Laura Mercier Naked Rose Lip Velvet ($22.00) is a brick-brown nude. Like Mocha Rouge, the color is difficult to describe, but it’s most certainly not what I’d think of when I read “Naked Rose.” (I would have expected a pink-y shade, maybe a beige-y pink!)

Lip Velvets are indeed long-wearing liquid lipsticks. They apply with a doe-foot wand applicator and go on extremely pigmented from the get-go. They are, however, more matte in finish (I’d consider it semi-matte, personally), so they do tend to feel dry on lips. What’s unique about the formula is that even though it feels dry, it’s not actually drying. The product just hugs and clings to lips, but it doesn’t actually dry them out as some matte products do.

As I mentioned in my review of Mocha Rouge, I don’t think the formula is that comparable to Chanel’s Rouge Allure Laques. Chanel is more moisturizing, don’t cling as much, and have a very glossy finish. The shade range is also completely different, so you can’t just pick one over the other so easily!

Again, I’d really love to see Laura Mercier expand the range to include more versatile and wearable shades in 2010.

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• Product: 28/30
• Value: 9/10
• Ease of Use: 4/5
• Packaging: 4/5

Recommendation: If you’re looking for a work-safe, long-wearing lip color, check out Laura Mercier’s Lip Velvets.

Availability: Blue Mercury