Lately (in case you haven’t noticed), I’ve had a thing for red lips. I look at them the same way I look at pairs of black shoes, which is to say that one tube (or pair) is never enough.
There are just so many different spins on the red lip motif, just as there are when it comes to black shoes. With the shoes, you’ve got your black high heels, low heels, stacked heels, platforms, and don’t get me started on the sub-shades of black.
It’s the same thing with crimson lip colors. Every one is unique, or at least different in some small but significant way.
Take NARS Velvet Matte Lip Pencil in Damned, for instance. This $24 jewel-toned reddish magenta could moonlight as a crimson crayon in its chubby packaging, and sometimes, when I’m lining and filling in my lips with it, I feel like I’m in art class. 🙂
If NARS Afghan Red Lipstick had a tougher alter ego, it would probably look a lot like Damned. The two colors could be cousins, but Damned has a matte finish and richer pigments that tell me it has a harder edge.
I love ’em both, but I’ll be Damned if I don’t prefer that shade when I’m in the mood to strut. It’s the red lip I’d want to wear with a pair of Sam Edelman pumps (complete with spiked accents), skinny black pleather pants and a tank top. 🙂
Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,
Karen
Vijaya says
Oh my… I’m gonna HAVE to get my hands on this! =]
Solangel says
Ooh, I *just* bought this last week along with Bahama 🙂 It’s gorgeous *0*
mn says
Wow, I really like that shade, and I’ve had my eyes on those pumps for about a year now- must have. Tabs looks cute in his fedora.
Tiffany says
Beautiful!
Swatch And Learn says
Dammmmnnn, those Sam Edelman pumps are all kinds of fierce! Love the way they look!
Chris25 says
I’m loving these NARS Unsung Heroes posts!
Damned is on my shopping list. I’m thinking of getting Shanghai Express as well. I’ll have to place an order soon (for a blog giveaway, coming up!). 😀
Naz says
Damn, you are killing me with these red lip posts! They’re all so gorgeous!! Too bad I can’t pull off red lips 😛
Chaeriste says
Lipstick aside… Where did you get that hella cute hat???
peach_ says
That’s what I call a fierce look! Tabs is looking fine in a fedora.
Ava says
I’m mad about the shoes!!!
Jennifer says
Those are some really nice looking shoes.
This is the shade Pam wore in True Blood.
Karen says
Oh yeah, I remember hearing that.
Speaking of True Blood, I can’t wait for the next season with Christopher Meloni!
Nina says
oh my god. i want that lip pencil, and those shoes! Damned looks like it would be perfect for a New Year’s party!
Karen says
The shoes are AMAZING, aren’t they? They also come in a few different colors… red is super hot. I’ve heard, though, that they’re not the most comfy heels.
Do you guys have NYE’s plans yet?
Nina says
we are going karaoke-ing! there’s this new place that opened a few months ago by my work and ive been so curious to try it out!
you get either a full room (if youre a big crowd) or half a room, with a karaoke machine. you can sing to your heart’s content, order food and drinks and just have a rousing ole time!
Karen says
That sounds like so much fun! 😀 I love karaoke.
My parents actually have a monster karaoke system at their house. Whenever I call them and they’ve people over doing karaoke I swear it sounds like a bar!
Nina says
wow your parents are uber cool!!!
we’re both excited for our karaoke adventure LOL! the singing in a private room sorta deal is less stressful than being handed the microphone in an open room full of strangers!
Vonvon says
My kind of lip colors!
Karen says
Yay! 🙂 Happy Wednesday, Vonvon!
Katrina says
Oooooh! This is so going on my wish list! Love this color!
Kim says
What a great color! I think I might need a lip product intervention, btw. I was looking in my coat pocket and realized I had a gloss, a lipstick and 3 lip balms. My lips feel dry just typing this. 🙂