NARS G*psy & Barberella Lipsticks Reviews & Swatches

G*psy

NARS G*psy Lipstick ($26.00 for 0.12 oz.) is a brighter, medium-dark plum with stronger, warm undertones and a natural finish–glossy, lightly creamy. It had semi-opaque pigmentation, though it was part of the Sheer finish (as long as you like higher coverage, I don’t think that’s a deal-breaker). The color applied evenly and smoothly across my lips without tugging. The texture was lightweight, lightly emollient without being too slippery, and was comfortable to wear. It lasted nicely for four hours and was lightly hydrating over time.

Note: It was deeply disappointing to see this shade keep its name in the recent reformulation, as the shade range was greatly expanded with lots of new shades (and names), so it was a perfect time to update the name of this shade, rather than continuing to use a racial slur as a product name. Over the years, readers have commented and sent in emails about g*psy being a racial slur (here is an article from NOW about it), which is how I was first educated about it. I always try to take the time to share that this word can be considered hurtful to Romani people in hopes of helping share the message I’ve received from my own readership over the years.

Top Dupes

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Bobbi Brown Plum (P, $29.00) is cooler, less glossy (95% similar).
Sephora Matinee (30) (P, $8.00) is darker (90% similar).
MAC Bated Breath (P, $19.00) is darker (90% similar).
Tarte Island Life (P, $21.00) is more pigmented, cooler, less glossy (90% similar).
Tom Ford Beauty Aphrodite (P, $55.00) is cooler (90% similar).
Bobbi Brown Cranberry (P, $29.00) is darker, cooler (90% similar).
Estee Lauder Bois de Rose (P, $32.00) is lighter (90% similar).
Marc Jacobs Beauty Shush, Blush (P, $28.00) is lighter, cooler (90% similar).
Tarte Surf's Up (P, $21.00) is lighter (90% similar).
Colour Pop Cutie Fruity (P, $7.00) is lighter, cooler (90% similar).

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Formula Overview

$26.00/0.12 oz. - $216.67 Per Ounce

NARS has reformulated their core lipstick range, which now includes 72 shades across three finishes: matte, sheer, and satin. The formula is supposed to go on "smoothly and evenly with a light feel" that is "long-lasting" and "resistant to bleeding and feathering." The sheer finish has "subtle, sheer color that shines," while the satin finish has "creamy rich color" and the matte finish has "intense color with a velvety finish."

The matte finish has a very thin, featherweight feel to it, but they didn't feel clingy or too prone to dragging during application, though they were definitely a firmer texture in the tube. There was enough glide from the inclusion of dimethicone (first ingredient for the matte finish) that went on evenly, felt velvety but didn't feel as powder-like as some of the other more silicone-heavy matte lipstick formulas that have been released in the last couple of years. Most shades were pigmented and nearly opaque to opaque. The wear ranged from three to six hours with deeper, richer shades staying on a bit longer and leaving slight stains. They were comfortable to wear but felt more non-drying than particularly hydrating.

The satin finish has more slip, feels thicker (though not actually thick or heavy) compared to the matte finish, and of course, there was subtle to light shine/sheen. They applied smoothly, comfortably, and for the most part, went on evenly and didn't sink noticeably into my lip lines but there was some variance between shades. They were typically semi-opaque to opaque in coverage with four to six-hour wear that was lightly hydrating.

The sheer finish had coverage that ranged from semi-sheer to true medium coverage but most had some translucency to them, which gave them a sheerer finish. I found most of the shades I tried were buildable to some degree. The texture was a bit firmer, but they felt more emollient and "melted" a bit more against my lips than I recall the original line of lipsticks doing. Some shades applied well with even application and were flattering on, but there were a few that sank more noticeably into my lip lines. This finish tended to wear between three and five hours.

I don't have many of NARS' original lipsticks in my stash (I have mostly Audacious as they haven't been releasing many in the core range) to compare to. The matte finish was definitely thinner, more matte, and had a velvetier look on lips compared to the original which had a subtle sheen to it. The satin finish seemed a bit more pigmented and not quite as luminous/glossy as the previous formula, while the sheer finish was creamier, more emollient, and was easier to apply. It didn't feel like a vastly different formula, but it felt a bit easier to work with (smoother, more emollient but still lighterweight and thin, far less slip than any of the Audacious range) and was more comfortable to wear across the board for me.

I didn't notice any scent or taste, though there is "fragrance (parfum)" listed in the ingredients--it smelled neutral, not waxy but I just didn't get any scent.

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Ingredients

Hydrogenated Polyisobutene, Bis-Diglyceryl Polyacyladipate-2, Bis-Behenyl/Isostearyl/Phytosteryl Dimer Dilinoleyl Dimer Dilinoleate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Polyethylene, Triisostearin, Diisostearyl Malate, Microcrystalline Wax/Cera Microcristallina/Cire Microcristalline, Octyldodecyl Stearoyl Stearate, Pentaerythrityl Tetraisostearate, Moringa Oleifera Seed Oil, Passiflora Edulis Seed Oil, Sodium Hyaluronate, Tocopherol, Tocopheryl Acetate, Ethylhexyl Palmitate, Diethylhexyl Syringylidenemalonate, Aminobutyric Acid, Aluminum Hydroxide ·Fragrance (Parfum), Silica Dimethyl Silylate, Butylene Glycol, Hexylene Glycol, Limonene, Linalool, Phenoxyethanol, Caprylyl Glycol, [+/- ( May Contain): Titanium Dioxide (Ci 77891), Blue 1 Lake (Ci 42090), Iron Oxides (Ci 77491), Red 6 (Ci 15850), Red 7 Lake (Ci 15850)].

G*psy

Product

Pigmentation

Texture

8.5

Longevity

Application

86%

Total

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Barbarella

NARS Barbarella Lipstick ($26.00 for 0.12 oz.) is a light-medium coral with warm undertones and a natural sheen. It had semi-sheer to medium color coverage in a single layer, which applied fairly evenly but left some product to sink into my deeper lip lines. The texture was lightweight, thin without being clingy, and had enough slip to glide across my lips without dragging. It lasted well just over three and a half hours on me and was lightly hydrating over time.