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NARS Hardwired Lipsticks Reviews, Photos, Swatches (Holiday 2014)

NARS  Hardwired Lipstick
NARS Hardwired Lipstick

NARS Hardwired Lipstick ($26.00 for 0.12 oz.) is a new, limited edition formula created for the holiday collection that’s supposed to have a “rich texture” while “deliver[ing] brilliant, glossy shine with full coverage.” The formula felt less clingy and more comfortable to wear than NARS’ permanent range, though it isn’t like their Audacious range, which has a lot more slip and is heavier. The finish has a light shine (like a satin), but it’s not what I would describe as glossy. Two of the three shades have good color payoff (but not fully opaque).

NARS Deadly Catch Hardwired Lipstick ($26.00 for 0.12 oz.) is described as a “crimson.” It’s a rich, medium-dark red with cool, blue undertones and a satin finish. It had mostly opaque color coverage, a light creaminess, and lasted for seven and a half hours. It was lightly hydrating while worn. I doubt it’s a real surprise that it being a medium red that there is a slew of dupes out there. Guerlain Rouge Parade (820) (LE, $51.00) is pinker. MAC Sparks of Romance (LE, $16.00) is more muted. MAC Dangerously Chic (P, $23.00) is more muted, darker. MAC Oblivion (LE, $16.00) is slightly pinker. MAC Frank-n-furter (LE, $16.00) is darker. Too Faced Melted Ruby (P, $21.00) is brighter. Estee Lauder Vengeful Red (P, $30.00) is similar. Bite Beauty Rioja (P, $28.00) is more muted. NARS Future Red (LE, $26.00) is a touch glossier. Givenchy Grenat Initie (307) (P, $36.00) is glossier. Marc Jacobs Beauty Neo-Noir (126) (P, $30.00) is brighter. Urban Decay F-Bomb (P, $22.00) is similar. Buxom Provocateur (P, $21.00) is similar. See comparison swatches / view dupes.

NARS Femme Fleur Hardwired Lipstick ($26.00 for 0.12 oz.) is described as a “shimmering brick red with gold pearl.” It’s a muted, medium-dark copper brown with warm undertones and a soft dusting of gold shimmer. It had mostly opaque color payoff, which went on evenly and smoothly. The color lasted for five hours, and it was lightly moisturizing over time. Kat Von D Gothica (P, $21.00) is more shimmery, lighter. Kat Von D Thin Lizzy (P, $21.00) is more metallic, redder. Guerlain Gaetane (16) (P, $51.00) is glossier, lighter. Revlon Sandstorm (LE, $7.99) is more shimmery. Maybelline Maple Kiss (925) (P, $7.49) is lighter. Chanel Synopsis (P, $34.00) is more shimmery. Maybelline Mochachino (P, $7.49) is more shimmery. See comparison swatches / view dupes.

NARS Adriatic Hardwired Lipstick ($26.00 for 0.12 oz.) is described as a “glistening soft cream.” It’s a light, pink-tinged beige with metallic shimmer. It had semi-opaque color coverage, but this one didn’t apply as evenly as the other two. It didn’t seem to have more slip, but it sure looked as if it did. The color pulls into lip lines over time, so it is a very high maintenance color to wear. It lasted for three and a half hours on me and was neither drying nor hydrating. Kat Von D Agatha (P, $21.00) is more matte, less shimmery. MAC Peach Beige (LE, $16.00) is less shimmery, more opaque. MAC Strip Poker (LE, $16.00) is less shimmery, more opaque. MAC Siren Song (LE, $16.00) is sheerer. Maybelline Bare All (910) (P, $7.49) is lighter. NYX Fortune Cookie (P, $4.00) is more metallic. MAC Annelie (LE, $22.00) is darker. MAC Crème d’Nude (P, $16.00) is less shimmery. Buxom Nudist (P, $21.00) is pinker. See comparison swatches / view dupes.

See more photos & swatches!

