His last name is synonymous with make-up mastery and his concealer has a cult following across the globe. But what makes Francoise Nars tick behind the scenes?
Here he talks founding NARS cosmetics, working in high fashion and his personal beauty routine.
What drew you to the beauty world?
I think the answer is in my family. My mother and grandmothers were very elegant, beautiful women. Maybe that was the first wake-up call: the awakening to fashion, beauty and elegance.
What’s your inspiration?
Catherine Deneuve has always been a muse. I grew up watching her films and met her much later in life. Charlotte Rampling as well. And a few Italian actresses — Claudia Cardinale, Sophia Loren and Silvana Mangano. This group of women influenced me a lot — their faces, their personalities, their charisma.
‘Orgasm’ was one of those words. It made you look twice
At the time I launched NARS, I couldn’t find the products I needed as a make-up artist. The textures weren’t right, the colours weren’t bold enough, or they just didn’t perform. So, I created exactly what I couldn’t find. It was about personality, confidence, attitude and a bit of audacity. Not trends. Not perfection.
When I created Orgasm Blush, the name came to me before the colour. I wanted names that evoked emotion — something you could feel, maybe even something that made you blush a little. Not just a description of colour. ‘Orgasm’ was one of those words. It made you look twice. But for me, it was never just about sex, it was about life. Loving life. Enjoying it fully. As for the colour, it came together almost instinctively.
One of the most unforgettable moments in my career was seeing the first lipstick prototype. Holding it in my hands, I realised my dream was becoming a reality — it was the birth of NARS.
What’s it like working with models?
I adore models. I really do. I met Iman, Jerry Hall — all those incredible girls — in the late 1970s, when I was just starting out in Paris as an assistant during the shows. Then, in the 1980s, when I moved to New York, I worked on my first covers with photographer Richard Avedon with Brooke Shields, Isabella Rossellini — they were the supermodels of that time. Later came Linda Evangelista, Naomi Campbell, Cindy Crawford, Christy Turlington … and then Kate Moss. It was a moment in fashion that can never be repeated. They had beauty, presence, but most of all, personality.
What’s your personal beauty routine?
I would say I’m low-key, but with intention. I believe in simplicity, but everything has to be right. I don’t like clutter. I prefer a few products that work beautifully. In my shower you’ll find Hermès Eau de Mandarine Ambrée body cleansing gel, Kiehl’s Amino Acid shampoo with pure coconut oil (£18.40, kiehls.co.uk), Cetaphil Gentle Cleansing antibacterial bar soap (£12.15, amazon.co.uk) and Johnson’s Baby Oil (£3.50, boots.com).
In my cabinet? NARSskin Light Reflecting Moisturizer (£58), Light Reflecting Eye & Lash Gel (£51) and Light Reflecting Restorative Night Treatment (£77, all narscosmetics.co.uk). Oh, and more than 50 bottles of fragrance.
I feel my best and most beautiful when I’m well rested. And when I’m in love. That changes everything. It shows in your face. There’s nothing more beautiful than that.
What’s your top beauty tip?
The single beauty tip that everyone should know? Use the right product and don’t use too much of it. It sounds simple, but it’s true: the more you apply, the more you cover. Start with very little, then if you need more, add more. But always keep the skin visible. Transparency is much sexier.
Who’s the one person you’d love to work with?
If I could go back in time, I would love to do Greta Garbo’s make-up. She is one of the most beautiful women of all time, and working with her would be a dream come true. And I have always admired Cate Blanchett.
What’s your go-to scent?
Am I a smell person? Absolutely! I think it would be my grandmothers’ two perfumes that evoke the most memories: Shalimar by Guerlain for one, (from £75, guerlain.com) and Detchema by Revillon for the other. These scents are part of me.
What do you think about the make-up industry right now?
Creatively, we have too much of the same in the beauty industry. It is repetition, not inspiration. Brands are chasing trends, copying each other, losing their voice in the process.
Brands are chasing trends, copying each other, losing their voice in the process
True beauty comes from imperfection, from character. It’s not flawless skin under perfect light. The world is not one face, one type, one shade. And the beauty industry must reflect that.
What’s your favourite NARS product?
If you could own only a single NARS product it should be a tube of red lipstick. Always. Nothing transforms more instantly. Even with just a white T-shirt and jeans, red lips make you look and feel extraordinary.
Also read: Makeup artists reveal the nine most iconic red lipsticks of all time
What brings you joy?
My happy place is in my childhood. In the taste of my grandmother’s chocolate mousse. In the sound of her reading La Fontaine’s fables. In the flickering light of Walt Disney films projected on the wall by my father. In the waves crashing against the beach in Biarritz, with my mother beside me. But I find it in the present too. As long as I am surrounded by beauty, it lives in both.
