NARS Paris Follies Large Than Life Lipgloss ($26.00 for 0.19 fl. oz.) is described as a “pink flamingo.” It’s a bright, creamy coral-red. Guerlain Candy Stripe is more orange and has slight shimmer. MAC Forever Rose is pinker. Revlon Papaya is slightly pinker and has shimmer. Hourglass Nectar is very close in color. MAC Viva Glam Cyndi/a> is lighter, less pink. MAC Exxxhibitionist is lighter. Illamasqua Mistress is more orange.

The Larger Than Life formula is supposed to have “high shine” with “intense color” and be both “long-lasting” and “nourish[ing].” The color is nearly opaque, and what’s really incredible is how it doesn’t settle into lip lines at all–it really just smooths over the entire lip and makes lips look very juicy and glossy. It has a thinner consistency that wasn’t tacky, and it was comfortable to wear for the five hours it lasted on my lips. Paris Follies was moderately hydrating while I wore it.  The only thing I don’t like about NARS’ gloss here is the teeny, tiny applicator–I need five or six pulls just to get enough product to cover my lips. I find that I always end up feeling the edge of the plastic portion of the applicator scraping against my lips, because the brush is so stubby.

The Glossover

	NARS Paris Follies Large Than Life Lipgloss Review, Photos, Swatches A
	I love how creamy, smooth, and glossy the color looks on the lips--it is really quite lovely! I only wish the applicator was easier to use.
	Product 9.5/10 Pigmentation 10/10 Texture 9/10 Longevity 9/10 Application 4.5/5
	Where to Buy
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NARS Paris Follies Large Than Life Lipgloss

NARS Paris Follies Large Than Life Lipgloss

NARS Paris Follies Large Than Life Lipgloss

NARS Paris Follies Large Than Life Lipgloss

NARS Paris Follies Large Than Life Lipgloss

NARS Paris Follies Large Than Life Lipgloss

NARS Fall 2012: Rouge Tribal Larger Than Life Lipgloss

NARS Rouge Tribal Larger Than Life Lipgloss ($26.00 for 0.19 fl. oz.) is described as a “metallic burgundy.” It’s a burgundy-red with strong brown undertones and subdued ruby red shimmer. MAC Lasting Achievement is a dark berry with no real brown. MAC Gertruyd is similar but much sheerer, so it appears lighter. Illamasqua Hermetic is a much more intense and opaque version. NYX Vixen is a little less brown. Bobbi Brown Midnight Violet is a little more plum, less red.

It has semi-opaque color coverage; it yields very noticeable color, but there’s a translucency that shows a fair amount of the natural lip color. The redder your natural lip color is, the more ruby-red-slippers-like this is going to look on you–but it will still have some depth because of the burgundy coloring. For a dark shade like this, it doesn’t settle into lip lines very noticeably, though it can bunch of and show “lines” where the gloss has layered over itself (this happens especially if you press your lips together).

The Larger Than Life formula is supposed to have “outrageously lustrous color” with “high-impact shine” that stays in place and is long-lasting.  Rouge Tribal actually bleeds a bit on me, and I rarely have trouble with lip color bleeding or feathering, but I did see some migration of color after two hours along the upper lip line.  It wore for five hours, which is better than the average lipgloss but still stops short of long-wear.  While it is non-sticky initially, it gets tackier as you wear it; after a half hour or so, it is noticeably tacky (I don’t have a problem with sticky glosses, but I know it’s a deal-breaker for some).  It’s hydrating, scent- and taste-free, and feels comfortable on with its gel-like consistency.

I continue to be less-than-impressed with NARS’ applicator on this gloss range; it’s so, so small. I just don’t find it to be as precise as it should be for its size, and it’s difficult to blend out any lines of the gloss with the brush-type applicator.

The Glossover

P	Rouge Tribal B
	It's a bit disappointing; it's never ideal when a gloss bleeds over time, but I'm also not keen on the way the gloss can fold over itself and show lines. The color is right-on for fall, though.
	Product 8/10 Pigmentation 9/10 Texture 8.5/10 Longevity 9/10 Application 4/5
	Where to Buy
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NARS Rouge Tribal Larger Than Life Lipgloss

NARS Rouge Tribal Larger Than Life Lipgloss

NARS Rouge Tribal Larger Than Life Lipgloss

NARS Rouge Tribal Larger Than Life Lipgloss

NARS Rouge Tribal Larger Than Life Lipgloss

NARS Rouge Tribal Larger Than Life Lipgloss

NARS Rouge Tribal Larger Than Life Lipgloss

NARS Odalisque Larger Than Life Lipgloss

NARS Odalisque Larger Than Life Lipgloss ($26.00 for 0.19 fl. oz.) is described as “cantaloupe.” It’s a beige peach with a creamy, almost milky, finish. MAC Woo Me is pinker. MAC Super is browner, darker. MAC Lust is a bit darker. MAC Pretty Quick is warmer, peachier.

