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NARS Lana, Annabella, Rita, Marlene, Olivia Audacious Lipsticks Reviews, Photos, Swatches

NARS Lana, Annabella, Rita, Marlene, Olivia Audacious Lipsticks
NARS Lana, Annabella, Rita, Marlene, Olivia Audacious Lipsticks

Here are five shades of orange and red from the NARS Audacious Lipstick ($32.00 for 0.14 oz.) range. The performance of these shades was consistent with the range thus far. I appreciate that the brand did so well in creating a formula that translated so well across shades.

NARS Lana Audacious Lipstick ($32.00 for 0.14 oz.) is described as a “vivid orange red.” It’s a bright, orange-red with warm undertones and a satin finish. It had rich, intense color payoff that applied evenly and smoothly. The color wore well for five and a half hours and was neither drying nor hydrating over time. While a lovely shade, there are a lot of very similar shades on the market. MAC Fashion Trip (LE, $22.00) is sheerer. MAC True Red (LE, $16.00) is similar. Bite Beauty Grandifolia (LE, $28.00) is darker, redder. Estee Lauder Impassioned (P, $30.00) is more muted. Tom Ford Beauty Firecracker (06) (LE, $49.00) is similar. Dior Trafalgar (844) (P, $34.00) is a touch more matte, darker.Urban Decay Bang (P, $22.00) is similar. Maybelline Orange Edge (LE, $7.49) is similar. Buxom Rogue (P, $21.00) is similar. Inglot #103 Lipstick Cream (P, $12.00) is similar. See comparison swatches / view dupes.

NARS Annabella Audacious Lipstick ($32.00 for 0.14 oz.) is described as a “poppy red.” It’s a brightened, warm-toned red with a soft sheen. It had fully opaque color coverage in a single stroke, and the color went on evenly with a smooth result. It lasted for six hours and left a stain behind. I found it very slightly drying over time. NARS Carmen (P, $32.00) is a smidgen darker. Bite Beauty Grandifolia (LE, $28.00) is more matte, darker. Revlon Provocateur (135) (P, $8.99) is less warm-toned. Anna Sui Minnie Mouse (01) (LE) is cooler-toned. NARS Future Red (LE, $26.00) is redder. Maybelline Infra-red (LE, $7.49) is darker. Giorgio Armani #402 (P, $32.00) is similar. See comparison swatches / view dupes.

NARS Rita Audacious Lipstick ($32.00 for 0.14 oz.) is described as a “scarlet.” It’s a medium-dark, neutral-to-warm-toned red with a semi-matte finish. It had rich, opaque pigmentation, but the consistency was thicker and a little drier compared to other shades in the range, which is noticeable with the more matte finish that this shade has applied. The color wore well for six and a half hours, but it was noticeably drying towards the end. Estee Lauder Emotional (140) (P, $30.00) is browner. MAC True Love’s Kiss (LE, $16.00) is glossier. Fyrinnae Winter Romance (P, $7.00) is darker. Tom Ford Beauty Rouge Fatal (LE, $50.00) is warmer. Marc Jacobs Beauty Showstopper (134) (P, $30.00) is warmer. Urban Decay F-Bomb (P, $22.00) is more matte. Maybelline Infra-red (LE, $7.49) is glossier, brighter. MAC Red Racer (LE, $16.00) is cooler-toned. See comparison swatches / view dupes.

NARS Marlene Audacious Lipstick ($32.00 for 0.14 oz.) is described as a “red brick.” It’s a brightened, muted orange-red with warm undertones and a glossy sheen. It was an extremely pigmented formula that had a slightly thicker consistency, but it didn’t have too much slip, so it wore well for five and a half hours and was neither drying nor hydrating over time. NARS Carmen (P, $32.00) is brighter, redder. Marc Jacobs Beauty Showstopper (134) (P, $30.00) is darker. See comparison swatches / view dupes.

