I have been wanting to vent about this for almost a year now. It’s just not fair.
THE BACKSTORY: Okay, so, in my review of the original Lip Pencil formula of NARS ‘Dolce Vita’, I mentioned how it’s been a go-to product of mine since I was a clueless teen. It’s been one of those products that has been a constant and an absolute favourite. So much so that it is now suffering the same fate as my other favourites – discontinuation. NARS discontinued that line, reformulated it, and relaunched it sometime in 2023. I bought a mini duo to try and was devastated to discover that the new ‘Dolce Vita’ was different and not the one I was madly in love with.
THE PRODUCT: So I totally expected the new NARS Powermatte High Intensity Lip Pencil to be retractable but it turns out you have to sharpen them like the originals. So much for an upgrade. Hmph. Products that one has to sharpen always bum me out a little because even if the formula is worthwhile, you end up wasting a lot of product.
This mini contains the shades ‘Dolce Vita’ and ‘Take Me Home’. I just really, really loved (still do) the original dusty peach shade that ‘Dolce Vita’ was. The new one is not similar in the slightest. The older shade was an effortless and easy choice to make. But the newer one pulls more pink on me and it’s just not the same.
As far as formulation goes, it’s fine. It’s a regular lip crayon formulation. Extremely pigmented and fully opaque even in a single swipe. It goes on smoothly and has a satin finish. It adheres well to the lips and feels comfortable. The original formula was drier because the finish was more of a true matte. This formula is a lot more buttery.
I want to say it has decent longevity, but if you eat a meal or are drinking your drink in a not-very-delicate way, you are going to have to touch up.
The shade that I was so obsessive about is no longer there, to fuel the need of repurchasing it every time you run out. So now it’s just a generic formula that is a dime a dozen with an exorbitant price-tag slapped on top. No, ma’am. Uh-uh. No thanks. I’m not a fan. NARS also sells a lot of different formulas under the ‘Dolce Vita’ moniker, so I am curious about how those fare in comparison. Mostly colour-wise. If I go on a drunken midnight online shopping spree anytime soon, I’ll buy one of those for research purposes.
SWATCHES AND SHADES AVAILABLE: The line currently has 13 shades.
- Dolce Vita – the newer iteration is a more pinky dusty-rose as opposed to the peachy dusty-rose that the original was.
- Take Me Home – a burnt, brown-ish rose.
PRICE: 30 USD (full-sized) // 30 USD (two minis)
QUANTITY: 2.4 grams (full-sized) // 1.6 grams each (mini)
AVAILABILITY: Nykaa, NARS official, Sephora etc.
AM I SAD IT’S DISCONTINUED?
Yes. I’m pretty miffed about it.
NARS Powermatte High Intensity Lip Pencil
$30 USD
Pros
- Comfortable formula.
- Pigmented and fully opaque in one swipe.
- Easy to use. Beginner-friendly.
- Decent longevity.
Cons
- EXPENSIVE.
- Sharpening wastes product.
- Generic formula, easily available at a lesser price.