It’s in the nude family, but it’s very different from Spring Break. This is actually a more wearable nude because it is darker–less pastel, less pale. So while the color is lovely and a nude that suits a lot of skin tones, the way it looks and applies leaves something to be desired. Because of the creamy/milky finish, it settles into lip lines quite a bit, and there is some streakiness to the application.  I think this gloss is best worn over a lipstick than it is on its own, because it just doesn’t look that great alone.

This particular shade had a slightly thicker consistency, though still best described as gel-like, as it slides around and feels smooth. It develops a tackiness over time (non-sticky for the first half hour or less, then progressively stickier as it wears). Odalisque wore for four and a half hours. It’s scent- and taste-free.  The color coverage is semi-opaque, and it’s really the overall streaky feel that gives it that less-than-opaque look.  It is hydrating while worn, though, as my lips never feel like they’re in need of balm post-wear.

This lipgloss formula has a really small brush-type applicator, which I find to be too small–I’d have liked to have seen a smaller brush, sure, but I think it could have met in the middle, rather than going to the opposite extreme. The idea behind the smaller applicator was to make application more precise, which it does, but the trade-off is that it takes much, much longer to apply it. I can’t apply this gloss nearly as well without a mirror as I can with others, and I feel like I’m going back three to five times to get enough color to cover my lips.

The Glossover

P	Odalisque B+
	While I'm not sold on the applicator (I think it's an interesting idea to go smaller, I just think they went too small--there's a happy medium to be achieved), I'm also not thrilled with the gloss itself. The settling, streaking, and milkiness work together to create a less appealing finish and result--the color doesn't look smooth and even. Such a shame, because the color itself would work well as a nude on many skin tones.
	Product 9/10 Pigmentation 9/10 Texture 9/10 Longevity 9/10 Application 3/5
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NARS Odalisque Larger Than Life Lipgloss

NARS Odalisque Larger Than Life Lipgloss

NARS Odalisque Larger Than Life Lipgloss

NARS Odalisque Larger Than Life Lipgloss

NARS Odalisque Larger Than Life Lipgloss

NARS Odalisque Larger Than Life Lipgloss

NARS Norma Larger Than Life Lipgloss (see applicator)

NARS Spring Break Larger Than Life Lipgloss

NARS Spring Break Larger Than Life Lipgloss ($26.00 for 0.19 fl. oz.) is described as a “pale golden beige sheen.” This shade is exclusive to Sephora. It’s a pale, light beige with peach-gold micro-shimmer. MAC C-Thru is very similar, perhaps a smidgen darker. MAC Scottish Lilt is warmer. MAC Jest for Fun is more peach-pink. MAC On the Scene is warmer, no shimmer. MAC Fashion Whim is just slightly warmer. Urban Decay Max is darker, peachier.

I actually really like the way this looks on the lips; for such a pale, light color, it applies fairly evenly and doesn’t settle too noticeably into lips (at least not from a normal viewing distance). The soft peach-gold shimmer gives it necessary warmth and dimension. The color coverage is not quite opaque but close.  When I tested this shade for wear, it did surprisingly well for such a pale shade–a solid five hours.  It was also hydrating enough that my lips didn’t feel any worse for the wear while I wore it.

Larger Than Life Lipglosses have a gel-like texture, which slides across lips well and enables mostly even application.  Though it doesn’t feel sticky when you first apply it, it does get noticeably tacky after a half hour and gets tackier while it wears.  It never approaches super sticky territory, but it’s definitely not non-sticky. The only downside to this product is the really, really tiny brush-type applicator.  It could be about double the size and still be several sizes smaller than the average lipgloss applicator while retaining the ability to apply precisely.

The Glossover

P	Spring Break A-
	It delivers well on most of the claims that NARS made with respect to the formula--the only downside is the applicator with this particular shade. It's just too small; there's nothing wrong with going smaller than a doe-foot applicator, but I think this is the other extreme.
	Product 9.5/10 Pigmentation 9.5/10 Texture 9.5/10 Longevity 9/10 Application 4/5
	Where to Buy
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NARS Spring Break Larger Than Life Lipgloss

NARS Spring Break Larger Than Life Lipgloss

NARS Spring Break Larger Than Life Lipgloss

NARS Spring Break Larger Than Life Lipgloss

NARS Spring Break Larger Than Life Lipgloss

NARS Spring Break Larger Than Life Lipgloss

NARS Norma Larger Than Life Lipgloss (see applicator)

NARS Norma Larger Than Life Lipgloss

NARS Norma Larger Than Life Lipgloss ($26.00 for 0.19 fl. oz.) is described as a “cherry red.” It’s a bright subtly blue-based red with no shimmer, just bold, bright color. It’s mostly opaque once applied. MAC Driven by Love is darker, more opaque, and has gold shimmer. Illamasqua Succubus is less blue-based, more opaque, brighter. MAC Wicked Ways is comparable in color but does have some shimmer. Illamasqua Fume is just slightly brighter. MAC Russian Red is a bit brighter.