NARS Olivia Audacious Lipstick ($32.00 for 0.14 oz.) is described as a “garnet.” It’s a deepened, medium-dark red with warm, brown undertones and a satin finish. It had mostly opaque color coverage that went on easily and smoothly. This shade feathered very slightly on me after five hours of wear, though it lasted closer to six in all. It was neither drying nor hydrating. NARS Sandra (P, $32.00) is browner, lighter, more muted. NARS Jeanne (P, $32.00) is glossier, darker. MAC Hearts Aflame (LE, $16.00) is more matte. MAC Studded Kiss (LE, $16.00) is more matte, darker. NARS Majella (P, $25.00) is less warm-toned. MAC Extended Play (DC, $18.00) is darker. MAC Deeply Adored (LE, $16.00) is slightly cooler-toned. See comparison swatches / view dupes.

See more photos & swatches!

NARS Lana Audacious Lipstick
NARS Lana Audacious Lipstick

NARS Lana Audacious Lipstick
NARS Lana Audacious Lipstick

NARS Lana Audacious Lipstick
NARS Lana Audacious Lipstick

NARS Lana Audacious Lipstick
NARS Lana Audacious Lipstick

NARS Lana Audacious Lipstick
NARS Lana Audacious Lipstick

NARS Lana Audacious Lipstick
NARS Lana Audacious Lipstick

NARS Annabella Audacious Lipstick
NARS Annabella Audacious Lipstick

NARS Annabella Audacious Lipstick
NARS Annabella Audacious Lipstick

NARS Annabella Audacious Lipstick
NARS Annabella Audacious Lipstick

NARS Annabella Audacious Lipstick
NARS Annabella Audacious Lipstick

NARS Annabella Audacious Lipstick
NARS Annabella Audacious Lipstick

NARS Annabella Audacious Lipstick
NARS Annabella Audacious Lipstick

NARS Rita Audacious Lipstick
NARS Rita Audacious Lipstick

NARS Rita Audacious Lipstick
NARS Rita Audacious Lipstick

NARS Rita Audacious Lipstick
NARS Rita Audacious Lipstick

NARS Rita Audacious Lipstick
NARS Rita Audacious Lipstick

NARS Rita Audacious Lipstick
NARS Rita Audacious Lipstick

NARS Rita Audacious Lipstick
NARS Rita Audacious Lipstick

NARS Marlene Audacious Lipstick
NARS Marlene Audacious Lipstick

NARS Marlene Audacious Lipstick
NARS Marlene Audacious Lipstick

NARS Marlene Audacious Lipstick
NARS Marlene Audacious Lipstick

NARS Marlene Audacious Lipstick
NARS Marlene Audacious Lipstick

NARS Marlene Audacious Lipstick
NARS Marlene Audacious Lipstick

NARS Marlene Audacious Lipstick
NARS Marlene Audacious Lipstick

NARS Olivia Audacious Lipstick
NARS Olivia Audacious Lipstick

NARS Olivia Audacious Lipstick
NARS Olivia Audacious Lipstick

NARS Olivia Audacious Lipstick
NARS Olivia Audacious Lipstick

NARS Olivia Audacious Lipstick
NARS Olivia Audacious Lipstick

NARS Olivia Audacious Lipstick
NARS Olivia Audacious Lipstick

NARS Olivia Audacious Lipstick
NARS Olivia Audacious Lipstick

Makeup Look
On face:
  • Giorgio Armani Maestro Foundation
  • Urban Decay Naked Loose Finishing Powder
  • MAC Sculpt Sculpting Powder
  • Tom Ford Love Lust Blush
  • Chanel Dentelle Precieuse Illuminating Powder
On eyes:
  • Urban Decay Roach Eyeliner

82 Comments

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meganlisa Avatar

Wow! These are all so beautiful and beautiful on you! Not a bad one in the batch. I got Rita and was surprised that I didn’t really have a dupe already (how can that be…I have so many reds). Do you have a favorite? Had I seen this post before I ordered I honestly don’t think I could have decided between them? Which do you think is the loveliest…if that question is possible to answer…?

