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NARS Velvet Eyeliners Reviews, Photos, Swatches (Part 1)

NARS Kaliste Velvet Liner
NARS Kaliste Velvet Liner

NARS Kaliste Velvet Liner ($24.00 for 0.04 oz.) is a deep, bluish-teal with cool undertones and a semi-matte finish. It had nice pigmentation in one stroke, which was buildable to totally opaque coverage with another pass. The texture was lightly creamy without moving around on the skin, but it didn’t tug or feel uncomfortably sharp on the lash line either. This shade stayed on well for eight hours before migrating to the outer corners noticeably. Estee Lauder Dramatic Teal (LE, $22.00) is warmer (95% similar). MAC Practice Makes Perfect (LE, $17.00) is darker (95% similar). Smashbox Baller (P, $18.00) is warmer (90% similar). Urban Decay Mainline (P, $22.00) is less pigmented, cooler (90% similar). MAC Midnight Blues (DC, $16.00) is darker, warmer (90% similar). Tom Ford Beauty Exotic Teal (LE, $35.00) is darker, warmer (90% similar). Melt Cosmetics Slate (LE, $19.00) is darker, cooler (90% similar). Estee Lauder Electric Teal (LE, $20.00) is lighter (85% similar). bareMinerals 1PM (LE, $15.00) is warmer (95% similar). See comparison swatches / view dupes side-by-side.

NARS Last Frontier Velvet Liner ($24.00 for 0.04 oz.) is a deep brown with subtle, warm undertones and a soft sheen. The color payoff was opaque in one pass, while the pencil had a creamy, glide-on texture that was a little wet and needed to dry down for a few seconds. This shade only wore for seven hours, unfortunately, making it one of the shorter-wearing shades in the range. MAC Local Wares (DC, $16.00) is more shimmery (95% similar). Urban Decay Rail (P, $20.00) is less glossy (95% similar). Urban Decay Demolition (P, $22.00) is glossier (95% similar). MAC Rich Experience (P, $20.00) is lighter, warmer (95% similar). Bobbi Brown Mahogany (P, $24.00) is darker (95% similar). NARS Last Frontier (P, $24.00) is cooler (95% similar). Urban Decay Stag (LE, $22.00) is warmer (95% similar). Melt Cosmetics Spliff (P, $19.00) is cooler, less glossy (90% similar). Fenty Beauty In Big Truffle (P, $22.00) is cooler (90% similar). Buxom Here's My Number (P, $17.00) is lighter, warmer (90% similar). Sephora Espresso Matte (P, $13.00) is cooler, less glossy (90% similar). Urban Decay Crave (DC, $22.00) is warmer (90% similar). Urban Decay Lush (P, $20.00) is lighter, less glossy (90% similar). Marc Jacobs Beauty Glitterbug (P, $24.00) is more shimmery (90% similar). Urban Decay Smokeout (LE, $22.00) is lighter, cooler (90% similar). Wayne Goss Precious Opal (P, $14.00) is lighter (90% similar). MAC Darkness of Calm (LE, $17.50) is lighter, cooler (90% similar). Marc Jacobs Beauty Express-Oh! (LE, $26.00) is lighter, warmer (90% similar). MAC Mole Brown (LE, $16.00) is lighter, less glossy (90% similar). Sephora Diving in Malaysia (18) (DC, $10.00) is darker, warmer (85% similar). Top 20 dupes listed, see the rest. See comparison swatches / view dupes side-by-side.

NARS London Velvet Liner ($24.00 for 0.04 oz.) is a medium-dark gray with a natural sheen. It had good pigmentation in one pass, which is always nice. This shade had a lot of slip, which gave it a wet-like feel going on and took awhile for it to dry down, so it did migrate into the fine lines underneath my lower lash line in the process. I was able to soften and blend the edges with a pencil brush, and then the color stayed in place for around seven hours. NABLA Cosmetics Midnight Gray (P, $18.00)(100% similar). NARS Zinc (LE, $26.00) is less glossy (95% similar). ColourPop Timber (DC, $7.00) is darker (95% similar). Fenty Beauty Bachelor Pad (P, $22.00) is darker, warmer, glossier (95% similar). Make Up For Ever M14 Matte Charcoal Grey (P, $21.00) is darker (90% similar). Urban Decay Mood (P, $20.00) is darker (90% similar). MAC Midnight Snack (P, $16.00) is lighter (90% similar). ColourPop Timber (DC, $7.00) is warmer (90% similar). Urban Decay Lure (P, $20.00) is lighter (90% similar). Sephora Stone (51) (P, $11.00) is darker, warmer (85% similar). Sephora Stone (DC, $10.00) is darker, warmer (85% similar). ColourPop Mineral Girl (LE, $7.00) is darker (80% similar). Lethal Cosmetics Entity (LE, $15.50) is lighter, cooler (80% similar). Urban Decay Smoke (P, $22.00) is darker, warmer, less glossy (80% similar). Haus Labs Charcoal Matte (P, $22.00) is lighter, warmer (80% similar). See comparison swatches / view dupes side-by-side.

