NARS • Velvet Matte Lip Pencil in Bettina • Lip Liners

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JulieEmmett on 4/24/2013 4:18:00 AM more reviews by JulieEmmett

Age: 36-43   Skin: Sensitive, Fair   Hair: Brunette, Straight   Eyes: Brown    

This is such a lovely colour and stays on! Makes a nice change from a super shiny glossy lip. Love it.

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carolinelovesbunnies on 2/17/2013 5:46:00 PM more reviews by carolinelovesbunnies

Age: 30-35   Skin: Sensitive, Fair   Hair: Blond   Eyes: Blue    

I really wanted to like this shade, but unfortunately, it did not work for my fair skin tone. It looked like the type of light, neutral shade that I can typically pull off, but once on the lips, it looked different. it appears darker and more muddy than expected. I ended up looking lifeless. It was too dark for the light neutral it is presumed to be. I could see this being really nice as a natural look on someone with a medium complexion.

This lip product definitely has its pros and cons. On the pros: lightweight, velvety finish, smooth, flattering matte. Cons: the cap bounces off all of the time on its own (even without bumping against anything), formula is a bit drying, product gets used up very quickly (so, you have to bring a sharpener around with you in order to reapply). I also didn't like how there's a layer of clear film that peels off of the packaging (similar to some other NARS products).

Overall, not a bad product, but the shade is rather odd in general. I would not recommend as I find it too pricey for such a basic item that will be used up too rapidly, and just to give a look of your own nude lips.

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mks1978 on 8/1/2011 3:56:00 PM more reviews by mks1978

Age: 30-35   Skin: Combination, Fair   Hair: Blond   Eyes: Green    

I love this color- I typically go with a nude or light color lip, but I use Bettina when I need a little more color.
It isn't overpowering for my fair complexion which is often a problem for me. I love the matte finish - it looks very natural and earthy.
I sometimes top it off with a gloss, but often just leave it looking matte.

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WhatWouldJaneDo on 2/24/2011 10:59:00 PM more reviews by WhatWouldJaneDo

Age: 30-35   Skin: Combination, Fair-Medium   Hair: Other   Eyes: Other    

Didn't work out for me. Colour-wise it made me look life-less.

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*TOP REVIEWER* Joseybird on 2/17/2011 6:43:00 PM more reviews by Joseybird

Age: 25-29   Skin: Other   Hair: Other   Eyes: Other    

Gorgeous, gorgeous, gorgeous!

It's a pity that many people will avoid the NARS velvet matte lip pencils because they're matte, because these blow other matte lipsticks out of the water. They glide on like silk and feel like weightless velvet on the lips. I didn't find that they emphasized my lip lines; rather, they let my natural lip texture shine though without a hint of gloss. The effect is very "natural" -- a "my lips but pinker/redder/darker/etc."

Bettina is a medium nude-pink on my pigmented lips. It's almost exactly my lip shade, and when I wear it it doesn't look like I'm wearing a lip product at all--it just makes my lips look a bit darker and even-toned.

Gals who love the "MLBB" look should definitely check this one out!

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Mblue on 12/2/2010 1:09:00 PM more reviews by Mblue

Age: 25-29   Skin: Combination, Medium, Warm   Hair: Black, Wavy, Medium   Eyes: Brown    

This is the most amazing mauvey-pink-nude colour ever! It is one of the few nude shades I have seen without any brown in it all. It is purely pink based but a muted pink with only a very slight shimmer imparted by miniscule shimer particles (you have to look very close to detect them IMO). The overall effect is matt with dimension! This is the perfect shade to use with a true black smokey eye, giving what I believe is called the sixties 'Mod' look.

The application is very smooth - this almost applies itself due to its 'gliding' consistency. This feels very good on the lips, very soft and light and not drying at all like some matt lipsticks from MAC (e.g. Velvet Teddy - great colour, too drying). It isn't the most moisturising lipstick, no, but I've had no problems with it drying my lips out or emphasising any lines and my lips can sometimes get quite dry naturally.

This is very expensive though and quite alarming as to how quickly it gets used up. I believe the formula is quite light and soft so a lot more of the product is used up than with a normal thick wax lipstick. There is also only 2.4g (0.08oz) of product as opposed to a normal 4 or 3g lipstick so you are paying a lot for not much product. Also, inevitably some product is lost when it gets sharpened away! Because of the price I've been on the lookout for a replica of the shade and could find nothing in MAC (despite spending a half hour swatching every shade at the counter!). The closest I could find to the shade itself were two lipsticks; Heather Mauve by Bobbi Brown (is more grey/brown) and Bamboo Pink by Clinique (more shimmery and frosty - which makes it look lighter than Bettina). Neither had the same luxurious matt texture though, and are just not quite the same in effect, so unless I can find something similar soon, it seems I will have to repurchase!

