NARS Xenon, Paradise Garage, Mars Velvet Lip Glide Reviews & Swatches
Xenon
NARS Xenon Velvet Lip Glide ($26.00 for 0.20 oz.) is a soft, rosy mauve with warm undertones and a cream finish. It had good color payoff in one layer, though it wasn’t quite opaque. The texture was lightweight, smooth, and gel-like–plush but not thick or heavy–and very comfortable to wear. The color was easy to apply evenly, didn’t emphasize my lip lines, and stayed on nicely for four and a half hours. The formula was moisturizing while worn from what I could tell.
FURTHER READING: Formula Overview for details on general performance and characteristics (like scent).
Top Dupes
- Jouer Rodeo (P, $17.00) is brighter, cooler (90% similar).
- Bobbi Brown Force of Nature (P, $27.00) is lighter, less pigmented (90% similar).
- NARS Pulsion (P, $26.00) is lighter (90% similar).
- Chanel Sibylla (786) (LE, $30.00) is cooler (85% similar).
- MAC Candy Box (P, $21.00) is lighter (90% similar).
- ColourPop Brandy (P, $10.00) is darker, warmer (85% similar).
- NARS Cozumel (LE, $26.00) is lighter (90% similar).
- Sydney Grace SJ (P, $10.00) is more shimmery, lighter (85% similar).
- Bobbi Brown New Romantic (P, $27.00) is lighter, less pigmented, cooler (85% similar).
- Urban Decay Flushed (P, $19.00) is lighter (85% similar).
Formula Overview
$26.00/0.2 oz. - $130.00 Per Ounce
It's supposed to be a hybrid between lipstick and lipgloss that is hydrating, richly pigmented, and comfortable to wear. They have stronger color payoff, a non-tacky consistency, and a smoothness to their consistency that is a lot like a good lipstick, while they have a plusher, thicker texture that gives lips a plumper, fuller look along with a glossy sheen that is more like a gloss.
Some of the lighter shades settled into lip lines, but it varied from shade to shade. The wear varied between three and five hours for me, which is more like a gloss than a lipstick. They develop a more “velvety” finish, which is code for “less shine” after two to three hours, and at that point, they tend to look more like a natural finish lipstick than a gloss.
I would classify the formula more as a pigmented gloss than a glossy lipstick, if I had to put it firmly in one box. The formula has a vanilla scent but had no discernible taste to me.
Browse all of our NARS Velvet Lip Glide swatches.
Ingredients
Dimethicone, Kaolin, Bis-Diglyceryl Polyacyladipate-2, Diisostearyl Malate, Hydrogenated Polyisobutene, Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Phenyl Trimethicone, Isostearyl Isostearate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Microcrystalline Wax/Cera Microcristallina/Cire Microcristalline, Vinyl Dimethicone/Methicone SilsesquioxaneCrosspolymer, Hdi/Trimethylol Hexyllactone Crosspolymer, Nylon-12, Dicalcium Phosphate, StearalkoniumBentonite, Propylene Carbonate, Ethyl Vanillin, Propylene Glycol Dicaprylate/Dicaprate, Lecithin, Silica, ArganiaSpinosa Kernel Oil, Zea Mays (Corn) Oil, Tocopherol, Orchis Mascula Flower Extract, Ascorbyl Palmitate, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Nymphaea Alba Flower Extract, Citric Acid, Tin Oxide, Tocopheryl Acetate, [+/- (May Contain): Mica, Titanium Dioxide (Ci 77891), Iron Oxides (Ci 77491), Iron Oxides (Ci 77492), Iron Oxides (Ci 77499), Blue 1 Lake (Ci 42090), Manganese Violet (Ci 77742), Red 6 (Ci 15850), Red 7 Lake (Ci 15850), 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.
Xenon
PPermanent. $26.00.
Paradise Garage
NARS Paradise Garage Velvet Lip Glide ($26.00 for 0.20 oz.) is a soft, medium mauve with subtle, warm undertones and a cream finish. The pigmentation was fantastic with opaque coverage in a single layer. The gloss felt smooth and plush without being tacky, and it sat exceptionally well on my lips and didn’t emphasize my lip lines. The product wore well for five hours and was hydrating while worn.
FURTHER READING: Formula Overview for details on general performance and characteristics (like scent).
Top Dupes
- NARS Éphélide (LE, $26.00) is lighter, brighter, cooler (85% similar).
