Next in our brand focus: NARS! Another brand with a massive permanent range to choose favorites from, which always makes it a challenge. It was particularly frustrating to only pick a few from the Audacious lipstick range, as there are so many great shades in it! Here’s where I started to narrow down to my final top ten (at the moment!). What are your favorites from NARS?
We're here to help you make better beauty purchases that you'll enjoy and love! We recommend signing up to take advantage of personalized features like tracking products you own, viewing dupes that you already have, and more!
Here are some useful resources for you:
Curious how two shades compare to each other? Type in the shades below to get instant side-by-side swatches!
Comments that do not adhere to our comment policy may be removed. Discussion and debate are highly encouraged but we expect community members to participate respectfully. Please keep discussion on-topic, and if you have general feedback, a product review request, an off-topic question, or need technical support, please contact us!
Please help us streamline the comments' section and be more efficient: double-check the post above for more basic information like pricing, availability, and so on to make sure your question wasn't answered already. Comments alerting us to typos or small errors in the post are appreciated (!) but will typically be removed after errors are fixed (unless a response is needed).
We appreciate enthusiasm for new releases but ask readers to please hold questions regarding if/when a review will be posted as we can't commit to or guarantee product reviews. We don't want to set expectations and then disappoint readers as even products that are swatched don't always end up being reviewed due to time constraints and changes in priorities! Thank you for understanding!
We try to approve comments within 24 hours (and reply to them within 72 hours) but can sometimes get behind and appreciate your patience! 🙂 If you have general feedback, product review requests, off-topic questions, or need technical support, please contact us directly. Thank you for your patience!
Yes, I agree Anna is one of the more interesting shades and looks so vastly different on each individual depending on underlying lip colour. It’s my favourite shade in the new formula. I would have NARS Mekong; a beautiful brown for green hazel eyes and NARS Oasis blush on my must have list as well.
Oasis is nice! I debated about that one and Dolce Vita.
1. Angelica blush
2. Surabaya eyeshadow duo
3. Isolde eyeshadow duo
4. St Paul De Venice eyeshadow duo
5. Kauai eyeshadow duo
6. Grand Palais eyeshadow duo
7. Silvia Audacious Lipstick
8. Dominique Audacious Lipstick
9. Brigette Audacious Lipstick
10. I can’t decide if it’s Fanny, Jeanne, or Janet Audacious Lipstick
My go to almost-no- makeup look this year has been St Paul De Venice eyeshadow, Brigette lips, and Stilla’s Peony cream blush.
Another Audacious fan! 🙂
Surabaya + Isolde are both some of the better NARS duos!
Completely in love with the Audacious lipsticks, I have a dozen 🙂 And its really hard to pick a fave out of those, because they are all so beautiful..but I have been wearing Anita & Raquel the most.
The only NARS eyeshadow I have of theirs is Kauai, bought it because of your review, and it does not disappoint. It performs spectacularly, though I don’t wear it often because its a bit too intense for everyday (I’m pretty pale) but great to have in my collection for more dramatic looks…I love purple and gold together.
I wear their Tinted Moisturizer in Finland pretty much everyday and *love* it, but sadly its the only NARS face product I can wear because their pale shades either lean too pink or yellow/orange for me. I can pull off Finland because it blends into the skin so nicely, but their foundations and concealers are a no-go for me. Which sucks because I think the formulations are probably great (I bought and gave away 2 of their concealers) Just wish they (and more brands) would add a fair, truly NEUTRAL colour in there for us pale folks who don’t really lean either way.
Right? One week it might be this one and the next another one! So hard to narrow down with the Audacious line in the mix!
I just bought that Kauai Duo from Sephora yesterday! It’s absolutely perfect! I also love those Audacious lipsticks and the three you listed here happen to be three of my faves as well! I have about 18!
The texture of the Kauai duo is SOOOO great!
I actually don’t have any of these – I’m tempted by the nail polish and eyeshadow duo! Vivian and Kelly look gorgeous on you too.
My picks would be:
Radiant Creamy Concealer in Ginger – one of my holy grail staples, this is actually my go-to eyeshadow base – corrects my dark eyelids to match my skintone, eyeshadows go on smoothly and pigmented and last without fading until I take them off… I just love it.
Nars Audrey Lipstick
Nars Gina Blush
Nars Dragon Girl Lip Pencil
Nars Isola Bella Lip Pencil
I like their nail polish a lot! Getting a mint cream polish right isn’t an easy feat, so for me, unusual and good enough to justify the higher price!
