NARS Chaser & Thrust Air Matte Lip Colors Reviews & Swatches
Chaser
NARS Chaser Air Matte Lip Color ($26.00 for 0.24 oz.) is a medium-dark pink with subtle, cool undertones and a satin finish. The texture was very lightweight, velvety, and mousse-like, as it was airy but still spreadable and not prone to sheering out. It had opaque pigmentation in a single layer, though this was a lot more coverage than marketed.
The product applied evenly initially, and I felt like it looked quite good, but it had a particularly unflattering wear down where it visibly clung to imperfections and settled into lip lines after three hours of wear, though most of the color was intact for closer to four hours. The formula was neither drying nor hydrating while worn.
FURTHER READING: Formula Overview for details on general performance and characteristics (like scent).
Top Dupes
- MAC 2 Truths and a Lie (LE, $19.00) is lighter (95% similar).
- ColourPop Big Break (P, $7.00) is lighter, warmer (90% similar).
- Milani I Am Fabulous (P, $6.99) is darker, warmer (90% similar).
- ColourPop Dilly-Dally (P, $7.00) is lighter, warmer (90% similar).
- MAC Wagasa Twirl (LE, $19.00) is lighter, cooler (90% similar).
- NARS Sweet Disposition (P, $34.00) is more muted, cooler (90% similar).
- MAC You Wouldn't Get It (P, $19.00) is darker (90% similar).
- ColourPop Little Tings (LE, $7.00) is darker, warmer, glossier (90% similar).
- MAC Chatterbox (P, $19.00) is warmer, glossier (90% similar).
- MAC Feeling Fizzy (LE, $19.00) is lighter, cooler (90% similar).
Formula Overview
$26.00/0.24 oz. - $108.33 Per Ounce
The formula is supposed to be "featherweight" with a "soft-focus finish" and a "creamy feel" that offers "buildable coverage," "soft matte finish," and "longwear." They're a smooth, more velvety-creamy consistency that go on evenly and feel lightweight, but they were quite pigmented and not particularly long-wearing.
I think the lack of longevity stemmed from the fact that the product sat on my lips without adhering particularly well, so they were quick to wear away, especially eating or drinking. They were flattering on for two to three hours, but they tended to look drier and emphasized lip lines/clung to any texture imperfections for the third or fourth hour of wear, but they didn't last much longer than that.
They were very pigmented, too; there's no way I'd have described the formula was buildable. One pull of product delivered near opaque to fully opaque coverage on my lips. To get more buildable coverage, one would have to apply significantly less products--likely just to the center of the lips--and then use a fingertip to diffuse the color outward, which is a technique to sheer out any pigmented lip product.
They were comfortable to wear, and while they looked drier toward the end of wear on, they didn't seem drying in formula. They had a light vanilla scent but no discernible taste.
Browse all of our NARS Air Matte Lip Color swatches.
Ingredients
DIMETHICONE, CYCLOPENTASILOXANE, POLYGLYCERYL-2 TRIISOSTEARATE, DIMETHICONE CROSSPOLYMER, TRIMETHYLSILOXYSILICATE, TETRAHEXYLDECYL ASCORBATE, FLAVOR (AROMA), BENZYL SALICYLATE, BENZYL BENZOATE, PHENOXYETHANOL. MAY CONTAIN/PEUT CONTENIR/(+/-): IRON OXIDES (CI 77491, CI 77492, CI 77499), RED 28 (CI 45410), RED 30 LAKE (CI 73360), RED 6 (CI 15850), RED 7 LAKE (CI 15850), TITANIUM DIOXIDE (CI 77891), YELLOW 5 LAKE (CI 19140)
Disclaimer: Ingredient lists are as available by the brand (or retailer) at the time of publishing. Please always check product packaging, if it exists, for the ingredient list applicable to the product you're purchasing, or the brand or retailer's website for the most up-to-date ingredient list.
Chaser
LELimited Edition. $26.00.
Thrust
NARS Thrust Air Matte Lip Color ($26.00 for 0.24 oz.) is a medium brown with warmer, more orange undertones and a satin finish. The texture was smooth, spreadable, and more velvety and mousse-like, as it was airy but substantial and was easy to apply for an even layer of product.
