Here is a wearable red lipstick for anyone. Well, almost anyone 🙂 I seem to be on a mission to make everyone wear a red lip alongside me… and why not eh? Enough of all the nude lips – let lips be seen! 😛 Looks like a one woman crusade. But nevermind. Baby steps 😉
NARS Gipsy is under the Nars Sheer Lipstick formula, which truth to tell is not sheer at all. We don’t get NARS makeup here in Malaysia yet (at time of writing) so I had this custom purchased from the USA through a friend. The colour is pretty much as you see in the tube. A warmed browned red which is very wearable for the daytime.
NARS describes this colour as “Berry red”. I’m not sure what they were on at the time they were writing descriptions but there is no hint of berry in this lipstick at all. Its a red with brown tones and is, I believe flattering on most skintones, light and dark.
Packaging wise, the tube is tiny. It comes in a little square tube and it has that slight rubbery feel of all NARS packaging. Not quite as rubbery as the blushes though. I hope this one is not prone to melting.
I had a NARS lipstick many years ago in a colour I forget, but I hated the formula. I found it drying. I’m not sure what made me try this again. Perhaps its because this is described as “Sheer” and from experience, anything “Sheer” tends to be less drying.
In actual fact, it isn’t all that sheer. Well, as compared to all the really really sheer lipsticks we’ve been seeing lately from brands like Chanel, Dior and Guerlain. This isn’t in that category at all. I’d never call this one a “lipbalm texture” because it applies and feels just like a lipstick.
NARS Gipsy Lipstick swatch – 2 layers
The colour is quite true to the tube as you will see above. Swiped from a fresh tube, it does not swatch very evenly. But once you’ve started to use it, it is much easier to apply and it shows up better too.
Also featuring: Tsuya Tsuya BB Cream Light-Fair, Lavshuca loose powder, Canmake Cheek and Cheek Blush 02, Urban Decay 15th Anniversary Palette – Omen, Evidence, Midnight 15 on eyes (This is the full face look for the eyes in the Urban Decay post)
Apologies for the dry lips. It does not look as bad in real life 😛 But colour wise, its pretty much what you see. A red lip that does not overwhelm nor does it fight for attention with the rest of your makeup. It is a standby sort of red lipstick. Its not super glamourous, but neither is it dull. Its a good colour to perk up the complexion and I did not find it very drying on my lips.
Lasts me at least 4 hours with water and coffee and if I did not wipe it off after lunch, I’d probably get another hour or two of wear. I’m glad I revisited NARS lipsticks and I’m glad I picked Gipsy 🙂 I also picked Manhunt which is a serious RED so yeah… 😀
In a nutshell
A smooth textured pigmented lipstick that applies with a satin texture. It is not glossy nor shimmery at all. The colour on the skin is quite true to what you get in the tube. The tube is small and compact, and the lipstick applies quite easily without tugging. Gipsy is a NARS Sheer Lipstick formula but can accentuate dry lips so do exfoliate before using, or apply a lipbalm if you feel it helps.
Pros: Pigmented colour, Smooth and does not tug on the lips, Compact packaging, Gipsy is a well rounded colour
Cons: Formula can accentuate lines and flaky skin on lips, Unavailable in Malaysia at time of writing
What I think I like most about Gipsy is that it is a true red. There are no discernible orange tones in there as in many warm toned red lipsticks, and neither is there a noticeable blue or cool tone. I find that browned reds are very flattering on many people, even if they may look a little dark initially, but these colours tend to suit a wider variety of skintones.
Another nice thing about this lipstick is that I noticed it wears quite evenly. So if I chose not to wipe off my lipstick, I could blot and then swipe on a gloss or lipbalm to get a sheer hint of colour on the lips that is just as nice as is a full coloured lip. Either way, I believe you can get a lot of wear out of this, and I do think its worth giving a go if you plan to pick up a NARS lipstick 🙂
Have you tried a NARS lipstick? Do you have a favourite colour if you have? Or do you think you’d wear a shade like this one?
Paris B
What is the 30 Days of Lip Swatches project? I will be showcasing and reviewing 30 lipsticks or lip glosses in the coming days. Lip products was chosen by popular vote from the readers. You may find all 30 days of lip swatches or follow it by clicking on the Lips category.
Previously: Day 28 of 30: Estee Lauder Pure Color Lipstick in Fig
Paris, you temptress you! How am I going to resist this?? I guess I have you to thank for learning to rock red lips of any kind.
It looks lovely on you, heh heh heh. Any more Nars lippies in your stash?
I do have one more – Manhunt – which is a redder red. I figured I’d show Gipsy instead of Manhunt because Gipsy is just less scary overall 😉 Glad to know you’re rocking the red lip look 😀
I now wear red lipsticks because of you (thankyouverymuch) and I find myself looking at stronger colours these days. I had a Nars lipstick a long time ago too but I agree with you, the formula back then wasn’t as nice and I found it quite gritty and drying.