NARS Mambo Velvet Liner ($24.00 for 0.04 oz.) is a medium-dark, reddish brown with warm undertones and a satin finish. It had fairly good pigmentation in one stroke, and it was buildable to full coverage with two layers. The texture was moderately creamy but didn’t take too long to dry down, so it was easy to apply and didn’t require attention after it was applied to fix any migration. This shade wore for seven and a half hours on me. ColourPop Cutest Ever (LE, $6.00) is lighter (95% similar). NARS Mambo (P, $24.00) is darker (95% similar). Stila Spice (P, $22.00) is warmer (90% similar). Natasha Denona Brown (P, $24.00) is less glossy (90% similar). NARS Sorrento (P, $26.00) is warmer, less glossy (95% similar). NARS Via de Martelli (P, $24.00) is warmer (90% similar). Make Up For Ever G*psy (LE, $19.00) is darker, less glossy (85% similar). Chanel Psyche (959) (P, $34.00) is darker, less glossy (85% similar). Make Up For Ever M60 Matte Dark Brown (P, $21.00) is darker, warmer (85% similar). ColourPop Call Me (P, $7.00) is darker (80% similar). MAC Seasonally Spicy (LE, $17.00) is warmer (85% similar). See comparison swatches / view dupes side-by-side.

FORMULA OVERVIEW | NARS Velvet Liner ($24.00 for 0.04 oz.) is supposed to be creamy, “richly pigmented,” and “softly blendable.” It’s a new, permanent formula for fall, and it is available in eight shades. They are soft enough that they don’t tug or drag on the lash line, and they don’t feel sharp either, despite being a much firmer pencil eyeliner (not waxy like a lot of popular formulas) and tended to be more pigmented in one stroke. Some shades lasted for seven hours, while some lasted closer to nine hours.

See more photos & swatches!

NARS Kaliste Velvet Liner
NARS Kaliste Velvet Liner

NARS Kaliste Velvet Liner
NARS Kaliste Velvet Liner

NARS Kaliste Velvet Liner
NARS Kaliste Velvet Liner

NARS Last Frontier Velvet Liner
NARS Last Frontier Velvet Liner

NARS Last Frontier Velvet Liner
NARS Last Frontier Velvet Liner

NARS Last Frontier Velvet Liner
NARS Last Frontier Velvet Liner

NARS London Velvet Liner
NARS London Velvet Liner

NARS London Velvet Liner
NARS London Velvet Liner

NARS London Velvet Liner
NARS London Velvet Liner

NARS Mambo Velvet Liner
NARS Mambo Velvet Liner

NARS Mambo Velvet Liner
NARS Mambo Velvet Liner

NARS Mambo Velvet Liner
NARS Mambo Velvet Liner

41 Comments

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AB Avatar

I like how Mambo reads so warm on my monitor, and since I’m in search of a very warm and medium-dark brown liner (as if Sephora’s Sly as a Fox with gravitas), it’s going on my ‘check in store’ list. The others feel more typical to me; like every brand has to have such shades as the basics.

Mo Merrell Avatar

These are nice and pigmented and looks so creamy. I can’t pay more than about $7 for a liner since I rarely use them but these would be awesome as full lip colors.

Corrine Avatar

Does London have a slight duochrome effect or is the sheen + flash tricking me? If it does, then it might be worth some extra effort to wear it, because I really like the way it looks. I hope the shade Curacao performs well in the next bunch – that’s the one I’ve really had my eye on (… no pun intended).

Deborah Avatar

I found Inglot Duraline several places – you won’t have a problem : ) Beautylish, Amazon, Inglot (of course), Macy’s, didn’t see it at Nordstrom, NM doesn’t have it – that’s all the places I looked – I am sure there are more! (These are online stores.)

Claire L Avatar

Very nice eyeliners, very wearable. I might pick up a couple, maybe London and one of the brown ones. How do you think they would do on oily lids?

Cat Avatar

I wasn’t expecting these to score as high as they did — to be pigmented, soft, and comfortable to apply. I am swimming in warm-toned eyeliner right now, but Mambo goes on the wishlist!

Hildegard Avatar

I’ll definitely be swatching these in person. I find most eyeliners either too hard or too soft, which makes it hard for me to do a tidy line, but it sounds like this formula might work for me. I’m seriously tempted to get all the colours, but Mambo is definitely going into my stash.

I wish they’d do an aubergine/dark purple eyeliner. Can’t find a decent one anywhere.

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