NARS Lipstick in Joyous Red

You know I had to have Joyous Red, released with NARS Holiday 2011 collection. I am such a sucker for NARS' lipstick formula, especially their red shades! Joyous Red is a semi-matte finish with fine gold shimmer throughout the orange-red base. It really does look warm and festive, which is very fitting for its name. On the NARS website, this is described as Amber Red, which is accurate, if ambiguous. Their lipsticks are $24 and come with .12 ounces of product. I find this to be a very comfortable formula; it isn't drying, but the product is firm enough that it doesn't slip around or smear once it's on my lip; it stays where I put it! It's also opaque enough that a thin coat is plenty, and will stay put for a few hours (which for me is average), and I can't feel it on; my lips feel like my lips, not like they're coated with anything, which is one of the reasons this is probably my favorite lipstick formula. It's just really comfortable to wear!

Basic NARS lipstick case

Joyous Red! 

Joyous Red: the lipstick bullet

Swatch of Joyous Red on the skin; enlarge to see the shimmer!

Wearing NARS Joyous Red lipstick

NARS Joyous Red Lipstick

I love this color, it's a great addition to my collection of red lip colors! It's not a vampy, in-your-face red, and I think it leans coral enough that it will be great for summer as well, even though it was released as part of a holiday collection. And I love the subtle shimmer in the semi-matte base; it adds a really nice bit of texture to an otherwise basic finish.  What do you guys think of it? Did any of you succumb to holiday collections?