NARS Aya, Dayle, Kirat Audacious Lipsticks Reviews, Photos, Swatches
Aya
NARS Aya Audacious Lipstick ($34.00 for 0.14 oz.) is a deep, chocolatly brown with subtle, warm undertones and a creamy finish paired with a soft sheen. It had opaque color payoff in a single layer, which applied evenly and smoothly across the lips and never tugged. The lipstick felt moderately creamy, not too thin or too thick, and sat fairly well on the lips, though there was enough slip that it was noticeable on the lips. I did not experience any feathering over the five and a half hours this shade wore for, and the formula was lightly hydrating overall.
Formula Overview
For fall, NARS released six new shades of NARS Audacious Lipstick, one of their more luxurious, but bestselling, formulas. For those unfamiliar with the range, the lipstick is supposed to have “full-coverage, creamy wear” that’s “long-lasting” and hydrating. I tend to find most of those claims to be true except that not all shades are hydrating (usually lightly hydrating to non-drying) and wear has been between four and eight hours depending on the shade with richer reds and the like wearing longest.
FURTHER READING: Formula Overview for details on general performance and characteristics (like scent).
Top Dupes
- ColourPop Friends (P, $10.00) is lighter (95% similar).
- Urban Decay Iced Americano (P, $19.00) is lighter, cooler (95% similar).
- Sephora Fire Side (11) (P, $8.00) is lighter (95% similar).
- Jaclyn Cosmetics Ambition (DC, $18.00) is lighter (90% similar).
- Natasha Denona Nati (5B) (P, $25.00) is cooler (90% similar).
- Bite Beauty Whiskey (DC, $26.00) is darker, cooler (90% similar).
- Tarte Grunge (P, $20.00) is lighter (90% similar).
- ColourPop Oh Behave (LE, $7.00) is lighter, warmer (90% similar).
- Marc Jacobs Beauty Editrix (250) (P, $30.00) is lighter (90% similar).
- Bobbi Brown Brownstone (P, $40.00) is lighter, warmer (90% similar).
Formula Overview
$34.00/0.14 oz. - $242.86 Per Ounce
The formula is supposed to have "one-stroke, full-coverage" pigmentation with a "soft matte finish" that is "long-lasting" and "hydrating." The formula is best characterized by its texture: creamy, smooth, and slightly denser/thicker on (but not heavy) compared to the typical lipstick formula. Most of the shades are opaque, while "weak" shades are more semi-opaque. The majority of the colors I've tested have applied evenly and smoothly with good glide and feel comfortable on my lips. They tend to last between four and six hours and was lightly hydrating to non-drying. There was no noticeable scent or taste.
Browse all of our NARS Audacious Lipstick swatches.
Aya
LELimited Edition. $34.00.
Dayle
NARS Dayle Audacious Lipstick ($34.00 for 0.14 oz.) is a muted, medium lavender mauve with neutral-to-warm undertones and a cream finish. It looked drastically different swatched and applied than in the tube–initially! While often, the color of a lipstick (in the tube) will look a bit lighter/darker after being used, this particular shade went from a warmer, rosy pink exterior to reveal a mauvy interior (the color swatched). I was so caught off-guard by the difference that I thought my camera’s color balance went awry but lo and behold, I could distinctively see the rosy pink exterior and cooler interior in person.
The consistency was smooth, lightweight, and moderately creamy with some slip. It had opaque pigmentation that covered the lips evenly and stayed in place for four and a half hours. I found the formula comfortable to wear and lightly hydrating over time.
FURTHER READING: Formula Overview for details on general performance and characteristics (like scent).
Top Dupes
- Bite Beauty Star Anise (LE, $26.00) (90% similar).
- Bite Beauty Cava (DC, $26.00) is darker, warmer (90% similar).
- Bite Beauty Cava (DC, $24.00) is darker, warmer (85% similar).
- Bite Beauty Cava (DC, $24.00) is darker, warmer (90% similar).
- Pat McGrath Madame Greige (DC, $40.00) is darker, warmer (85% similar).
- Bite Beauty #005 (LE, $36.00) is brighter, cooler (85% similar).
- Bite Beauty Cava (DC, $24.00) is darker, warmer (85% similar).
- MAC Driftwood (DC, $21.00) is darker, more muted, warmer (90% similar).
- MAC Really Me (P, $19.00) is lighter, warmer (85% similar).
- Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetics Poseur (DC, $17.00) is lighter, brighter, cooler (85% similar).
Formula Overview
$34.00/0.14 oz. - $242.86 Per Ounce
The formula is supposed to have "one-stroke, full-coverage" pigmentation with a "soft matte finish" that is "long-lasting" and "hydrating." The formula is best characterized by its texture: creamy, smooth, and slightly denser/thicker on (but not heavy) compared to the typical lipstick formula. Most of the shades are opaque, while "weak" shades are more semi-opaque. The majority of the colors I've tested have applied evenly and smoothly with good glide and feel comfortable on my lips. They tend to last between four and six hours and was lightly hydrating to non-drying. There was no noticeable scent or taste.
Browse all of our NARS Audacious Lipstick swatches.
Dayle
PPermanent. $34.00.