Wednesday Avatar

Great full face photos which is where I can discern the differences in these lipsticks. It’s been a bit of tough sledding with these NARS offerings.. so many that run quite similar to each other. In any event, your photos are killah 🙂

I really like Rita out of this group. Not too warm, and a really gorgeous true red. I think this needs to go on this list.

Olivia can get ditched off the list as I picked up MAC Hearts Aflame which is about as warm as I want to get in a lipstick, but I’m looking forward to wearing it this fall.

Wednesday Avatar

I hear ya! It’s rather strange really. They have sooo many shades in the collection, and yet many of them are only a smidgen this or a touch that different in colour. With such a great formula, I think overall I would have expanded the colour base and reduced the number of almost dupes in the collection.

Michelle Avatar

Hmmm this is the first set of shades where I dislike them all. Not on you, you wear them well, but I just run screaming from anything with an orange understone in it. With my fair skin with pink undertones you can see why!

KJH Avatar

You know what I would love for your round-up? Replications of your full-faced picture, in groups with similar shades. I know we can go to dupes section for comparison, but so many of these read minimally different on just the lip swatch, then look more different on the full face. Regardless, they all look smashing, to briticize, on you. It’s going to be tough to whittle these down, but wowie zowie, they are NICE!

Ginny Avatar

I looked through your swatch comparisons and Marlene looks pretty similar to Lady Danger and Mac Dangerous (both of which I own). Marlene is maybe a tiny bit darker and/or a tiny bit more muted. What do you think, is it similar enough to skip? Or do you think it’s noticeably different. Trying to knock one off my list 😉

Veronica Avatar

I think Ruta will pull more neutral on us cool toned folk, but man that’s a lot of warm reds. O_0 Fairly close in shading, too. Guess they wanted the NCs to have options,haha.

Veronica Avatar

I think it has to do with the direction our undertones pull the shading. I know I usually grab an orange or brown based red if I want something more neutral – anything too blue or pink based can pull pink or fuschia on my NW skin!

Jecca Avatar

Hi Christine ;D
I was just curious if this was all of the new Amplified colours that NARS sent you to sample/swatch? When I’d gotten the email from them, it showed 40# colours…
There are blue-based reds & two around the colour of OCC’s “Hoochie”–one a shade lighter than it & the other a shade darker.
Since you do wear cool-tones, I’d love to see them before buying them (having Emergency Medicine background, I avoid makeup swatches–I mean petrie dishes–in the stores/counters b/c I’ve been a 1st person witness to multiple “assaults” on the samples)… Eeek! o_O HahHaa
Thanks ahead of time,
Jecca 🙂

Rach Avatar

It’s little weird about Marlene. I mean Nars described it’s red brick, but I don’t see any brick color (brownish shade) and it just looks like muted-orange. Do you miss something? lol

Irene Avatar

I tend to prefer blue-based reds and matte finishes, but I love a lot of these! Rita is such an elegant shade, I might have to check it out. Olivia is stunning on you, but I think it might be a bit too dark and brown on my super pale skin, I bought MAC Studded Kiss because it looked so amazing on you and sadly it’s almost black on me (but thankfully looks good with a gloss on top)! I’m wishing there was a blue toned red in the range, though, I’m truly surprised they didn’t make any, especially because a lot of the shades in the range are so similar to each other.

Helene Avatar

Stunning reds! I like them all so much. NARS have really done it with these lipsticks.
I will have such a hard time chosing, I’m almost scared of going to look at them. Not they have made it across to our NARS counters yet.
I guess I’m lucky to be able to, or at least think that I am, wear both warm and cool reds.
On the other hand I have yet to find a nude that suits me, and that is not for lack of trying 🙂

Sylirael Avatar

There are some really fabulous and phenomenal, pigmented colours here, but I do find myself longing for a really cool, blue red! 😉 I wish I could pull off Lana, but I’m so pale, I actually think people would run away from me because all they could see was a pair of disembodied lips, LOL! 😀

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