NARSxSephora Birthday Gift 2015

Like every year, I get really excited about whatever Sephora has come up with for their birthday gift. 

This year is my favorite gift since I started to become a beauty enthusiast. This time around, it’s a lip duo, including samples of the NARS Satin Lip Pencil in Rikugien and the NARS Velvet Lip Pencil in Cruella.

Rikugien is this wondrous rose pink shade. It’s not glittery, as is the downfall of many “satin” finishes, but is instead a true satin finish, adding a natural hint of shine to the lips. It’s also incredibly moisturizing. I haven’t yet used any NARS lip pencils, but this one had me instantly converted.

The second shade, Cruella, is a vibrant scarlet red that jumps out at you. It’s a matte, but it isn’t drying at all! I’m beyond impressed. This tone of red is also remarkably wearable, even if you have some apprehension about stepping out in a bright lipstick. It’s a great shade.

The only real problem with these is that they don’t twist up. You have to sharpen them, which always makes me sad. I hate sharpening beauty products. Still, free is free and this is an amazing birthday gift.

You get a ton of product in these, and the fact that they’re just a smidge less than their full-sized versions ($23 US), these are a total steal being free. Don’t forget to get yours within two weeks before or after your birthday!