I like the texture and overall quality of the Larger Than Life formula. It delivers rich, intense pigmentation with a really lovely consistency that’s not too thick or too thin–it has an almost gel-like feel on the lips, so it slides and moves around for easy evening out of color but doesn’t slip around and feather around the edges. While it doesn’t feel sticky initially, it gets progressively tackier while it wears. I’ve already expounded on the attribute I dislike most about the product, which is the incredibly small applicator. Precision is certainly possible with something that’s not quite so tiny, because it’s a little annoying having to go back multiple times to get enough product to cover my lips.

Norma managed to hang on and look good doing so for just under six hours.  I felt like reapplication was necessary by the seventh hour.  It fades evenly, too, so you don’t have a ring of color around the edges of your lips.  While it wears for such a long time (at least for a gloss), it keeps lips hydrated–mine never felt dry after wearing one of these glosses for hour after hour.  NARS talks about a natural plumping effect, but I didn’t see anything other than an enhanced shape as a result of the ultra shiny finish, which gives an illusion of fuller lips.

The Glossover

P	Norma A-
	It delivers well on most of the claims that NARS made with respect to the formula--the only downside is the applicator with this particular shade. It's just too small; there's nothing wrong with going smaller than a doe-foot applicator, but I think this is the other extreme.
	Product 9.5/10 Pigmentation 9.5/10 Texture 9.5/10 Longevity 9/10 Application 4/5
	Where to Buy
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NARS Norma Larger Than Life Lipgloss

NARS Norma Larger Than Life Lipgloss

NARS Norma Larger Than Life Lipgloss

NARS Norma Larger Than Life Lipgloss

NARS Norma Larger Than Life Lipgloss

NARS Norma Larger Than Life Lipgloss

NARS Norma Larger Than Life Lipgloss (see applicator)

NARS Coeur Sucre Larger Than Life Lipgloss

NARS Coeur Sucre Larger Than Life Lipgloss ($26.00 for 0.19 fl. oz.) is described as a “shimmering vibrant pink.” It’s a medium cotton candy pink with blue undertones and a silver-white micro-glitter/shimmer. I couldn’t think of too many shades that came close to this. MAC Vanity Fair is much lighter and has no shimmer (more like a liquid lipstick formula). NARS Angelika would be much closer, except it’s not as opaque and applies fairly streaky. MAC Sassy Lassy is darker and brighter.

The Larger Than Life formula is designed to give “intense color” with “brilliant shine” while being long-wearing. It also has moisturizing ingredients and “natural lip enhancers” that will plump lips. The consistency of Coeur Sucre isn’t too thick or too thin, and it’s not a gloss I’d call lightweight, but it doesn’t feel thick and goopy either. It has a gel-like texture initially, which is non-sticky, but after a half hour or so, it delivers a tackiness that gets rather sticky after an hour and a half (much as I experienced with Giorgio Armani Gloss d’Armani). It delivers semi-opaque color and applies surprisingly evenly for a gloss in this color–there is some minor settling into lip lines that is barely noticeable because of the high-shine finish.

Coeur Sucre wore for five and a half hours, which is longer than the average gloss wears (three to four hours; as little as two for lighter shades).  I found the formula to be hydrating–sometimes when you wear just gloss all day long, your lips can easily show signs of dehydration, but even after twelve hours of wearing the Larger Than Life formula, my lips felt lush and lovely.  I don’t see (or feel!) any plumping effect; the glossy shine does give lips a larger, more luminous appearance.

Here is what I loathe about this product–and I don’t use the word lightly–the applicator. It is like applying lipgloss with a toothpick, or nearly so. It’s just absolutely miniscule, and if you have very thin lips, I think this may be the applicator you’ve been looking for, but even you may find it takes several pumps of gloss to get enough product to cover your lips. I get that NARS is hoping this applicator will give you the precision you want, but it’s unnecessarily small. You can maneuver around the lip lines with something double the size. In order to cover my lips, I had to go back five times for color.

The Glossover

P	Coeur Sucre A-
	It's not quite the "intense color" that NARS promises, and the applicator is too small--it makes applying this a more painstaking process than it should be. I think there is a happy medium available; something slightly larger (perhaps wider), that's still a bit tapered and smaller than a doe-foot gloss, could still achieve precision without taking so much time.
	Product 9.5/10 Pigmentation 9/10 Texture 9/10 Longevity 9/10 Application 4/5
	Where to Buy
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NARS Coeur Sucre Larger Than Life Lipgloss

NARS Coeur Sucre Larger Than Life Lipgloss

NARS Coeur Sucre Larger Than Life Lipgloss

NARS Coeur Sucre Larger Than Life Lipgloss

NARS Coeur Sucre Larger Than Life Lipgloss

NARS Coeur Sucre Larger Than Life Lipgloss

NARS Norma Larger Than Life Lipgloss (see applicator)