The initial application looked lovely–smooth, even color that didn’t emphasize my lip lines and felt comfortable without being too emollient (not a full dry down). Unfortunately, the formula felt more like it sat very much over my lips rather than adhering, so the longevity was weaker with poorer wear down that was particularly unflattering as the color wore away unevenly and had a tendency to cling noticeably to imperfections and settle into lip lines. The color stayed on closer to four hours but was quite unflattering after three hours of wear, though it wasn’t drying to wear.
FURTHER READING: Formula Overview for details on general performance and characteristics (like scent).
Top Dupes
- Urban Decay Carnal (DC, $18.00) is lighter, glossier (95% similar).
- ColourPop Ink Blot (LE, $7.00) is lighter (90% similar).
- ColourPop Speed Dial (PiP, $6.50) is lighter, warmer (90% similar).
- Fenty Beauty S1ngle (P, $18.00) is lighter, warmer (90% similar).
- ColourPop Candy Floss (DC, $5.00) is lighter, warmer (90% similar).
- Shiseido Amber Afternoon (BR322) (DC, $28.00) is lighter, more muted (90% similar).
- NARS Slow Ride (P, $26.00) is darker, less glossy (90% similar).
- ColourPop At Twilight (LE, $7.00) is lighter, glossier (85% similar).
- Anastasia Hudson (LE, $20.00) is darker, more muted, cooler (85% similar).
- MAC Persistence (P, $19.00) is warmer (85% similar).
Formula Overview
$26.00/0.24 oz. - $108.33 Per Ounce
The formula is supposed to be "featherweight" with a "soft-focus finish" and a "creamy feel" that offers "buildable coverage," "soft matte finish," and "longwear." They're a smooth, more velvety-creamy consistency that go on evenly and feel lightweight, but they were quite pigmented and not particularly long-wearing.
I think the lack of longevity stemmed from the fact that the product sat on my lips without adhering particularly well, so they were quick to wear away, especially eating or drinking. They were flattering on for two to three hours, but they tended to look drier and emphasized lip lines/clung to any texture imperfections for the third or fourth hour of wear, but they didn't last much longer than that.
They were very pigmented, too; there's no way I'd have described the formula was buildable. One pull of product delivered near opaque to fully opaque coverage on my lips. To get more buildable coverage, one would have to apply significantly less products--likely just to the center of the lips--and then use a fingertip to diffuse the color outward, which is a technique to sheer out any pigmented lip product.
They were comfortable to wear, and while they looked drier toward the end of wear on, they didn't seem drying in formula. They had a light vanilla scent but no discernible taste.
Browse all of our NARS Air Matte Lip Color swatches.
Ingredients
DIMETHICONE, CYCLOPENTASILOXANE, POLYGLYCERYL-2 TRIISOSTEARATE, DIMETHICONE CROSSPOLYMER, TRIMETHYLSILOXYSILICATE, TETRAHEXYLDECYL ASCORBATE, FLAVOR (AROMA), BENZYL SALICYLATE, BENZYL BENZOATE, PHENOXYETHANOL. MAY CONTAIN/PEUT CONTENIR/(+/-): IRON OXIDES (CI 77491, CI 77492, CI 77499), RED 28 (CI 45410), RED 30 LAKE (CI 73360), RED 6 (CI 15850), RED 7 LAKE (CI 15850), TITANIUM DIOXIDE (CI 77891), YELLOW 5 LAKE (CI 19140)
Disclaimer: Ingredient lists are as available by the brand (or retailer) at the time of publishing. Please always check product packaging, if it exists, for the ingredient list applicable to the product you're purchasing, or the brand or retailer's website for the most up-to-date ingredient list.
That one shade, Thrust, looks so tempting until I read through the entire review. That sort of weardown wouldn’t be very attractive or flattering on most folks. What a shame.
On a different note; it’s beginning to look like Nars is now naming quite a few product shades “Thrust”. I suppose that they got tired of Orgasm…
I know only too well the adage, “if you can’t say something nice….” but I so dislike these matte lip products. Just had to get that out there and now I can feel marginally better! (also, when I first saw the names, I though the 2nd one was called THRUSH and my first thought wasn’t a little bird!)