Yay! A convert! 😀 I had a strange coral shade from before and it made my lips look puckered when they weren’t. Had to toss it but the new formula does seem much much better 🙂
I just got back from the US and at the airport, I picked up this exact shade of lipstick from NARS! Such a coincidence that your post came out, justifying my buy. Heheh. Was thinking of Dolce Vita at first, but the colour seemed abit too nude-ish and I wanted something stronger and different from the lippies I already own. Have yet to wear Gipsy but am looking forward to trying it out for work. =)
Haha! Talk about serendipity! 😀 I’m so glad you picked out this colour – its gorgeous and I promise you, it’ll be good enough for work – I hope you enjoyed your trip to the US 😀
i think u need to put stronger spell on me to make me go to the side of red
Oh darn 🙁 *goes off to mix up a stronger red lip spell*
I don’t know, Paris! That shade does look a little strong for me but I’m tempted though =p
Hey you! Go down to the Nars counter and swipe it – its not as red as you might imagine 😉 But don’t pick it up if you aren’t sure or it’ll just moulder in the back of your drawer 🙂
I LOVE NARS Sheer Lipsticks, and you really tempting my to get that colour!!
Thanks to you Jamilla! I finally took a look at these and I’m liking the colours you chose too!
Never tried Nars products before…and I’m calling myself a beauty blogger these days??!! Tut, tut 😛
LOL! There are lots of brands I’ve never tried and I still call myself a beauty blogger 😉
ahhh so this is the full picture 😛 Well good for you Paris 😀 Welcome to re-discovering NARS lipsticks 😀
Haha! Quite an anti climax no? 😉
I’m still a bit scared of red lipstick, but that is a shade I could see myself wearing. It’s pretty and wearable. Thanks for the review.
You’re welcome Gio and I’m sure you’ll do very well with red lips – just have to swipe it on, smile and go! 😀
Gipsy looks beautiful on you. Your beautiful, fair skin tone was made for the high contrast of a lovely red shade. I have owned Gipsy twice in the last 10 years. The first time I managed to convince myself that it truly was a warm berry, but the second time I definitely noticed the warm brown-tinted red, as you said in your review. As for red, I am ALL ABOUT RED LIPS! I don’t understand the popularity of nude lips, so consider yourself in a two-woman show, at least. 🙂
I no longer love Gipsy on my cool skin tone, and some of the other NARS reds I have owned over the years (Kink, Mongolian Red, Shanghai Express, Scarlet Empress …) were all semi-mattes and sucked all the moisture out of my lips, so I didn’t buy a NARS lipstick for the longest time.
This summer I decided to give the sheers another try, and I am glad I did. My current favorites are the sheers in Flamenco and Manhunt. I have pretty much always worn only sheer red and deep berry or rose lipsticks, though I can’t stop myself from trying the supposed MLLB shades. Give me red lips and a natural eye any day!
Hi Zuzu’s Petals! Thank you for dropping by and thank you too for sharing your thoughts on Gipsy. I’m so glad we are now a 2 woman crusade for everyone to wear red lips instead of nude colours hehe… I ‘m glad you’re liking the Nars sheer lipstick formula too. The matte ones just don’t do the trick – I don’t get the popularity of matte lips either. And I might have to take a look at Glamenco next time – I’m loving my Manhunt lipstick too!
Hi Paris! I love NARS but I have to admit their lipsticks have never been as moisturizing as Dior/Chanel/YSL formulas. However I think this shade looks really good on you!! And you’re spot on with the description – it’s not overwhelmingly red but isn’t dull either…I think I will check this one out!!
Hi Stacey! I have to agree with you about the texture of Nars lipsticks. Dior, Chanel and YSL have them beat for the emollient quality those have compared to Nars. That said, I do think Nars Sheer lipsticks have their charm, because they are longer lasting (less emollient) and this colour at least is quite a good one – not overly bright yet not too dull. I hope you like it if you check it out 🙂
Wow. I love the colour! It looks really good on u 🙂 I’ve never tried any NARS lipstick just yet but I wud love to try this colour if I hv the chance to 🙂
Hi Rynn 🙂 Thank you! The colour might be available in other lines too but I’m not quite sure which ones would carry a similar shade – the Nars texture takes some getting used to.
I have a NARS matte lipstick. I think it’s too much if I just apply direct. But with lip balm, it is quite comfortable weightless and very pigmented. In fact, I don’t need much. Just dabs.
NARS lipsticks are somewhat unknown in comparison to MAC lipsticks which is pretty sad as NARS have AMAZING lip colours. NARS is definitely more known for its blushers than lipsticks and vice versa with MAC.
I personally have no preference for MAC lipsticks because I find them all too drying for me. I have no preference for Mac anything I guess 🙂 Nars is an amazing brand but they really have to do something about their melting packaging.