I’d like to say it comes with the job but, the truth is, I am naturally nosey—and there’s nothing I love more than having a root around in someone else’s make-up bag. Luckily, then, as a beauty editor, I’ve had the chance to have a rummage in the make-up stashes of celebrities, make-up artists and fellow journalists, and almost without exception there is always one brand that makes an appearance: NARS. And it’s no surprise really. Make-up artist brands are always the best in my opinion—you can really tell when you have someone that understands products at the helm of a brand and François Nars really understands what makes a brilliant product. Known for their tongue-in-cheek shades names and innovative formulations, NARS continues to push the boundaries of what makes great make-up 30 years after they first launched.
But with so many iconic products in their archive, if you’re totally new to the world of NARS then it can feel like quite an overwhelming place to start browsing. Worry not—I’ve tried and tested so many products from the brand over the years, and ahead I’m sharing the eight best NARS products that I keep permanently in my make-up bag. From concealer and foundation to blusher and mascara, there’s everything that you need to create a full NARS make-up look.
1. NARS Radiant Creamy Concealer
Not only is this one of the most popular NARS products, but it’s one of the best-selling concealers in the whole of the UK. And it deserves all of the hype. Since first discovering this a few years ago, I always have a tube of this concealer in my make-up kit thanks to its incredible versatility. As someone that’s pretty much always short on sleep and also deals with regular breakouts (yes, I’m a lucky lady) I hate having to use different concealers for different things. I’m inherently lazy so I want all of my make-up to be multipurpose and effective—and this concealer is both. It has a delightfully creamy and hydrating texture that meshes seamlessly with the skin and a medium coverage that diminishes dark circles and brings down the redness on even the most persistent of blemishes. And I love the way that it leaves skin subtly luminous and velvety clear. Oftentimes I’ll just apply this over my SPF and it’s coverage enough, but it also plays nicely with foundations and base products from other brands if you want a more full-coverage finish.
2. NARS Powermatte High-Intensity Lip Pencil
I love the look of a bold lip, but don’t enjoy how high-maintenance they can be. Seriously, who has time to touch up their make-up every time they have a sip of coffee? These lip pencils are like the lazy girls approach to lipstick. They glide on with a beautiful creamy texture, but settle into a modern matte finish that doesn’t budge—in fact, it lasts up to 12 hours. While I love the look of a matte lip, I often find that they can really dry lips out, but these ones are actually super comfortable and never leave my lips feeling parched. Plus, I love the pencil format as you can get a really precise and defined lip line before filling with colour.
3. NARS Laguna Bronzing Powder
A NARS icon, it speaks to how good it is that I’m including it in my personal pick of the best NARS products as typically I’m not really one for bronzer. I’ve tried many over the years but, as someone naturally pale, I often find them far too orange and heavy or packed with shimmer and glitter. Laguna, however, is perfect. I use the lightest shade—Laguna 00 which is a very light bronze with neutral undertones—and it just makes my skin look so much healthier than it otherwise would. I use a fluffy brush to really diffuse it over my skin (I’m quite liberal with where I apply it) for a soft, naturally sun-kissed effect. Kind of like you got back from a tropical holiday a few days ago. Plus, I’d like to give a special mention to the packaging which has the most handy mirror inside the compact which makes it a handbag essential.
4. NARS Explicit Lipstick
The newest launch from NARS comes courtesy of this incredible line of lipsticks—so good that they’ve gone straight into my list of the best NARS products ever. (What can I say? NARS do lip products really well.) There are 36 shades in total with pinks, berries, corals and reds in a variety of tones and intensities, but whatever colour you opt for the result is the same—an ultra-pigmented slick of colour that feels incredibly luxurious. The formula itself is infused with rosehip seed oil and hyaluronic acid for a really moisturising texture that smoothes over lines and leaves lips plump and full. Plus, it has a unique precision tip so you can get a really sharp, sculpted lip shape. If you’re not typically a lipstick fan I’d urge you to try these as they have all of the comfort of a balm, but with the pigment of a longwear lipstick. Oh, and Incendiary—a bright orange-red, is my absolute favourite.
5. NARS Light Reflecting Foundation
These days, I tend to wear skin tints or tinted moisturisers over proper foundations—purely because most of the time I’m either working alone at home on my laptop or I’m at a park with my kids. Neither of which really call for a full face of make-up. However, there are some days when I just simply feel like looking a little more polished, and this is the foundation that fits the bill. A blend of make-up and skincare, it’s a lightweight, hydrating texture infused with algae extract and light active micro-prisms to help illuminate dull skin and boost luminosity. Plus, unlike the more sheer bases I tend to wear, this does have decent coverage. I’d say it’s medium but buildable and it means that it’s really great for times of the month when I’m dealing with hormonal breakouts and would like a little more coverage, or perhaps my dark circles have really made an appearance and need a little dialling down. Either way, this is a foundation for people that hate wearing it—light, bright and juicy.
6. NARS Afterglow Liquid Blush
While the NARS Powder Blushes are something of a cult industry product, it’s the lesser talked about liquid formulas that I really rate—especially as someone that tends to prefer a cream or liquid texture when it comes to cheek colour. No surprises that my personal favourite colour is the iconic Orgasm shade—a flattering peachy-pink with a slight golden shimmer. The beauty of these liquid formulas is that they contain sodium hyaluronate (a form of hyaluronic acid) and vegan protein so it really helps skin to look plump and healthy before we’ve even got to the colour. I love that you can use these for a really natural flush by applying just a little dot or two and blending out, or you can swipe on a few more layers for a brighter and more impactful pop of colour. The only downside is that if you’re oily like me, you might find that you want to dust on some setting powder in order to boost the longevity.
7. NARS Climax Mascara
I adore this mascara. I have short, curly lashes that are fussy when it comes to mascara formulas and wands. Usually, I skip mascara most days because I often apply it and find that it’s smudged everywhere by lunchtime or my eyes have started watering because the formula is irritating. And that’s if the brush has even managed to catch my rather stubby lashes to start with. This one has a lovely bristle brush that picks up every single lash (yes, even the teeny ones) and coats them with intensely black colour. Lashes are left lifted, full and dramatically lengthened—plus, the formula itself is conditioning so you don’t get that brittle, crispy feel. Yes, it isn’t as smudge-proof as I’d like (I have hooded eyes and lids that get greasy so I admit I have high expectations) but nothing that a little touch-up near the end of the day won’t fix. And the result is so impressive that it’s worth the extra effort for me personally.
8. NARS Light Reflecting Pressed Setting Powder
I have tried so many setting powders over the years and as someone with oily skin it’s hard to find ones that keep excess shine levels at bay without totally mattifying skin—but this one has cracked it. It contains ultra-fine mineral powders infused with glycerin and vitamin E so there’s no chance of this powder drying skin out. Instead, it leaves an almost soft filter over the skin with a subtly luminous finish. You won’t look slick or oily, but just slightly fresher and brighter. Plus, it has the added benefit of improving the longevity of any products that you’ve applied underneath and setting all that hard work in place.