NARS Deadly Catch Hardwired Lipstick
NARS Deadly Catch Hardwired Lipstick

NARS Deadly Catch Hardwired Lipstick
NARS Deadly Catch Hardwired Lipstick

NARS Deadly Catch Hardwired Lipstick
NARS Deadly Catch Hardwired Lipstick

NARS Deadly Catch Hardwired Lipstick
NARS Deadly Catch Hardwired Lipstick

NARS Deadly Catch Hardwired Lipstick
NARS Deadly Catch Hardwired Lipstick

NARS Deadly Catch Hardwired Lipstick
NARS Deadly Catch Hardwired Lipstick

NARS Femme Fleur Hardwired Lipstick
NARS Femme Fleur Hardwired Lipstick

NARS Femme Fleur Hardwired Lipstick
NARS Femme Fleur Hardwired Lipstick

NARS Femme Fleur Hardwired Lipstick
NARS Femme Fleur Hardwired Lipstick

NARS Femme Fleur Hardwired Lipstick
NARS Femme Fleur Hardwired Lipstick

NARS Femme Fleur Hardwired Lipstick
NARS Femme Fleur Hardwired Lipstick

NARS Femme Fleur Hardwired Lipstick
NARS Femme Fleur Hardwired Lipstick

NARS Adriatic Hardwired Lipstick
NARS Adriatic Hardwired Lipstick

NARS Adriatic Hardwired Lipstick
NARS Adriatic Hardwired Lipstick

NARS Adriatic Hardwired Lipstick
NARS Adriatic Hardwired Lipstick

NARS Adriatic Hardwired Lipstick
NARS Adriatic Hardwired Lipstick

NARS Adriatic Hardwired Lipstick
NARS Adriatic Hardwired Lipstick

NARS Adriatic Hardwired Lipstick
NARS Adriatic Hardwired Lipstick

Makeup Look
On face:
  • Guerlain Parure Gold Foundation
  • Guerlain Les Voilettes Loose Powder
  • NARS Laguna Bronzer
On eyes:
  • Sephora Good Mood Eyeliner

57 Comments

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gabis Avatar

Wow, very disappointed with Adriatic. I loved it at first but now geez nothing I hate more than a metallic finish on a lipstick.
Deadly catch was the only shade I liked and even so not that much as I prefer matte finishes.

Rachel R. Avatar

I think the two reds are gorgeous. I think Adriatic would make a beautiful adjuster shade worn over another lipstick, but agree it doesn’t look great on its own.

xamyx Avatar

I still plan to pick up Adriatic. With shades like this, I’ve come to expect certain “issues”. Whenever you have a lipstick so much paler than your lip color, some pooling is to be expected, and of course wear-time is going to be quite limited. I find a thick balm or primer really helps, though!

Sylirael Avatar

I love the way Deadly Catch loks on the lips, and Femme Fleur is such an awesome colour (although perhaps not on me, LOL!), but I have to admit, looking at the bullet, that I didn’t expect Adriatic to be *so* white? I’m kind of curious what it would look like on me, since it seems to be about the colour of my skin. Ultimate vampire concealer lips, maybe? 😀

autumn Avatar

I’m so glad I bought deadly catch instead of the femme fleur.. the website makes it look more pink than orange.. which is disappointing. Deadly catch appears to be similar to the color “rita” in the audacious line, though.. so many reds.. so little time.

Emily Avatar

Hi, again, Christine–

Went looking to see if I could find anyone who put the deep pink-red gloss over Adriatic, and found this site. ALL of their makeup content and swatches appears to be yours (I only looked at 3 pages of it). I don’t know where they get their other information, but unless you guys have a deal, they’re stealing all your cosmetic content. Here’s the site: [link redacted]

Hope this helps. It’s silly, but I get irritated on your behalf.

We try to approve comments within 24 hours (and reply to them within 72 hours) but can sometimes get behind and appreciate your patience! 🙂 If you have general feedback, product review requests, off-topic questions, or need technical support, please contact us directly. Thank you for your patience!