Kirat
NARS Kirat Audacious Lipstick ($34.00 for 0.14 oz.) is a deep purple with subtle, warm undertones and a cream finish. It had nearly opaque pigmentation paired with a creamy, moderately emollient texture that glided across the lips easily but still managed to apply the color evenly. I had a bit of color that pulled into lip lines over the five and a half hours this shade lasted for, and there was a slight stain left behind as well. The formula felt lightly hydrating over time.
FURTHER READING: Formula Overview for details on general performance and characteristics (like scent).
Top Dupes
- Smashbox Bride of Chucky (LE, $21.00) is lighter (95% similar).
- MAC Leap of Delight (LE, $19.00) is lighter (95% similar).
- Make Up For Ever M502 (DC, $22.00) is cooler, less glossy (90% similar).
- MAC Hellebore (DC, $21.00) is lighter (85% similar).
- Estee Lauder Extrovert (P, $32.00) is darker, warmer (85% similar).
- MAC Punk Couture (P, $19.00) is brighter (90% similar).
- Maybelline Blackest Berry (DC, $7.49) is darker, warmer (85% similar).
- MAC Cyber (P, $19.00) is darker, warmer (85% similar).
- ColourPop Leather (DC, $7.00) is lighter, warmer (85% similar).
- Smashbox Mongal (LE, $24.00) is cooler (80% similar).
Formula Overview
$34.00/0.14 oz. - $242.86 Per Ounce
The formula is supposed to have "one-stroke, full-coverage" pigmentation with a "soft matte finish" that is "long-lasting" and "hydrating." The formula is best characterized by its texture: creamy, smooth, and slightly denser/thicker on (but not heavy) compared to the typical lipstick formula. Most of the shades are opaque, while "weak" shades are more semi-opaque. The majority of the colors I've tested have applied evenly and smoothly with good glide and feel comfortable on my lips. They tend to last between four and six hours and was lightly hydrating to non-drying. There was no noticeable scent or taste.
Browse all of our NARS Audacious Lipstick swatches.
I’m sure you know this already, but instead of the review for Aya it’s showing your review for Colourpop Angel Food.
I’m so sorry! I had them all in the same file initially and stupidly copied and pasted the entire document. What a moron I am! Thank you for catching that since I’m inept!
No problem! I wanted Angel Food anyway so it was nice to see a sneak peek! 😉
You’re far from inept! Your consistent and amazing insight, intuition, and work ethic inspire your readers daily and I’m pretty sure I speak for all of us when I say we hope you can give yourself a break :).
For my money, there is no better formula than NARS Audacious. I wish I could wear Dayle as well as you – it looks fantastic on you but I’m fairly certain I would look critically ill in it…
Aaaah! I was eyeing Kirat but thought I had a dupe somewhere, MAC Leap of Delight! Thank goodness for the dupes list, whew
Woohoo!
And it so made me think, Katherine! Glad you’re duped. Thinks are getting hairy and craveworthy again.
Weird. So Dayle oxidized to a warm pink?
As an aside, I love the teal shimmer effect on Aya in the arm-swatch photo; I know it’s just the reflection of your studio lighting and in no way part of the lipstick, but now I **really** want a chocolate brown lipstick with teal shimmer.
It didn’t oxidize – the exterior layer of the bullet is just a different color (probably an effect of the finishing process) than the actual product!
These are stunning coverage-wise, but I don’t like any of the colors (except the first, but that’s dupable somewhat). Why doesn’t NARS have any pale, nude pink shades in the collection? I keep waiting for them to come out with one – but no luck!
Maybe next spring!
Dayle is the kind of shade that will either look fabulous or hideous on me…no middle ground! I want to see it in person. Kirat is so rich and gorgeous!
Fingers crossed it’s fabulous!
Kirat for the WIN! Well, once I get Berry Rouge while I still *can*.
Dayle would no doubt clash terribly with my coloring, but it’s quite lovely on cooler and or lighter skintones, I’m sure!
Conversely, with Aya. Lovely, I’m sure, on either deeper and or warmer tones than myself!
I always love seeing shades like Aya on people!
Wow – that Aya shade is divine right up my lipstick alley.
Yayyy! 😀
Dayle = Nars answer to Cava!
i rarely reach for lippies in the traditional tube form (i’m a liquid lip kinda girl) , but aya is stunning !
kinda wish it was named ARYA , ’cause i would just get it for the name alone . haha .
Not trying to channel Charlie Sheen, but WINNING! Doyle is quite Kavaesque ( I thought the autocorrect would say Kafkaesque for sure, but it didn’t. Yay. No cockroach emoji to insert, methinks…). These are all wonderful, and I didn’t buy Whiskey! Actually prefer Audacious to bite, by a few millimeters. Been waiting for Nars to leave the fall pinks and corals behind! Thanks, FN, for returning to your ‘roots.’
It’s nice to see some new additions to the Audacious range – I’m so glad they’ve been expanding it in the last year or so.
I really like Dayle!Im going to get that one for sure.I really love the Audacious lipstick formula.Is one of my favorites?I’m really glad they are adding 6 shades.
I must seriously considering getting at least Dayle. I might even get a back up of it. All things lavender are just up my alley.
I like all three!
A very diverse set of shades. I like Aya though would have to try it on in-person.
Those are all quite nice. I’d have to swatch for sure. Kirat is the one I know will work for sure.