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Francois Nars Spring/Summer 2000 Preview
Here is a taste of what's new for spring from Francois Nars. Nars is famous for his brilliant inventiveness, his boldness, his understanding of color, either vivid or subtle, and the integration of beauty with a totally unique and refreshing approach. I always marvel at his beautiful colors -- for the eyes, the lips, the cheeks -- all of it. His makeup looks good enough to eat.

The theme, or inspiration, for the spring line of makeup is derived from visions of sugarplum fairies, A Midsummer-Night's Dream, fairy dust, and all that sort of delightful, sparkly, glowing, happy, love magic. I have to say I really like this concept. It is charming, specific, visual, and fresh.

I hope M. Nars won't mind that I have punctuated the images of his glorious makeup with some quotes that are fairy and ethereal -- to get everyone in the right frame of mind!

 First, for the body, is a Body Shimmer called Wonder Girl. It is a beautiful iridescent pearl, both warm and cool, and looks great on tanned or untanned skin. The Body Shimmer is step one in the metamorphosis from everyday girl to "beauteous spirit." The Body Shimmer also has a light, lovely, soft, herbal scent.


There is a garden in her face
Where roses and white lilies grow;
A heavenly paradise is that place
Wherein all pleasant fruits do flow.
There cherries grow which none may buy.
Till "cherry-ripe" themselves do cry.

                   Thomas Campion, Fourth Book of Airs

 

Next, for the cheeks (but this powder could be used on the eyes, or all over the face), is a soft shimmery peach/apricot blush called Orgasm. Need we say more? This shade will give you that afterglow look even if you didn't get any.


Her angel's face
As the great eye of heaven shined bright,
And made a sunshine in the shady place.

                      Edmund Spenser, The Faerie Queene

For the lips, two scrumptious shades. The pink shade is called Venice (where I went on my honeymoon, as I mentioned in my letter). This is a lovely color, and it goes on very pale, baby pink, with a little shimmer. The silvery warm beige shade is Moonstruck (like the movie!), and goes on pearly, warm and opalescent -- a good companion to the Wonder Girl Body Shimmer. I also think you could use Moonstruck on the eyes, brows, and so on.


I know a bank whereon the wild thyme blows,
Where oxlips and the nodding violet grows
Quite over-canopied with luscious woodbine,
With sweet musk-rosed, and with eglantine:
There sleeps Titania some time of the night,
Lull'd in these flowers with dances and delight;
And there the snake throws her enamell'd skin,
Weed wide enough to wrap a fairy in.

 William Shakespeare, A Midsummer-Night's Dream

Also for the lips is a lip gloss -- Sweet Dreams. This is a very pretty warm peachy pink, that's got plenty of shimmer. A definite come hither wet lips look.

O! then, I see, Queen Mab hath been with
you!...
She is the fairies' midwife, and she comes
In shape no bigger than an agate stone
On the forefinger of an alderman,
Drawn with a team of little atomies...

              William Shakespeare, Romeo and Juliet

Finally the eyes, which are the mirror to the soul, we have a dual powder and an eye pencil. The dual powder compact is called Charade. On the left is a warm buff/faun color with a hint of lavender. On the right is a dusty/gray/lavender color -- a deeper hue and perfect companion to its partner. I think Charade is the new alternative to the smoky eye effect, but now it's a light, subtle, dreamy sort of smoky eye. It's a new and interesting twist on the whole smoky theme, and it's sexy and youthful.


And last is the eye pencil, Blue Lotus. Blue Lotus came out a little earlier than the rest of the line, but I have to say that this pencil is a must in one's makeup stash. I would describe the color as a deep gorgeous lapis lazuli, almost cobalt blue. The shade works perfect with the rest of the spring line, because its shade of blue has just enough purple to groove with the other colors. Blue Lotus is a mainstay in one's collection of cosmetics because it opens up the eye, draws attention to it, but not overwrought, and the blue brightens the eyes, especially the whites of the eyes.

That's all for now, my sweet sprites, from M. Nars. Stay tuned for more soon.

Nars is coming to the Web. Go to www.narscosmetics.com, enter your email address, and you will be notified when the site is complete. Nars is sold at Barney's New York and other department stores worldwide, and online at www.sephora.com.