I picked the Nars Satin Lip Pencil in Golshan ($30 CDN) at Sephora when the $20 off of $50 promotion was going on and a Christmas present or two and I’m glad I did – even though the last thing I needed was another wearable-but-vampy lip product. I haven’t tried that many products from NARS, but I’ve liked every product I’ve tried a great deal – NARS Orgasm blush ($33 CDN)  is one of my daily staples (I’m wearing it in the pictures below!) and I love NARS Kalahari eyeshadow duo ($39 CDN) and although I have only tried a sample of NARS Sheer Glow ($55 CDN), I think its a great foundation but not one that I want to pay prices that are on par with freaking Chanel for. This product is no exception to that rule. Sephora describes the lip pencils as dressing ” up lips in statement shades that seduce with rich, color-bright pigments, while drenching them in decadent moisture. This modern, long-wearing, vitamin-enriched formula for lips looks sumptuously saturated and dramatically defined” and in my experience, Golshan delivers what is promised by these claims. There is 0.07 ounces provided in the lip pencil.

On the Sephora website, Golshan is described as a “spiced wine” which seems to be a fairly accurate description but I would characterize the shade as more of a warm burgundy shade with slight brown undertones to it. It’s pretty much a warmer-toned “spiced wine” in my humble opinion. It has my ideal finish, a true creamy-looking satin while not just being drying at all, but being moisturizing in itself for a few hours until the balminess wears off.  It’s one of those balmy lipsticks in pencil form that seem to be all the rage recently and I do adore them. These actually do not cling to dry patches in the lips, despite their amazing colour saturation and pigmentation and glide onto the lips feeling exactly like a balm.

In comparison to NARS Golshan, Rimmel Kate Moss 107 ($8 CDN) is much cooler in tone and is much more of a rich berry shade and MAC Dubonnet Lipstick ($18 CDN) is extremely similar – Dubonnet is slightly vampier, with less warmth to it and as it is a amplified finish, it has more slip on the lips, not lasting as long. Dubonnet also has a stronger brown undertone.

I don’t find the colour to bleed or slip around very much, especially considering the finish. Golshan was incredibly long-wearing lasting for a bit over six hours with some eating and drinking before I seem to succumb to eating the oiliest of foods in the fashion that no lip product can survive. The hydration of the balm lasts for several hours and then wears off, leaving the colour intact and stains the lips a good deal. Unlike most lip products in bold colours, this one does not cling to the outside of my mouth as it fades — it provides the sought-after even fading. However, there is one thing that irritates me about the balms – they are not twist-up and soon I will have to purchase a sharpener for it.

If you can’t tell already, I highly recommend the Nars Satin Lip Pencil in Golshan and I definitely will be trying more in the future. They are worth the $30 price tag, I’d say. It’s hardly even noticeable but they do have a subtle makeup-y scent to them that isn’t exactly pleasant but I doubt many would be bothered by it.

Pigmentation       10/10

Formula                   9.5/10

Longevity                9.5/10

Packaging               8/10

Overall Value       9.5/10

36.5/40= 91% A+

Have you tried any of these lip pencils? What are your thoughts?