NARS Founder and Creative Director François Nars first launched his brand with a collection of 12 lipsticks. Now, 20 years later, we pay tribute to the humble beginnings that first started the now iconic NARS brand with the launch of The Audacious Lipstick Collection.
This new line of NARS Audacious Lipstick ($32 US/$37 CAD) is housed in a new form of packaging for NARS that is matte-black metallic with a very strong and secure magnetic closure. Modern and very much in line with the NARS image with a little added touch of luxury in honour of 20 years of Audacious Beauty.
I have been testing out 2 shades of the lineup for this NARS Audacious Lipstick review and let me tell you they live up to the claims of intense, full-coverage pigment in a single stroke. These babies are seriously impactful and transformative shades. They feel so incredible light that you forget you are wearing them (which can be dangerous with such bold colour!). The formula feels comfortable and moisturizing thanks to the nutrient rich ingredients in the formula.
There are a total of 40 shades in the collection.
CLAUDIA Cool pink
CATHERINE Sunny guava
MICHIYO Shocking pink
JULIETTE Pink coral
GRETA Wild azalea
NATALIE Flamingo
ANGELA Pink orchid
GRACE Bright pink coral
JANET Deep magenta
GERALDINE Tangerine
FANNY Rich berry
LANA Vivid orange red
VERA Bright raspberry
ANNABELLA Poppy red
CHARLOTTE Oxblood burgundy
RITA Scarlet
AUDREY Red currant
MARLENE Red brick
ANNA Smokey rose
OLIVIA Garnet
ANITA Antique rose
LESLIE Cherrywood
JANE Terracota rose
JEANNE Cherry red
BRIGITTE Nude rose
DEBORAH Chestnut
BARBARA Tan rose
BETTE Bordeaux
RAQUEL Pink beige
LIV Deep aubergine
RETAILER EXCLUSIVE SHADES:
VANESSA Mauve nude
DOMINIQUE Pink lilac
JULIE Nude pink
SILVIA Radiant orchid
MARISA Warm pink
VIVIEN Red plum
KELLY Coral hibiscus
SANDRA Rosewood
CARMEN Geranium
INGRID Merlot
I have been testing out Grace (bright pink coral) and Michiyo (shocking pink).
I just love how the NARS logo is engraved on the lipstick bullets.
Just look at the intensity of pigment of these shades. They look like they are practically glowing they are so vibrant. These shades leave a slight stain behind that is a bit uneven focusing on the exterior of the lips. I get about 3 hours wear time depending on what I’m doing.
I thought it would be fun to share with you a timeline of the history of the NARS brand. I always find it so interesting to see how a brand got started and how they expand as popularity grows.
NARS 20th Anniversary Brand Timeline | Celebrating 20 Years of Audacious Beauty
1970s
- Born and raised in the south of France, a passion for fashion and beauty draws François Nars to the Carita Makeup school in Paris, where he graduates in 1977.
1980s
- Begins work with famed makeup artist Olivier Echaudemaison and is soon noticed by the industry.
- 1984; Encouraged by then editor of American Vogue, Polly Mellon, François moves to New York City.
- Starts work with American Vogue, Harper’s Bazaar, Italian Vogue and Elle — his career skyrockets.
1990s
- Collaborates with designers including Karl Lagerfeld, Marc Jacobs, Dolce & Gabbana and Anna Sui for their runway shows.
- Advertising campaigns follow for clients such as Versace, Calvin Klein, Ralph Lauren and Barneys New York.
- 1991; Collaborates with Madonna on several videos and her infamous Sex Book.
- Creates the makeup for some of the most iconic celebrity magazine covers ever created and redefines the way women wear makeup.
- 1994; Launches a line of 12 iconic lipsticks at Barneys New York; based on overwhelming demand, he launches NARS Cosmetics.
- 1996; Photographs his first NARS campaign — realizes his talent and passion for photography.
- 1996; After a Harper’s Bazaar photo shoot with supermodel Carolyn Murphy, François creates the Multiple — the original multi-purpose stick for eyes, lips and cheeks.
- 1999; Releases the renowned book, X-RAY — a collection of his richly stylized portraits of friends, muses and inspirations.
- 1999; Orgasm Blush launches. This universally flattering shimmering peachy pink blush becomes an instant cult favorite and the best-selling blush in the world.
2000’s
- 2000: Acquires Motu Tané, an island in French Polynesia known for it’s unimaginable beauty. It becomes a limitless source of inspiration for François.
