| Because there is so little meaningful information about Nars Red Lizard online, I just went ahead and succumbed to the need for something called Red Lizard in my life. That happens a lot, because, well... there are a number of historic euphemisms, but I think we both know what madness looks like at this juncture. As fortune would have it, it's the sort of strong, balanced red that particularly tickles my underbelly and slides neatly in between the all my other pretties, proving to be unlike anything else I own. Ha ha ha; fuck you, Probability! As you can possibly see, it's not safe-for-work or casual. You're in for a big punchy whack of serious colour, so Red Lizard is probably best left in the terrarium if that's not your cup of tea. Which leads me to ponder once more why kaiju reds like this one and Nars Mascate remain so relatively obscure while people lose their minds over basic cupie shit like Dragon Girl. Though tube shots are rarely super-true or informative, Red Lizard is a bit of an exception and I loved the tasty glamour of its virgin state. They also exemplify the really strange way this shade shifts with the nature of the available light. I don't use flash, so there's no adulteration- it really does flip over from half-cherry to near-tomato. Kinky. |  |
   | < This image is representative in cool conditions. Atypically, all these shots somehow give a better idea of RL's reality than the swatches, perhaps because of the lack of comparison-confusion. The two below and below left tell the story in neutral daylight.  These were taken in the kind of afternoon sun that sends reds into orbit and leaves you with a parade of identical blown-out wat: the bane of all internet swatch hunts. But if the outdoor shots are pushing gamut, so does Red Lizard. It's hard up in your bizniz. Looking at my swatched hand indoors I'd say Nars Mascate is possibly the closest cousin if overall effect is the main criteria. While obviously not identical, they're both super-graphic, R18, somewhat elephantine and anti-wiener. Red Lizard is brighter than Mascate's wine-like murk and contains no dirty tones, no matter which way it's pulling. |
When RL's leaning cool, MAC Red is... well, you could tell they were cousins if you put them in the same room, but the latter's vibrance and mad gloss level set it apart. When RL is wearing warm, as it does in p.m/summer sunlight, I was reminded (again, obliquely rather than directly) of my beloved MAC Ruffian Red (LE)- the same sort of striking, vintage left-field sophistication. There's something in it for every complexion, or at least everyone with a taste for statement lips. If overt undertones tend to ruin red for you, this one should sort you out. Seriously- they should have called it Red Chameleon.
Red Lizard is mighty and head-turning without being dog-whistle vibrant like UD F-Bomb or Guerlain Garçonne. I get a pleasant gerinol/citrus scent on application, exactly like that of Nars Afghan Red, and little to no staining. Despite a fairly thorough opacity, it is slightly darker on the lip for me.
Don't be fooled by the apparent sheen in the swatches; if the infamous MAC Ruby Woo is 100% matte, RL scores in the low nineties once it's dried down, which leads me to my only gripe about this shade; lip-comfort. Unless my lips are in really good pliant condition and/or I prep with balm, a heavy, full-thickness application can mean I'm conscious of its presence on my mouth to the point where there's that slightly stiff, leathery sensation all matte-fiends know too well. In common with a lot of the other Nars matte stuff I own, this effect tends to settle down once you get further into the stick, so I presume it's more about solvents escaping and drying the surface during storage than the formula as a whole. It doesn't actively ravage my lips and in my opinion the slight discomfort is a fair trade for the amazing degree of tenacity Red Lizard offers. It's now my first choice 'eating red', because that bitch don't budge. Application-wise, it is moderately draggy and will challenge the novice even with a brush, and if you're chapped, flaky or self-conscious for any reason you should probably drop the $$ elsewhere.
To summarise, Nars Red Lizard kicks a lot of arse but I think that's supposed to be a secret, so don't tell anyone.
Red Lizard is mighty and head-turning without being dog-whistle vibrant like UD F-Bomb or Guerlain Garçonne. I get a pleasant gerinol/citrus scent on application, exactly like that of Nars Afghan Red, and little to no staining. Despite a fairly thorough opacity, it is slightly darker on the lip for me.
Don't be fooled by the apparent sheen in the swatches; if the infamous MAC Ruby Woo is 100% matte, RL scores in the low nineties once it's dried down, which leads me to my only gripe about this shade; lip-comfort. Unless my lips are in really good pliant condition and/or I prep with balm, a heavy, full-thickness application can mean I'm conscious of its presence on my mouth to the point where there's that slightly stiff, leathery sensation all matte-fiends know too well. In common with a lot of the other Nars matte stuff I own, this effect tends to settle down once you get further into the stick, so I presume it's more about solvents escaping and drying the surface during storage than the formula as a whole. It doesn't actively ravage my lips and in my opinion the slight discomfort is a fair trade for the amazing degree of tenacity Red Lizard offers. It's now my first choice 'eating red', because that bitch don't budge. Application-wise, it is moderately draggy and will challenge the novice even with a brush, and if you're chapped, flaky or self-conscious for any reason you should probably drop the $$ elsewhere.
To summarise, Nars Red Lizard kicks a lot of arse but I think that's supposed to be a secret, so don't tell anyone.
| (All L2R & MAC unless stated) Across the top: Studded Kiss Ruby (LE) Main group: MAC Red UD F-Bomb Nars Red Lizard Ruffian Red Guerlain Garçonne Nars Cruella Ruby Woo Nars Mascate Russian Red various natural light. |  |
(All L2R & MAC unless stated) Across the top: Studded Kiss, Ruby (LE)
Main group: MAC Red, UD F-Bomb, Nars Red Lizard, Ruffian Red, Guerlain Garçon,
Nars Cruella, Ruby Woo, Nars Mascate, Russian Red
* You might want to tilt your laptop screen to achieve the best view of these images because all-red tends to challenge resolution and screen gamut settings. Red Lizard doesn't shift warmer in the swatches to the degree that it does in the tube or on my lips.
Main group: MAC Red, UD F-Bomb, Nars Red Lizard, Ruffian Red, Guerlain Garçon,
Nars Cruella, Ruby Woo, Nars Mascate, Russian Red
* You might want to tilt your laptop screen to achieve the best view of these images because all-red tends to challenge resolution and screen gamut settings. Red Lizard doesn't shift warmer in the swatches to the degree that it does in the tube or on my lips.
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