Oh, this lipstick has a special place in my collection! Since I mentioned it in last week’s post (and I’ve been wanting to try my hand at lipstick reviews), I thought I’d “bite the bullet” (sorry, not sorry) and give her a good old-fashioned review.
This was absolutely one of those “momentous makeup moment” purchases to commemorate my acquisition of the Natasha Denona My Dream Palette (I picked up the I Need a Nude Lip Crayon that was part of the My Dream collection as well). Six months later, it still makes me giddy to use, whether I’m dipping into the accompanying palette or not!
I don’t have anything quite like it in my collection. That’s not to say this lipstick is incredibly unique (I must expand my collection to be able to verify that, oh darn), but it’s certainly unique to me in both packaging and formula.
Cost
CAD: $40 or $11.43/g
The cost per tube is the same as those from Natasha Denona’s I Need a Nude Lipstick and I Need a Rose Lipstick lines, but the cost per gram is a bit higher since you’re getting 3.5g in this tube versus 4.0g in the others.
Finish and colour payoff
Natasha Denona describes this lipstick as “full-coverage” and having a “luminous, modern finish.” I think I could see that, although I’m not honestly sure what constitutes a “modern finish” on a lipstick these days. If I were to choose my own words I’d say it has a creamy satin finish with an opaque colour payoff. Well done!
Formula description
The formula is described as having “super-soft hydration” and being “lightweight”, but I’m not exactly sure how these are supposed to translate to a lipstick. To me, it sounds like it should feel like a balm.
In any case, I agree with the hydration aspect, but I don’t consider the formula to feel lightweight. To me, it feels very “present” on the lips; grippy, even – but not in a bad way. It’s like a creamy luxurious hug for your lips.
Speaking of balms and hugs, if I understand correctly, Natasha Denona’s I Need a Nude Lipstick collection came out first and was designed to feel luxurious with a “weightless, butter-soft texture that hugs lips like a balm.” So that’s where I got that from! The line includes the shade 11NB Natasha, described as a “light cool neutral beige”.
Then the I Need a Rose Lipstick line arrived with an updated formula, described as a “gel-based lipstick that soothes & conditions lips while providing vibrant full-coverage color,” and it was appropriately described as feeling “cushiony and petal soft”.
Subsequent to all that, the My Dream Lipstick in Natasha is said to be the I Need a Nude Lipstick shade 11B Natasha, but wrapped up in her newer gel-based I Need a Rose Lipstick formula. Neat! I agree the lipstick does feel cushiony on the lips and I’ll go ahead and give it “petal-soft” as well (I just love that description). But as I mentioned, thanks to the “presence” of the lipstick on the lips, I wouldn’t classify it as a delicate feel.
Shade description
Natasha Denona describes this particular shade as “mauve pink nude,” although it is supposed to be the I Need a Nude Lipstick shade 11B Natasha, which is described as a “light cool neutral beige”. Many have reported the My Dream Lipstick running cooler than the original 11B Natasha (I don’t have the original to compare to). I imagine some variation is expected since it’s essentially the same shade in a different formula!
My take… Can I be difficult and combine the two? Seriously, I feel like the shade on me is a light, cool, neutral beigey mauvey pinky nude.
Case in point: Admittedly my photography skills are not the best, but both the lip swatches and these arm swatches were taken in natural window light. On the lips, I see less pink and more (light cool neutral) beige, whereas on my arm it looks much more like a pinky nude with perhaps a hint of mauve. So it was a bit confusing when I reached for it at one point, but I’ve now come to expect the true colour on me to be a beige nude with a hint of mauve.
Of course, the shade shifts (to my eyes, anyway) depending on the lighting and the amount of swipes I’ve got on. I know, I said the formula is opaque, and I do think it is, but the colour still builds with multiple swipes. The swatch above is one swipe on top, three swipes on the bottom.
It’s also possible this shift in colour is related to the “glistening” aspect of the formula, which gives it more dimension on the lips.
Okay, alright, in natural light and wearing one swipe, I do see a light neutral pinky-nude I suppose. The pink-ness versus beige-ness is sort of relative. If I add more swipes, I definitely start to see some beige. In dimmer light, I’d actually describe it as more taupe. Perhaps that’s the mauve coming through.
Wow, that was a lot of real estate spent just talking about the shade. The bottom line is, I’d classify it as a nude for sure, and whether it leans pinkier, beige, or mauve is probably dependent on your lighting and your skin tone.
Fragrance
Lightly vanilla-scented, which I don’t find lasts long and is therefore not too distracting. It reminds me of the vanilla scent of MAC or Charlotte Tilbury lipsticks.
Wear
I get solid wear out of this! It doesn’t fade to an obvious ring, thanks to both the formula and the shade itself.
I will say though, this is one lipstick where if you have a particularly dry lip day, despite its hydrating qualities, you may actually get a light line at the inner lip as it fades. This is the only lipstick that I own so far that I have this problem with! However, I can circumvent this issue by exfoliating first if I’m having a particularly dry lip day. If my lips are already in good condition, it’s not a problem at all.
Packaging
Gorgeous. I’m a sucker for the paint splotch pattern, and I love the colour. The case has that soft yet grippy feel, and the tube sports a lovely magnetic closure. Presently this is the most hefty tube of lipstick in my collection – she is not dainty! To me, between the texture, the pattern, and the heftiness of the casing, it feels luxurious, at least by my standards.
Similar from my collection
Shade-wise, it’s actually fairly unique to me because I don’t have a lot of shades that go from a pinky-nude to a taupey one depending on the lighting and how sheer or heavy my application is. It’s also unique formula-wise, as I think it’s probably the “huggiest” feeling lipstick in my collection.
L’Oréal Paris – Colour Riche Satin – 800 “Fairest Nude” is probably the closest lipstick I have. This shade is a touch lighter than Natasha and I don’t see taupe in it – it’s a lighter beige. If I had to differentiate the two, I’d say if Natasha were a beige with pink/mauve, then Fairest Nude would be a beige with peach. Apart from the shade, they’re both satin finishes and they are both creamy and feel a bit like a hydrating hug.
Charlotte Tilbury – Matte Revolution – “Very Victoria” kind of reminds me of Natasha on light application. You might consider this one to be “in the same family” if you are like me and see taupe in the Natasha lipstick. Very Victoria runs more taupey, so a bit darker and cooler. It’s also matte, so not comparable by finish.
Final thoughts
I’m going to go ahead and continue reaching for this lippy frequently throughout the fall, and not just when I’m reaching for the My Dream Palette. The comforting formula and color that sometimes leans taupe on me is perfect for this season, or really any time that I want my lips to feel moisturized and cared for all day. Being one of my few satin lipsticks at the moment, it’s perfect for when I’m in the mood for a nude, but I want to add some dimension to the lips.
Do you have it? How does it compare to your collection? I’d love to know!