Yep I’ve had my share of bad streaky mint polishes! I do love illamasqua Milf though which some consider a mint (I think it’s much too yellow toned for “mint”) – it’s the kind of pastel colour I expected to be a mess but it’s perfect in 2 coats.
Oh no stop it. Vivien, Dominique and Anna are still on my wishlist. I just never have enough money
Those Audacious lipsticks are so good but wallet-breaking!
Add the Light Reflecting Powder to that list for me! It’s suh-hoooooooo good! And I’m really liking Orgasm too, been wearing it every day since I got it this week.
That’s a good powder!
I’ve only tried the Matte Lip Pencils and Satin Lip Pencils along with 2 blushes. My favorites are the Matte Lip Pencil in Walkyrie and the Blush in Mata Hari. I quite like the Matte Lip Pencil in Cruella too.
Cruella is a popular pencil!
Nars Blush in Day Dream
Nars Blush in Final Cut
Nars Blush in Gina
Nars Audacious Lipstick in Juliette
Nars Audacious Lipstick in Lana
Nars Audacious Lipstick in Greta
Nars Lip Gloss in Dolce Vita
Nars Sheer Glow Foundation
Nars Smudgeproof Eyes Primer
oh~ Lovejoy is sure look more stunning on the cheeks than in the pan,they’re look beautiful on you!
Great picks! I remember wearing Sheer Glow a ton once upon a time!
Can’t agree with a list that doesn’t include the old classics. Heat Wave! Dragon Girl! Cruella! Dolce Vita lipgloss (kinda new, I know)! And that’s not even starting on any of the eyeshadows. I think Nars just makes so much good makeup, any top ten list will fail to do it justice.
I’m not personally a big matte lip person, so this is just my list of my personal favorites 🙂
I’m so hlad you included Dolce Vita instead of Orgasm. I feel like Dolce Vita doesn’t get the attention and praise it deserves; it’s flattering on everyone I’ve ever put it on and just ao dang classic. Orgasm is nice but I feel it’s a little over-hyped and has become one of those products that people don’t want to speak out against since it does have a pretty sizeable fanbase.
I think there are wayy, wayy better options for an Orgasm-like color, IMO!
I’ve never liked the blush Orgasm for me. It looks awful on me. It’s one of those products I bought because it had been hyped so much (“everyone looks great in it”). Well actually, no. No everyone does not look great in it. Complete waste of money. I do agree though, Dolce Vita is lovely and underrated.
Orgasm works well for me, but not Dolce Vita-unless I want the “I’ve-just-walked-three-days-through-the-desert” look, which I don’t find works for me…
First of all, I would like to apologize for my misspellings and errors in my first comment; I was half-asleep and using my phone. I’m so ashamed of myself for not proofreading better.
Back to the discussion, I think Orgasm is one of those products that people flock to because it’s a very wearable color when it’s done well, and many brands have definitely done a great job with the shade, but NARS’s iteration gets pushed to the front of the line for a few reasons: A) NARS itself has gone from niche brand to power player over the last few years, in big part because their blushes are acclaimed and known for being great investments (most of the time);
B) NARS has made it a point to give ‘Orgasm’ this massive life, including it in so many palettes/sets and transferring its color to a variety of different products so you can literally wear it head-to-toe;
C) I mean come on, it’s called ‘Orgasm’. The name is just taboo enough to get a reaction but tame enough to appeal to the general public. Plus the tags pretty much write themselves: “An Orgasm looks good on everyone,” plus a few others I don’t feel comfortable sharing but I doubt NARS would have a problem with printing haha.
All in all, it’s a situation wherein the product’s legend has become so massive that it’s taken on a life of its own, even though the ‘Orgasm’ blush itself, while pretty, isn’t exactly the best NARS has to offer.
(I’m so sorry for this long-winded and convoluted reply. I love to talk. Probably too much.)
Dolce Vita blush looks like it would look lovely on my skin. Orgasm is too light for me, but I think this would be perfect. I love NARS for its bold colors.
Happy that Grace was on the shortlist! That’s my ultimate compliment getting lipstick. I keep wavering on Kauai but might have to spring for it. I’ve got green eyes, and you can never have too much gold or purple, right?
Kauai is SO nice! Have you swatched it?
I haven’t! My local Sephora never seems to have it out as a tester. Wouldn’t be the first time I’ve bought something exclusively based on online reviews and photos, though.
