NARS Joyous Red Lipstick Swatches and Review - Holiday 2011

A few years ago, I tried my first NARS lipstick.  It was okay formula wise, but had this horrid plasticky smell.  Thinking that I got a bad tube or batch, I exchanged it for another.  Same problem.  Since that time I've avoided NARS lipsticks, except for the Pure Matte, which didn't smell plasticky. 

With the launch of NARS Holiday 2011 a new lipstick was introduced - Joyous Red.  Since viewing the promo photo on the official press release, I was interested.  I'd been looking for a red, that just wasn't quite red.  A brick that wasn't quite brick.  With maybe a hint of orange.  The Sephora VIB 20% off sale had me venturing into a store for a swatch and sniff fest.  I walked out happy as a lamb and one lipstick richer.

 (light swatch, heavy swatch)

Joyous Red is a demure bloody brick red. I don't have any lip balm under the lip swatch photo, so I was happy to see the lippie wasn't drying or stinky ;)  This lipstick wore as a regular lipstick would, a few hours sans eating and drinking.  I think that this shade would be wearable for just about everyone, it seemed to swatch on the cool side, but wear on the warm side.

NARS Lipsticks retail for $24 and are available at Sephora, Nordstrom, Neiman Marcus, and narscosmetics.com.  Joyous Red is Limited Edition for Holiday 2011.

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