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happywoman28 on 6/12/2010 8:12:00 AM more reviews by happywoman28

Age: Unknown   Skin: Dry, Fair-Medium, Neutral   Hair: Blond, Wavy, Fine   Eyes: Blue    

I got this in a set along with a small Nars blush in Deep Throat and a tiny everything stick in Orgasm. I love all three of these items.

This is a nude beige-pink and is slightly hard to see on my pigmented lips but it makes them look really sexy. It's pretty much the perfect nude shade. I love the crayon idea and love how this feels going on--smooth and silky. It's fun to apply and is easy to line your lips with this and color them in. It does require some gloss so it's not so dry but still, the color is very hot and a great everyday color. Works great with the two blush shades.
I will buy more of these expensive but fun lip pencils.

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ambrnazz on 6/10/2010 3:27:00 PM more reviews by ambrnazz

Age: 19-24   Skin: Dry, Tan, Warm   Hair: Black, Wavy, Medium   Eyes: Brown    

Its my perfect nude color for my lips however I find that it does emphasize fine lines and it can be a bit drying but with a gloss over it, its beautiful. It gives me that Hilary Duff-esque nude lip that I really wanted. The cap is kinda bi polar. Sometimes it stays on, sometimes it doesn't so watch out for that. And this is a little bit on the expensive side, but I will definitely repurchase when I run out.

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*TOP REVIEWER* noname103 on 4/29/2010 11:12:00 PM more reviews by noname103

Age: 25-29   Skin: Normal, Fair-Medium   Hair: Other   Eyes: Other    

I agree with a previous reviewer who said that the color changes a lot depending on what lighting you're in. It is a smooth application, just like the name implies...a velvet matte. Unfortunately it does have a bit more shimmer than I expected or desired, but I still love it. Applied over a balm or under clear gloss it lasts for hours. I really like this though it was rather expensive. May not repurchase this shade but am already looking into a few other colors. Agree that the cap is a little flimsy and annoying, I'd prefer one that fits better.

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cheyette on 12/4/2009 10:38:00 PM more reviews by cheyette

Age: 25-29   Skin: Other, Fair, Cool   Hair: Brunette, Wavy, Fine   Eyes: Hazel    

The color is a nice pretty nude, but it gets used up so much that I don't think it will last me much longer and it's too expensive to buy another nude shade! I do like the product textures, so I would be interested in buying another darker shade instead of one that is so close to my own natural lip color. An innovative product, though. :)

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ricochet0118 on 4/29/2009 10:30:00 AM more reviews by ricochet0118

Age: 25-29   Skin: Acne-prone, Fair   Hair: Brunette   Eyes: Brown    

This is the EXACT color of my lips, so right of the bat it was pretty useless for me. However, on top of that if has a weird frosty appearance and I hated how it felt on my lips. Kinda greasy. Just not what I expected at all. Going back

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*TOP REVIEWER* miahesterly on 4/3/2008 11:32:00 AM more reviews by miahesterly

Age: 19-24   Skin: Acne-prone, Olive, Neutral   Hair: Brunette   Eyes: Black    

This is a strange product. I really wanted to love it, as I am constantly on the search for lipsticks in a thick pencil format (the best was Clinique's Chubby Stick, which is sadly discontinued), and the packaging is gorgeous - you just want to pick it up. Even though the name says it's 'matte', it has a slight frosting to it, which I thought would be at odds with the matte philosophy. The texture is gel-like and slippery, but slightly drying at the same time. And the colour - Nars describe it as a 'natural beige', but on me, it varies dramatically depending on what light it is. It can be anything from a brownish-silver to a mauve colour. It does look good in photos though, but the £16.50 price tag is a bit too much for such a small quantity, and such average effects.

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*TOP REVIEWER* muppitonastring on 2/8/2008 11:34:00 AM more reviews by muppitonastring

Age: 19-24   Skin: Combination, Olive   Hair: Brunette, Wavy, Fine   Eyes: Brown    

This is one of those colours that I want to like but there's that niggling doubt that it doesn't look as good as it should. I'm a light olive/tan NC35 with medium pink lips and this looks like a pearlescent, mid pink/mauve on me. Thing is, this has the ability to make me look slightly 90's, in the way that brown lipstick/liner does, I think because of the slightly grey cast that it gives, you know how mauve can sometimes look dirty..? And it makes no sense to me to make a matte lip pencil in a pearlescent colour, it might even have worked if the pearlescence was bronze or gold in tone but the pearl in this is silver-y. I think this might work better for pale skin tones and lip colours.