That’s hard with the audacious line! Absolutely in my top fave3 lipstick lines. It’s certainly the one I own the most shades from. I need Kauai! So pretty!
Right?? SO HARD!
I haven’t tried that many products from Nars but I LOVE Cordura eyeshadow duo, Tzigane Sheer lipstick, Nars Radiant Creamy Concealer, Nars Smudgeproof eyeshadow base, Nars Ashes to Ashes eyeshadow, Nars Via Veneto eye pencil, Nars Dolce Vita Blush and Nars Cruella
Smudge Proof is great! I think I need to get a new one (mine is either too old or it is almost empty, lol).
Great list! I might have to finally get Kauai, it’s in my wishlist for a looong time!
My favorites are the Radiant Creamy Concealer, Smudgeproof Eyeshadow Base, Oasis Blush, Velvet Matte Lip Pencils in Cruella and Red Square, and Pure Matte Lipstick in Terre de Feu.
Kauai is one of their best duos!
Dominique and Anna are both on my list. I don’t think I have anything quite like them in my stash. I love me some Dolce Vita though. It’s one of my favorite natural blushes
What brush do you use with Dolce Vita?
I have both lovejoy and dolce 🙂 you have great taste Christine 😉
Glad Annita was in your top 20-something? Nars post, bought it for mom on Mother’s Day. She actually wanted Dominique, hah! Next time!
Thank you, Gilbert 😀
Always another occasion to give Dominique!
This is a great list! NARS is my favorite brand, but I have yet to try a nail polish. Your pick is gorgeous. I will definitely check it out.
Here are some of my favorites:
Via veneto eye pencil
Amour and dolce vita blushes
Damage and dolce vita sheer lipsticks
Kuala Lumpur eyeshadow duo
Smudge proof eyeshadow base
Loose setting powder( crystal and color)
Radiant creamy concealer
Damage is a great lipstick!
Well, I don’t have many Nars products and haven’t tried many more so this is easier for me.
In no particular order:
1.All Day Luminous Weightless Foundation (stays matte all day, which on my skin is a really tall order.)
2. Audacious Lipstick in Grace (gorgeous coral- great for Summer!)
3. Lip Lacquer in Chelsea Girls (great everyday lip colour- a definite favourite.)
3. Audacious Lipstick in Anna (I loved this as soon as I saw it and hunted high and low to get it!)
4. Multiple in Orgasm (I just love this colour and the shimmer.)
5. Larger Than Life Lip Gloss in Paris Follies (can you tell I like coral yet?)
Five is my max since I don’t have many more Nars products and I definitely don’t have enough to do ten!
What do you use to apply ADLWF?
I use the Real Techniques Expert Face Brush. I use that with every liquid foundation I apply. I love how small and dense it is. What do you use, or rather, what would you recommend I use? I’m always up for suggestions. 🙂
I normally use the Expert Face Brush myself 🙂
Kauai is on my list, Vivien, Charlotte, and Kelly for the lips, though Liv tugs on my heartstrings too. Lhasa is my favorite NARS shadow, though I haven’t met one that I didn’t at least like. NARS TM and NARS RCC are some of my top face products of all time.
Lhasa is a pretty color!
Anna is one of my favorite lipsticks and I just bought bought Kelly on Friday! It puts a smile on my face. They both bring me much joy.
YAY! <3
I’d have to have Douceur blush and Nico highlighter on my list. Maybe Lola Lola single eyeshadow. Grand Palais eye duo. Radiant creamy concealer. Rita and Audrey audacious lipsticks (the only two I own). I actually don’t own that much Nars stuff even though I like the brand.
I love the concept of Douceur, but it’s definitely better for those lighter than me, lol!
My picks would be:
1. Kauai Eye shadow duo
2. Cleo duo
3. Deborah lipstick
4. Bette lipstick
5. Ingrid lipstick
I can’t think of any more – the lipsticks are the best.
They did a great job on the Audacious range!
Hi Christine! Great List.
My favourite Nars Blush was Douceur. It appears to have been discontinued and I’m running out. Can you or anyone else suggest a dupe or at least the shade most likely to give me that “natural” flush?
for reference I am very pale with mixed undertones (I use Nars Finland tinted moisturizer), but i tend to pull a bit warm because my hair is dyed a copper red. Because of the hair something too peachy or rosy might not work, but I don’t know.