- 2000: NARS is acquired by Shiseido Cosmetics to create the ideal strategic partnership.
- 2001: Releases Makeup Your Mind — his ultimate beauty instruction manual.
- 2002: Based on his belief that “there is no good makeup without good skin” François introduces NARSskin, his complete skincare regimen.
- 2009: After a 10 year hiatus, François returns to the runway to create the look for longtime friend, Marc Jacobs. He devises 65 different makeup looks for the show.
- 2009: Releases 15×15 — a limited edition book of celebrity portraits to celebrate the 15 year anniversary of NARS.
- 2011: Releases Makeup Your Mind: Express Yourself, the sequel to his best-selling beauty manual, Makeup Your Mind. François turns the lens on real men and women as both makeup artist and photographer.
- 2011: Realizing his dream of opening a namesake boutique, François opens the first NARS flagship boutique at 413 Bleecker Street in New York City.
- 2012: NARS opens its second flagship boutique, located on famed Melrose Avenue in Los Angeles.
- 2013: Releases Faery Lands a collection of personal photographs of the landscape, culture, and the people of Motu Tané, an island off the coast of Bora Bora.
TODAY
- Today, François Nars continues to serve as the creative director and is the driving force behind the brand.
NARS 20th Anniversary Brand Fact Sheet | Celebrating 20 Years of Audacious Beauty
NARS BY THE NUMBERS (as of 6/2/14)
The Brand
- Founder and Creative Director, François Nars, launched the brand in 1994, with 12 lipsticks (Honolulu Honey, Blonde Venus, Funny Face, Heat Wave, Scarlet Empress, Trans Siberian, Morocco, Casablanca, Red Lizard, Shanghai Express, Jungle Red, Transeurope Express)
- NARS has launched over 600 products in 50 different categories
- NARS is carried in 65 retailers worldwide and 1,508 doors worldwide
- The first NARS boutique opened in 2011 at 413 Bleecker Street in New York City
- There are 12 NARS Boutiques worldwide
- The NARSissist has 152,000 Twitter followers, 1,339,656 Facebook likes, and 315,233 Instagram followers (as of 6/2/2014)
- 2 “original supermodels” have been NARS campaign models – Naomi Campbell and Linda Evangelista
- NARS has 4 International Lead Stylists, 10 US Stylists and 18 International Stylists
- François Nars owns 1 island in French Polynesia, Motu Tané, off the coast of Bora Bora
- François Nars has photographed Naomi Campbell for 2 campaigns
- 5: The number of photography books shot by François Nars
- 13: The age that François Nars began experimenting with makeup on his mother and her friends
- François Nars has been collaborating with Fabien Baron of Baron & Baron for over 20 years
- François Nars created the makeup looks for 30 different models for the 30th Anniversary issue of Italian Vogue
- 63: The number of looks François Nars created for his return to the runway at the 2009 for Marc Jacobs Fashion Show
Iconic Products
- The Multiple launched in 1996
- 380 Multiples are sold in the US every day
- In 2013, over 150,000 Multiples were sold in the US
- 1 Multiple is sold every 4 minutes in the US
- The original Orgasm blush launched in 1999
- Orgasm is the top selling shade in 5 different product categories (lip gloss, blush, multiple, nail polish, illuminator)
- Approximately 135 Orgasm products are sold every hour
The Lipsticks
- 1,237 lipsticks are sold in the United States every day
- Schiap was the number 1 selling lipstick shade worldwide in 2013
- Over 451,000 lipsticks were sold in the US in 2013
- 10 lipsticks are sold every 5 minutes in the US
- NARS has launched132 lipsticks in 4 categories since 1994
- 40: The number of shades in the Audacious Lipstick Collection
- It took 2 years to conceptualize and create the Audacious Lipstick Collection
What was your favourite tidbit you’ve learned about NARS? I loved hearing about how the Multiple came to be and how long it has been around. It is a product I have barely explored with the only one I’ve tried being the new matte Multiple.
What new Audacious lipstick are you most excited to try?
The new NARS Audacious Lipstick will be available September 1 at select NARS retailers (including Sephora, Hudson’s Bay, Holt Renfrew and Murale) and www.narscosmetics.com. Retailer Exclusive Shades available September 1 exclusively at Holt Renfrew and www.narscosmetics.com.
Product provided for my consideration. All reviews are always my own honest and unbiased opinions.
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