Velvet matte pencils are great if the colour is unique enough (I have and like other colours), otherwise they are poor value for money...the pencil is really short for the price (£17.50 in the UK) and the packaging is lame (the lid is hard to put on because of some weird plastic suction effect and the film of plastic on it peels so it looks really grubby, really quickly). A very weird shade on me.

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Elisabeth511 on 10/18/2007 9:49:00 PM more reviews by Elisabeth511

Age: 36-43   Skin: Oily   Hair: Blond   Eyes: Blue    

This pencil has a gorgeous silky texture that feels wonderful on your lips. This color is a gorgeous nude that can be used as a lip liner or an allover LYBB shade. It seems very neutral to me-- not warm or cool. LOVE IT!

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*TOP REVIEWER* nLkky on 7/20/2007 2:52:00 PM more reviews by nLkky

Age: 19-24   Skin: Dry, Olive   Hair: Brunette   Eyes: Brown    

Bettina is a nice light pink beige with a hint of mauve and very slight pearl. It is just a shade darker than my lips so it makes me look polished when I really don't feel like wearing color. It also is a lovely lip color to pair with a smokey eye. As with all of the Velvet matte pencils, they apply like you guessed it velvet and last forever. They can be a bit drying since they are matte, but that isn't something a little lipbalm can't fix. The price also isn't to unreasonable considering that they do last forever. Since the color is so light it may wash out women with a darker skintone, but if you are light medium definitely give this pencil a try.

My coloring: light yellow/olive MMM with dark brown hair and eyes.

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*TOP REVIEWER* mcorreia on 6/6/2007 3:29:00 PM more reviews by mcorreia

Age: 36-43   Skin: Combination, Medium, Warm   Hair: Blond, Straight, Medium   Eyes: Other    

My second from this Nars line and surely not disappointing!
No idea why the fuss around Guerlain #480 nude as a Angelina Jolie staple: in my opinion this one is much closer to what i usually see on her. It is a matte beige with noticeable mauve ashy undertones, and with unique pigments that give it a slight metalic finish.
Stays put for a long time and you may want to apply a lip balm underneath if you have dry prone lips.

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ehardwick on 5/18/2007 10:43:00 AM more reviews by ehardwick

Age: 25-29   Skin: Combination   Hair: Brown   Eyes: Brown    

Love this color! This is my second shade of the Velvet Matte Lip Pencil. I love how portable it is and how long it lasts. I also top it with a lip gloss and it looks great. It is a tad dry alone but I like it nonetheless.

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khadijah on 1/7/2007 3:16:00 PM more reviews by khadijah

Age: 19-24   Skin: Combination   Hair: Black   Eyes: Brown    

This is my first NARS Velvet Matte Lip pencil and I bought this on a whim during a GWP sale. Where have I been?!! Why has nobody told me about the awesomeness of these lip pencils????!! I thought that lipstick pencils would typically be waxy but these are soooo soft and smooth, like velvet! Rave, rave, rave.

Bettina is a pearly nude pink color, that is not flat and matte at all, despite the name. Gorgeous color and texture, it looks great with a natural look or dark brown smokey eyes.

Now I cannot wait to try it in other colors. I will not repurchase Bettina because I do not think the color itself is unique enough. I like nude pinks and there are just too many of those out there to try. My HG nude pink shade is and always be MAC Hug Me ls.

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*TOP REVIEWER* mochabear on 11/24/2006 9:09:00 PM more reviews by mochabear

Age: 30-35   Skin: Normal   Hair: Brunette   Eyes: Brown    

sorry ladies but don't flay me. this color was a "no-go" in my book. not only does it look incredibly flat on me, the texture was drying & the pencil kept breaking whenever the SA tried to sharpen it! it just looked "blah". :(

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*TOP REVIEWER* ghost on 9/13/2006 5:00:00 PM more reviews by ghost

Age: 25-29   Skin: Combination   Hair: Brown   Eyes: Hazel    

Great beiged-pink shade, perfect for pale-medium toned girls, would look ashy on dark skin. Gives a nice matte nude pink look to lips and stays on forever.

4 out of 4 people found this review helpful.     Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No