I’d really appreciate the help!
http://www.temptalia.com/makeup-dupe-list?d=Douceur&id=111337
Hi! Try Sin. It’s comparable to an extent.. 🙂
You could check out MAC and try Blushbaby or Cubic (Cubic is sold out on the website so maybe they are phasing it out?). Also Tarte Exposed is pretty similar. Exposed is going to be slightly more pink, Blushbaby slightly more red, and Cubic is a bit lighter. I bought the Tarte one but returned it because it was too similar to Douceur when applied. I own Douceur and Blushbaby and I prefer Blushbaby. I’m also very pale with like orangish brown hair.
*light* orangish brown hair.
I love Nars & my favs are
Matte multiple in Exumas
Matte multiple in Laos
Lodhi lippy
Barbarella lippy
Niagara lippy
Grace lippy
Kelly lippy
Matte foundation
Eye shadow primer
Lodhi is a really great coral!
What little of Nars I do own, I love very much! Especially my Kauai duo!!! And while I’m probably in the minority here, I really loved my Orgasm/ Laguna duo….to death, Laguna is long gone, used the WHOLE thing! I usually use Orgasm as more of a highlight, just a bit with Nyx Pinched on cheeks.
Love the Nars Orgasm lipgloss Point Perk I got at Sephora, very moisturizing and radiant looking! Lasts quite awhile as well! When it’s gone, getting full-sized!
My “wishlist” for Nars is: Callisto Dual-Intensity Eyeshadow, with either Phoebe or Desdemona, too! Anita or Bridgette Audacious lipstick! Wish I could get away with wearing Dominique, but probably too cool-toned…oh well.
Kauai is one of their bests for sure!
Wow, such a great list! That’s so hard to do with Nars! I really like your picks and would overlap most definitely so I’ll try to have a few differences! 🙂
1. NARS Parrot Clay Eyeliner
2. NARS Kauai Eyeshadow duo
3. NARS St Paul de Vence Eyeshadow Duo
4. NARS Luminizer in Copacabana
5. NARS Matte Multiple in Siam
6. NARS Doceaur Blush/Sin Blush/Exhibit A Blush/New Order Blush
7. NARS Vahalla & Malacca Single Eyeshadows
8. NARS Audacious Lipstick in Aubrey, Charlotte, Liv, Dominique, and Fanny
9. NARS Cassepoeia Dual Intensity Eyeshadow, Dione, Desdemona, and I can’t remember the other off my head I love..
10. NARS Turkish Delight Lip Gloss
🙂 I tried. 🙂
Nice list, Lotus! 🙂
Ty but I forgot NARS Loose Crystal Transparant Setting Powder! I LOVE that stuff! <3 That is a HG! Sorry I forgot you!
For #9, could the missing eyeshadow perhaps by chance be either Callisto or Phoebe? I wonder because those are friendly to our eye color ( kaleidoscope )! 😉
Nancy!!! 😀 YES! That’s them! Phoebe.. Uuuuuuughhhg so gorgeous! Callisto? Forget about it! That’s why I was bummed with the palette and didn’t get it. 🙁 my faves sat outside! Great job! 🙂 YAY! 🙂 Thabk you, Nancy!
Both shades have been on my ever growing “wishlist” for over a year already!!! Time to buy them, me thinks!
My list:
Kauai for sure
Habanera duo
Kalahari duo
Nouveau Monde duo
Lhasa single
Subra (I agree with you on this one too, Christine
Himalia
Baalbek eye paint
the pressed setting powder (I’m away from home so can’t run upstairs to check the name or access MUA to check it)
Damage lipstick
Tinted moisturizer (I have a sample of Alaska but may actually need the lighter shade)
That’s only 9 but those are my absolute Nars faves
Subra has such a great intensity to it!
Ooops, I realized now, re-reading this, that I meant Ursa Major, not Subra (though I like Subra plenty). I was typing on my tablet, which I hate using, and couldn’t face fiddling around to find the right names of the products I couldn’t recall. Anyway, it’s Ursa Major that I really love and it’s only in the Dual Intensity Narsissist palette but Nars really should make it available as a single. There’s nothing at all like it in the Dual Intensity range yet so many of the lighter shades are awfully similar to one another.
Hahaha. I understand. I was replying to comments via mobile the last few days, and if anyone asks a question that requires looking something up, I have to save it for until I get to my desktop!