- Urban Decay Beso (P, $20.00) is brighter, cooler (85% similar).
- MAC Anything But Demure (LE, $20.00) is lighter, more muted (80% similar).
- Becca Malibu Soleil (LE, $22.00) is lighter, brighter (80% similar).
- NARS Night Together (LE, $26.00) is lighter, warmer (80% similar).
- Urban Decay Backtalk (P, $20.00) is lighter (80% similar).
- Marc Jacobs Beauty Make Me (340) (P, $29.00) (80% similar).
Formula Overview
$26.00/0.2 oz. - $130.00 Per Ounce
It's supposed to be a hybrid between lipstick and lipgloss that is hydrating, richly pigmented, and comfortable to wear. They have stronger color payoff, a non-tacky consistency, and a smoothness to their consistency that is a lot like a good lipstick, while they have a plusher, thicker texture that gives lips a plumper, fuller look along with a glossy sheen that is more like a gloss.
Some of the lighter shades settled into lip lines, but it varied from shade to shade. The wear varied between three and five hours for me, which is more like a gloss than a lipstick. They develop a more “velvety” finish, which is code for “less shine” after two to three hours, and at that point, they tend to look more like a natural finish lipstick than a gloss.
I would classify the formula more as a pigmented gloss than a glossy lipstick, if I had to put it firmly in one box. The formula has a vanilla scent but had no discernible taste to me.
Browse all of our NARS Velvet Lip Glide swatches.
Ingredients
Dimethicone, Kaolin, Bis-Diglyceryl Polyacyladipate-2, Diisostearyl Malate, Hydrogenated Polyisobutene, Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Phenyl Trimethicone, Isostearyl Isostearate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Microcrystalline Wax/Cera Microcristallina/Cire Microcristalline, Vinyl Dimethicone/Methicone SilsesquioxaneCrosspolymer, Hdi/Trimethylol Hexyllactone Crosspolymer, Nylon-12, Dicalcium Phosphate, StearalkoniumBentonite, Propylene Carbonate, Ethyl Vanillin, Propylene Glycol Dicaprylate/Dicaprate, Lecithin, Silica, ArganiaSpinosa Kernel Oil, Zea Mays (Corn) Oil, Tocopherol, Orchis Mascula Flower Extract, Ascorbyl Palmitate, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Nymphaea Alba Flower Extract, Citric Acid, Tin Oxide, Tocopheryl Acetate, [+/- (May Contain): Mica, Titanium Dioxide (Ci 77891), Iron Oxides (Ci 77491), Iron Oxides (Ci 77492), Iron Oxides (Ci 77499), Blue 1 Lake (Ci 42090), Manganese Violet (Ci 77742), Red 6 (Ci 15850), Red 7 Lake (Ci 15850), 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.
Paradise Garage
PPermanent. $26.00.
Mars
NARS Mars Velvet Lip Glide ($26.00 for 0.20 oz.) is a plummy brown with subtle, warm undertones and a cream finish. It had good color coverage, though not quite opaque, that went on evenly and smoothly across my lips. The texture was plush, gel-like, and non-tacky, and it did a good job of smoothing over my lip lines, too. This shade lasted well for five hours and was hydrating.
FURTHER READING: Formula Overview for details on general performance and characteristics (like scent).
Top Dupes
- MAC Fab Tested (LE, $20.00) is lighter, warmer (90% similar).
- MAC Chestnut (P, $21.00) is cooler (95% similar).
- MAC Bittersweet Me (P, $21.00) is lighter, more muted (90% similar).
- ColourPop San Clemente (P, $8.00) is less shimmery, brighter (90% similar).
- Bite Beauty French Press (LE, $22.00) is warmer (90% similar).
- Urban Decay Shadowheart (DC, $26.00) is more shimmery, lighter, warmer (85% similar).
- Makeup by Mario Mocha Raisin (P, $24.00) is less shimmery, lighter, cooler (85% similar).
- MAC King Pin (LE, $20.00) is darker (85% similar).
- Marc Jacobs Beauty Work It (342) (P, $29.00) is less shimmery, lighter, cooler (85% similar).
- ColourPop La Vida Mocha (LE, $10.00) is less shimmery, lighter, warmer (80% similar).
