Hello! I want to start off by apologizing that I've been reviewing mostly MAC lipsticks for the past few beauty reviews. It wasn't intentional; I've simply been using my MAC lipsticks frequently and wanted to get reviews up for them while they're at the top of my use list.
While this lipstick is one that was part of a collection last year (so, as it is limited edition, I have no idea what the availability of it is at this point), I wanted to review it (a) because I really like this color, (b) I often look at my reviews as a kind of archive of the products that I've owned and tried, and (c) I'm waiting with great anticipation for the upcoming April collection, Playland, whose lipsticks are a majority in the amplified finish, like this one.
I remember that I found this lipstick on MAC's website by chance. I was just getting interested in nude lipsticks and I wanted to try another lipstick in their amplified finish. When I saw a set of nude lipsticks released under a collection called Nudes & Metallics, settling on "Nearly Nude" was easy.
Name: Nearly Nude
Net Wt.: 0.1 oz./ 3 g.
Price: $15 (purchased before the price increase)
Finish: Amplified (creamy, hydrating, glossy)
"Nearly Nude" is not listed on the MAC website anymore, so I had to use Google to find out what the official description was for this color: "sheer, warm pink nude." This is indeed a pink nude - that is, a pink flesh-toned color. It's thankfully dark enough to not look like concealer against my skin (which may be around NC15 or so - I've never been color-matched so take that however you'd like), though it is still a fairly light color.
Before we get to swatches, let's talk about the finish here: amplified. Of the MAC finishes, cremesheen, lustre, and amplified are my favorites.
EDITED 04/19/14: After purchasing the Playland lipsticks, I'm now noticing that the "amplified finish" - at least on MAC's site - is considered a separate finish from the "amplified creme" finish. I assumed the two were the same finish when I wrote this post, but now I'm not sure. If they are not, then I would go so far as to say that both perform equally on me, and are therefore both my top favorite finishes.
Lustre is the most comfortable, though I find that I often weigh this one and the cremesheen finish about the same. They are different, but I find that I don't prefer one over the other overall. Amplified, on the other hand, is by far the winner of the three.
Amplified, lustre, and cremesheen finish lipsticks are all creamy on the lips, but the thickness/weight of the amplified finish falls between the other two, with lustres being the thinnest/most lightweight and cremesheens being the thickest/stickiest. The amplified finish is noticeable on the lips, but it isn't sticky and it doesn't feel heavy. It is the least glossy finish of the three (though still glossier than a typical satin finish lipstick) but the most opaque. Overall, it is the most comfortable and gives great color payoff, while lasting about 4 hours.
With that being said, it is important to note that MAC uses the word sheer in their description of "Nearly Nude." The above swatch on my hand demonstrates the opacity characteristic of the amplified finish, but I do notice that on my lips, "Nearly Nude" - whether because it was intentionally designed to be sheer, or because it is a nude/light color - does allow some of my lip color to show through. Personally, this isn't a bad thing and it's one of the reasons "Nearly Nude" is so wearable for me.
Because my lip color shows through somewhat, "Nearly Nude" looks lighter and pinker on my lips than it does on my hand. As with most light colors, I sometimes need to work with the lipstick so that it doesn't cling onto dry patches of skin or pool into my many lip lines. The above lip swatch shows this problem - particularly the visibility of my lip lines.
The color does even out with time, however. Once it settles onto my lips, it looks fine. Most importantly, my lips feel soft and in complete comfort when I wear lipsticks like "Nearly Nude" that have an amplified finish. So, for me, this may actually be my favorite nude lipstick.
Overall, "Nearly Nude" is a wonderful nude for fair skin that's dark enough and has a sufficient amount of pink in it to avoid concealer lips. As an amplified finish, it's creamy, non-sticky, somewhat glossy, and moisturizing. It has a sheer quality unlike other amplified finish lipsticks I've tried, but as a nude this actually benefits the overall effect of the color.
"Nearly Nude" is a limited edition product from one of the past year's collections, so its availability at this point in time may be nonexistent. But if you like nudes, or are looking for lipsticks with soft and light earthy tones, and you happen to pass by this color, definitely check it out.
And, if you're looking to test out lipsticks from MAC and love comfort plus color, check out their amplified finish without a doubt. Anyway, I hope this review was helpful! 'Til next time. ('<>')>
~nikki
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