Pencils are where Powermatte gets precise. The High-Intensity Long-Lasting Lip Pencil is a matte pencil with up to 12 hours of staying power, made with the same Power Pigment Complex as the lipstick. Viva Las Vegas is a warm pink apricot, All Night Long is a rose brown, and Dolce Vita is a dusty rose. American Woman is a chestnut rose, Walkyrie is a burnt coral red, and Bohemian Rhapsody is an auburn brown.

NARS suggests lining with one shade and filling in with a lighter one, which is a neat way to get depth without changing lipstick. Try All Night Long as the outline with Dolce Vita in the center, or Bohemian Rhapsody around a rose brown lipstick.

The Long Lasting Matte Lip Liner is a separate, creamy, velvet matte pencil with a sharpenable wooden tip. NARS says it goes on with no skipping, tugging or feathering. Animal Instinct is a warm berry pink and Babylon Pink is a cool light pink, which gives you a warmer and a cooler pink to try under a pink lipstick. NARS says to line before or after a matching shade of your favorite lip formula.

What I would skip: a dark liner under a very light lipstick unless you blend it in. Sharp lines look severe on soft shades.

Powermatte is not the only matte lipstick around, and the others here show how different a matte can feel. Gucci Velvet Matte Lipstick in 204 Peggy Taupe is a taupe rosewood with a velvety matte finish, and the brand says it does not smudge or run. Givenchy Le Rouge Velvet Matte in N03 Chiffon Crush is a beige nude with neutral undertones and a blurring, comfortable finish.

Valentino Spike Buttery Matte Lipstick in Sienne Nude is a nude rosewood, and the brand says it gives up to 10 hours of stay-true color. Prada Monochrome Hyper Matte in B01 ARGILE is a beige brown in a refillable case. GUERLAIN Kiss Kiss Blur Matte in 134 Radiant Jasmine is a light beige with honey, and MAC M·A·Cximal Silky Matte in Taupe is a muted reddish taupe brown with up to 12 hours of wear. TOM FORD Runway Lip Stylo in Cashmere Suede is a deep tone beige with a blurred finish. Westman Atelier Lip Suede in LACKER has a hydro suede formula with hyaluronic acid and meadowfoam extract.

A pairing tip: wear one of these beige or taupe mattes with a Powermatte pencil in a shade or two deeper. The result is a nude with an outline.

What I would skip: a light beige matte with no lip prep. Flat mattes show every dry patch, so smooth your lips first.

When I choose a matte, I start with the undertone of the shade rather than the label. Rose browns like Killer Queen suit some people, warm beiges like Modern Love suit others, and reds like Too Hot To Hold are for the days I want the lipstick to do the talking. Add a pencil if you want a crisper line, and choose a taupe from Gucci or MAC if you want a softer, quieter matte. Try the shade in daylight and wear it for a few hours before you decide.