs Beauty and Sephora.

The Marc Jacobs liners were provided courtesy of Marc Jacobs for review consideration.

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MAC Sharon Osbourne Patentpolish Lip Pencils | Innocent, Patentpink, French Kiss and Ruby

June 15, 2014

The MAC Sharon Osbourne Collection has four Patentpolish Lip Pencils ($21.50 each for 2.3g/0.08 oz, limited-edition). These are a swipe-and-go kind of lip pencil that come in a twist up packaging. No sharpening needed. Two of the colors are repromotes from the spring release of the Patentpolish Lip Pencils ($20 each) although the ones with the Osbourne Collection come in a special edition red packaging and are slightly more expensive. The four shades include:

Innocent (repromote) is a pale nude, it goes on streaky and extremely pale upon first swipe, after letting this one sit for a minute, it warmed up on my lips, it works alone for me but I prefer to add a bit of a darker lipliner to blend and warm up the color
Patentpink (repromote) is another pale pink, another slightly streaky color and upon first swipe looks extremely mod and pale, once it warmed up it looked better
French Kiss is an easy to wear brownish warm nude, this one since it’s darker went on smoother in color and has better coverage
Ruby was a pleasant surprise, it looks dark and brown in the tube but goes on a natural ruby red with a good shine, out of all four this is my favorite

Swatches show a slightly transparent texture and glossy shine:

I didn’t test out the colors from the original release but the swatches I saw of these from other bloggers looked promising and several were kind enough to e-mail me recommendations to check these out. The Patentpolish Lip Pencils are a unique formula. It’s like a chubby stick with a thicker smooth texture and a slightly glossy finish. They glide on easily and even though there is a good amount of shine, I found they stayed put without feeling super glossy or emollient. They aren’t drying but at the same time I didn’t find them super hydrating either. My lips usually peel a day after using MAC lipsticks if I don’t use a balm underneath. The same happened with these. As long as I moisturize well in the morning and at the end of the day with a good lip balm then my lips are fine.

These are designed as a swipe-and-go kind of product. I like the convenient twist up factor and especially am a fan of the fact you don’t need to sharpen. I didn’t really find them to be a one-swipe kind of lip pencil though. My feelings for these are mixed. For the lighter colors, to get an even application I had to swipe back and forth several times for smooth decent coverage. If you try these you might not like what they lighter colors look like at first swipe. I certainly did not but after letting them sit for about 30 seconds I found they melded to my lip and warmed up to a better more natural looking finish. The darker shades applied easily and flawlessly. French Kiss and Ruby both have very smooth coverage and better pigment. Coverage on these is medium-sheer with a slight transparent look.

Here they are swatched on my lips:

Out of the four shades, my favorite is Ruby and it’s the only one that I would say is a must-have. Good natural looking reds are hard to come by for me. Most either turn fuchsia on me or have too much brown. This is the perfect balance of bright and natural to be flattering for day or night.

The Sharon Osbourne Patentpolish Lip Pencils in Innocent, Patentpink, French Kiss and Ruby are all limited-edition. Even though many items from the MAC Osbourne collection have sold out, these pencils are still relatively easy to find in stores, at counters and online. All the colors are limited edition but you can find all the Patentpolish Lip Pencil shades right now at maccosmetics.com, Nordstrom, Macy’s, and Bloomingdales.

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NARS Final Cut Collection | Satin Lip Pencils

January 22, 2014

NARS has four new Satin Lip Pencils ($25 each) with the latest Final Cut collection. The color theme is modern pinks and peaches. For those new to NARS, the Satin Lip Pencils are like large chubby stick lipsticks. They have a very lightweight airy texture but have full coverage with color. You need a smooth lip surface to wear these, if you have any flakies I recommend prepping your lips with a balm or smoothing base first. I find the Satin Lip Pencils to have a matte finish.

The four shades are Stourhead (a super pale powder pink), Villa Lante (a cool toned pink), Descanso (a soft peach-pink) and Torres del Paine (a straight apricot). I could only pull off the peach shades easily. The pinks turned to be too cool-toned for my pigmented lips and olive skintone. I suspect the pink colors are more flattering on paler skintones.

Each shade has a coordinating blush in a matching color. I’ll review the blushes shortly but I’ve photographed each pencil next to the corresponding blush for reference. Fortunately for me I can wear pink blushes more easily than pink lipsticks. Lip swatches below. For skintone reference I used Edward Bess Ultra Dewy Complexion Perfector in Medium layered with NARS Tinted Moisturizer in Groenland and Dolce and Gabbana Powder Foundation in Warm 100.

Stourhead and Sex Fantasy

Stourhead was extremely difficult for me to apply smoothly. Below you can see with my pigmented lips the color looks blotchy and very pale. I’ve seen it on others who have fairer skin and it looks amazing on them.

