For anyone who was a bit sad about the loss of the OG Dolce Vita lipstick, I have been doing some investigating…
First some context of why I loved that lipstick so damned much. First of all, it was pretty much the same shade as the most pigmented part of my natural lip. My lips are naturally quite full (not as full as the Instagram beauties you see everywhere today but I remember once trying to pop a tiny pimple that had formed right on the vermillion border, and it was so painful I realised pretty quickly I would not be voluntarily letting anyone near my lips with a needle), but they often appear less full because they fade out to a very pale colour at the edges.
So, for me Nars Dolce Vita lipstick was perfect, I could swipe it on without a mirror and it would just help to make the colour of my lips look more even, but still my natural colour. It was very sheer, but buildable which made it so versatile.
I have since purchased it’s successor – Dolce Vita in the Afterglow Sensual Shine (second from bottom) and largely I am pretty happy with it. It is slightly more pigmented than the OG lipstick, and slightly more warm/peachy in tone but it the formula is quite slippy and I feel like I am going through it at a rate of knots because I’m constantly reapplying it. For context, I have been through 3 full DV lipsticks since I started wearing it in about 2010. It wasn’t the longest lasting lipstick, but it actually performed pretty well given how sheer it was. Peformance-wise the Afterglow doesnt really stack up as well.
Next, I compared it to the Luxury Lucent Lipstick in Spirited Away by Lisa Eldridge, which was kindly loaned from a friend and duly sanitised! It’s similar in texture but the Lisa Eldridge is not as sheer and that extra pigment makes it instantly a lot more noticeable on my lips. I don’t think I would be able to apply it without needing to take some care with a mirror. Its pretty though and I think if just dab it a couple of times and sheer it out with a fingertip it might end up being quite similar. I guess its just an extra step though, and I liked being able to just do a quick swipe of DV without having to fuss too much or get my fingers involved.
Finally, I found the Gucci Rouge à Lèvres Voile lipstick in 213 “Love is Better” (second from top. This has a lovely sheerness to it, and it is similar in colour although I think on me it has a slightly more cool rosy pink tone. So, it is still noticeable on my lips as being a colour that has been added to my lips, but it is still very subtle. I think with time I may grow confident enough to apply it without a mirror but for the moment in terms of pigmentation and formula, this is my favourite alternative to the OG lipstick.
My conclusions: if I want a replacement that I can swipe on without having to fuss with a mirror, the Afterglow Lip Shine is probably the one I would reach for. If I want something with a little more staying power but still has that subtle sheer finish that is easy to apply, the Gucci is my pick. Given that I now own both, I think I will end up using these is I might start my day with the Gucci and if I need to reapply on the go during the day after eating, etc, I might opt for the Nars Afterglow.
Picture legend: 4 – OG Dolce Vita Lipstick 3 – New Nars Afterglow Sensual Shine in Dolce Vita 2 – Gucci Rouge à Lèvres Voile lipstick in 213 “Love is Better” 1 – Luxuriously Lucent Lipstick in ‘Spirited Away’ by Lisa Eldridge