tête-à-tête
Makeup maestro François Nars on the three items every woman needs (and the ones to toss)
Makeup guru François Nars reveals the three items every woman needs.
When it comes to reading a woman’s mind, most men are clueless. But François Nars, legendary makeup artist, photographer and founder of Nars cosmetics, is not just any man. Over the past two decades he’s created a slew of game-changing products that have become daily staples for women the world over. From ultra-flattering cheek colours to punchy lippies, Nars caters to every woman, no matter her personal style. “I’m here to give options, not rules,” he muses.
His latest collection, inspired by the Côte d’azur, is a testament to this, embracing a palette that suits both the supernatural and super-playful. “I wanted to play with the idea of a fashionable beach moment lived out through colour and little escapes,” he says. “The Lip Covers are great. They aren’t what you’d expect at the beach – nothing like a gloss – which breaks the rules, in a way. They’re rich with a bit of lustre.” YOU’VE CREATED A LONG LIST OF BESTSELLERS, BUT WHAT PRODUCT ARE YOU MOST PROUD OF?
The Audacious Lipsticks. I love the packaging, the formula, the shades.
WHAT THREE THINGS SHOULD EVERY WOMAN HAVE IN HER MAKEUP BAG?
First, a lipstick. I don’t know any woman who wouldn’t want to put something on her lips, whether it’s sheer, natural or bright. Also, a cream cheek colour such as The Multiple. It’s nice to have a bit of colour on your cheeks, especially in winter. And mascara. Even if you don’t wear a lot of makeup you can just put on a little mascara – it opens your eyes right away. WHEN IT COMES TO THE FINGERS-OR-BRUSHES DEBATE, WHERE DO YOU STAND? I was talking with the makeup artists at our Melbourne boutique and they asked what I liked best, and I said I love working with my fingers. I always have, especially to apply foundation and work with pencils on the eye – I need to touch. But you also need good brushes. I’m a professional makeup artist, so I’m more secure with my fingers, but for women, brushes are really helpful; they achieve a cleaner, more precise look. I would encourage women to buy really good brushes. That’s why we never have those tiny brushes in our packaging; I usually discarded them straightaway when I bought makeup, so from day one I never wanted to include them. You only need three brushes, as long as they are good, professional quality. WHICH THREE DO YOU RECOMMEND?
A nice flat eye shadow brush, a blush brush and a great lip brush. YOU DO A LOT OF TRAVELLING. WHAT’S ALWAYS IN YOUR PERSONAL KIT?
For myself, I definitely like fragrance – no matter what, I like to smell good. When I travel I always take a nice fragrance with me on the plane. My favourite would be Hermès Eau De Mandarine Ambrée. I’m wearing it a lot – it’s great for the plane because it’s quite fresh, and it doesn’t overwhelm. And I love Chapstick – it’s old-school. From Nars I enjoy the Aqua Gel Luminous Oil-free Moisturizer, which is great for travelling because it rehydrates the skin well; it’s very light and not greasy. Shiseido makes the best sun products. I try to be very careful and stay out of the sun. HOW DO YOU STAY INSPIRED?
My goal is to always be improving – the packaging, the products, the textures. Every day I’m working to improve, improve, improve! I want the formulas to stay better, apply easier, have richer colour – I’m always working to make my products better than before.