Villa Lante and New Attitude

Villa Lante applied smoother with rich pigment. It turned a bit too blue on my skin with an almost Barbie-like look. If I had less olive in my skin it wouldn’t contrast so much and would be easier to pull off for me. For some reason Villa Lante looks warmer and more neutral in the pencil but on my skin it transform into a much cooler-toned color. I suspect I will have to do some layering with a gloss on top to make it less blueish.

Descanso and Love

These two are my favorites. Descanso is what I wanted Lodhi Pencil to be (which is lovely but very bright). I purchased a backup of Descanso because I can see myself wearing through this one quickly.

Torres del Paine and Final Cut

These come in close second to Descanso/Love. The peach color is bright enough to add brightness to the face but not too bright. In general I love peach shades.

For those who have other NARS Lip Pencils, I pulled some other shades to help you decide how close they are to previously released shades. As of now there are several different lip pencil formulas by NARS. I’ve also included a could Tom Ford lipsticks. In short:

Satin Lip Pencils (formula for the Final Cut) are full coverage pencils with a satiny finish, more on the matte side, but not quite 100% matte. They have a soft sheen making them look more natural.
Velvet Lip Matte Pencils are more matte in finish. They have full coverage as well with a more dramatic distinct finish.
Velvet Gloss Lip Pencils are my personal favorite, these have a thicker tacky finish with a gloss finish. They are long-wearing and some shades have shimmer. (Old lip swatches here, here and here.)

Left to right: NARS Bettina, Tom Ford Quiver, Tom Ford Smitten, NARS Stourhead, NARS Villa Lante, NARS Sex Machine, NARS Descanso, NARS Biscayne Park, NARS Torres del Paine, NARS Lodhi, NARS Happy Days.

I’m all over Descanso and Torres del Paine. Stourhead and Villa Lante are such gorgeous pinks in the pencil it’s a shame I can’t pull off those lovely pinks.

NARS Final Cut Satin lip pencils are currently exclusive in the US to Nordstrom and online at Nordstrom.com.

Did you check out the Final Cut collection? What did you think?

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NARS Velvet Gloss Lip Swatches Part 3: Club Mix

February 7, 2011

The last Velvet Gloss Pencil I have to swatch on the lips for you is NARS Club Mix. It is plum-grape perfection. I love it. A good plummy-grape is hard for me to find since many are either too red or too blue for my skintone. NARS has the best selection of plums that I’ve seen including Damage & Klute which I’ve used since my college days.

Club Mix is a deep plum with slight iridescent shimmer. It has a glossy finish like all the other glossy pencils. Being darker requires a precise application, which can be hard to achieve with the large tip. I had to blend the edges with a lip brush because the product kinda went all over the outside of the lip where I had not applied slowly. I recommend lining your lips with a plum liner like NARS Marnie or MAC Beurre first, blot and blend for an even finish, then apply Club Mix. It will help the color last longer and when it fades the stain from the lipliners will at least help to keep your lips looking even.

Here it is compared to a few NARS Lipsticks: Shrinagar, Damage, Klute

Overall thoughts on all the pencils: LOVE! I was pleasantly surprised about the color payoff. Reason I’m surprised? You have to try the pencils in person to feel the texture to understand. They have a glossy finish and when swatched on my hand the colors with one swipe were sheer. After layering with a few swipes you really see the color show through.

The texture feels nice and moisturizing, although I can’t really confirm whether or not they are in fact moisturizing. These feel like the NARS Lip Lacquers (pot glosses) in a tube form without the icky smell. I do still love the lip lacquers – I actually prefer them for pigment, finish and lasting power. I hope NARS does not discontinue them – although I have noticed more and more colors are getting discontinued. If they could reformulate to change the scent the Lip Lacquers would be perfect and I think more people would buy them.

It’s also interesting to see how these apply on the lips. For me, the color really showed through even brighter than what I see in the pencils. I love the vibrant colors and feel like NARS released a diverse range of shades which is nice. I do find it interesting that the colors Baroque, New Lover and Club Mix make me look paler due to the contrast. I’m in desperate need of a tan.

My top 2 picks: Club Mix (plum) and Happy Days (peach).

Any rants? Yes, $24 is steep, especially given the size, formula and lack of sharpener. I feel like they will get used up really quickly.

But overall thumbs up, definitely worth checking out.

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Older Posts

Lip Pencil

Pat McGrath Labs LuxeTrance, MatteTrance, Permagel Eye and Lip Pencil Review

Sephora Favorites Give Me Some Nude Lip

Swatches

Lip Swatches

LOC Love of Color Dream Team Ultimate Collection

Marc Jacobs (P)outliner Longwear Lip Pencil

MAC Sharon Osbourne Patentpolish Lip Pencils | Innocent, Patentpink, French Kiss and Ruby

NARS Final Cut Collection | Satin Lip Pencils

NARS Velvet Gloss Lip Swatches Part 3: Club Mix

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