Formula Overview
$26.00/0.2 oz. - $130.00 Per Ounce
It's supposed to be a hybrid between lipstick and lipgloss that is hydrating, richly pigmented, and comfortable to wear. They have stronger color payoff, a non-tacky consistency, and a smoothness to their consistency that is a lot like a good lipstick, while they have a plusher, thicker texture that gives lips a plumper, fuller look along with a glossy sheen that is more like a gloss.
Some of the lighter shades settled into lip lines, but it varied from shade to shade. The wear varied between three and five hours for me, which is more like a gloss than a lipstick. They develop a more “velvety” finish, which is code for “less shine” after two to three hours, and at that point, they tend to look more like a natural finish lipstick than a gloss.
I would classify the formula more as a pigmented gloss than a glossy lipstick, if I had to put it firmly in one box. The formula has a vanilla scent but had no discernible taste to me.
Browse all of our NARS Velvet Lip Glide swatches.
Ingredients
Dimethicone, Kaolin, Bis-Diglyceryl Polyacyladipate-2, Diisostearyl Malate, Hydrogenated Polyisobutene, Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Phenyl Trimethicone, Isostearyl Isostearate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Microcrystalline Wax/Cera Microcristallina/Cire Microcristalline, Vinyl Dimethicone/Methicone SilsesquioxaneCrosspolymer, Hdi/Trimethylol Hexyllactone Crosspolymer, Nylon-12, Dicalcium Phosphate, StearalkoniumBentonite, Propylene Carbonate, Ethyl Vanillin, Propylene Glycol Dicaprylate/Dicaprate, Lecithin, Silica, ArganiaSpinosa Kernel Oil, Zea Mays (Corn) Oil, Tocopherol, Orchis Mascula Flower Extract, Ascorbyl Palmitate, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Nymphaea Alba Flower Extract, Citric Acid, Tin Oxide, Tocopheryl Acetate, [+/- (May Contain): Mica, Titanium Dioxide (Ci 77891), Iron Oxides (Ci 77491), Iron Oxides (Ci 77492), Iron Oxides (Ci 77499), Blue 1 Lake (Ci 42090), Manganese Violet (Ci 77742), Red 6 (Ci 15850), Red 7 Lake (Ci 15850), 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.
Loving Xenon!!! I was just searching the site for lipgloss recommendations and clicked on this shade completely unaware that this review had just been posted moments earlier. So when I clicked to refresh the site, I was confused because Xenon was at the top and I thought it wasn’t refreshing. It took me a minute to realize what was happening! Lol!!!
Anyway, now I don’t know which lipgloss to buy as my very first one. I’m down to either Anastasia High Shine in Vintage or NARS Xenon. Leaning Xenon.
P.S. I went to Sephora, but they didn’t have a tester for Xenon. However, the sales assistant took one of the new ones out of the drawer and turned it into a tester for me and gave me a disposable doefoot. The shade is beautiful, a bit like MAC Twig in color, but shinier. About an hour and a half later, it had set to almost matte. Two hours into wear, it started getting a little patchy. I was so excited about this lipstick, but after trying it out, I am going to pass on it. I wish it wore on me as beautifully as it did on Christine. Oh well.
OMG, Xenon and Paradise Garage are so pretty! Putting on my wishlist
I’m surprised by how much I like MARS – it looks a lot nicer on you, Christine, than it looks in the tube or than I’d have expected.
These look AMAZING. I’ve fallen for Paradise Garage, but already have UD Beso, so I must have a thing for these types of shades!
Mars is also drawing me in with it having such a rich, chocolatey vibe going on with it!
You and me both! Give me a mauve of any tone and I’m in love. I have way too many!!
Mauve is as pink as I get, for lips anyway. Love VLGs and all of these. Glad Seraphine went to big S, so I know they aren’t are Nars exclusives. Maybe they’ll be around for the sale. Big S sometimes holds back, though.
These colors are so pretty! Xenon looks like a color I would particularly like, though I don’t know if I’d dig this formula
By the way, is there a way to search for dupes of a product except in a different formula? (ex. a bullet lipstick with the same color of xenon)
I only add dupes based on color/finish/texture, so I would never pull dupes for a glossy product using say a matte finish.
Ah ok, thanks for the response!
SUPER EYE MAKEUP!
Xenon and Paradise Garage are so beautiful! As is Mars, but it’s way too dark for me. I’ve been wanting a new pinky-nude lip gloss so I think I’ll add this one to my Sephora sale list 🙂
These look great!! Mars is my favorite of the bunch.
Quite nice all around. I love the formula!
These shades have me wishing it was fall/winter again!!