Rita Audacious Lipstick; Heat Wave lipstick is a summer staple for me; Wonder lip gloss, Hot Sand Illuminator; Snake Eyes, Ubangi, Baal Bek, and Mozambique Eye Paints; Laguna bronzer; Albatross highlighter; Luster, Deep Throat, Final Cut blushes. And their nailpolishes are amazing! Probably my favorite HE formula.
I have the Kaui e/s duo, but rarely use it. Now I may have to dig it out again! Thanks! I Love Nars
I love the Eye Paints! So glad to see someone else does, too 😀
I only discovered Baalbek thanks to you, Christine and that led to me trying Snake Eyes as well but Baalbek is my “go to” for just about every day and any look.
Yes! NARS Anna is now my everyday lipstick. I was so surprised that you only had given it a B+ because the color and formula are divine. Agree that Dominique and Vivien are gorgeous. NARS Audrey is another fave.
It’s not quite as good as they promise, but it’s a nice one 🙂
Nars is my favorite brand ever. This is going to be tough to narrow it down to ten faves.
1. Etrusque eyeshadow, omg seriously the best.
2. Wonder lipgloss
3. Sex Appeal blush
4. the radiant creaseless creamy concealer- has replaced so many complexion products for me
5. Ashes to Ashes eyeshadow
6. All things Dolce Vita 🙂
7. Galion nail polish
8. Crystal setting powder
9. Ramatuelle and Delphes eyeshadow trios
10. Grand Palais eyeshadow duo
Bonus shoutout to those hella exspensive but delicious candles. Bosphourous is everything lilac and aquatic lovers need.
I have never tried a NARS candle before!
I have the Audacious lipstick in Anita, and I love it. May have to add a few more to my collection. I also love my Nars Orgasm blush (I know a total cliche).
I like I might have to get Kauai after all the comments on how pretty it is, and it really is!
What Audacious shades do you want to add, Shelley?
1) Cordura eyeshadow duo (it’s the only duo I have…so far)
2) Nars Radiant Creamy Concealer (Holy Grail status for under eye)
3) Nars Smudgeproof eyeshadow base (expensive but worth it)
4) Nars Dolce Vita Blush (go-to everyday color for deeper skin)
5) Nars Cruella Matte Lip Pencil (great blue-tone red and easy to apply)
6) Audacious Lipstick in Anna (Mauve-y pink color that just works. My lips are pigmented so I use MAC lip pencil in half red to bring out the mauve)
7) Velvet Matte lip Pencil in Bahama (pink brown/ perfect nude)
8) Velvet Matte lip Pencil in Red Square (perfect orange)
9) Sheer Glow Foundation (Oldie but goodie and the one formula where I found an exact match rather than having to mix two…priceless)
10) Nars Taj Mahal blush (One of the most gorgeous orange blushes I have ever seen; great on deeper skin tones)
It’s awesome when you find a perfect foundation match!
It sure is! Too bad the formula is more of a fall/winter foundation due to my oily skin. I tried Sheer Matte, but I didn’t like it as much.
My top ten are:
1. African Queen Lip Liner
2. Jungle Red, Afghan Red lip stick
3. Oasis, Sin,Orgasm blushes
4. And God Created Woman palette
5. Madrague,Kalahari, Bellissima, Isolde, Alhambra, eye shadow duos
6. Casino and Laguna Bronzer
7. Jungle Red nail enamel
8.Deadly Catch Hard Wired lip stick
9. Rose Gitane, Dolce Vita, Chihuahua lip gloss
10. Club Mix Velvet lip pencil
I have more favorites, but these are what I use the most out of all my NARS. I have some of the artist’s palettes, but I seem to only use those when I travel. I have the two neutral palettes, and one has Sin blush and Casino bronzer, the other has Orgasm and Laguna bronzer. I can’t remember the names, but they were nicely coordinated.
I see you are a fan of Red ;D
I absolutely love NARS! We don’t have a Sephora here in Trinidad, so most of my shopping is done online, but I have always been super ecstatic about my NARS purchases!
I cannot pick 10….My faves so far are:
Blush- Torrid, Orgasm
Foundation- All Day Luminous Weightless and Sheer Glow (Tahoe)
Radiant Creamy Concealer
Loose Crystal Translucent Setting Powder 🙂 HG!
Larger than Life Lipgloss- Piree, Place Vendome
Dolce Vita Lipgloss
Laguna bronzer
Albatross highlighter
‘TOKYO’ Eyeshadow palette 🙂 Limited Edition… hit pan!
Dual Intensity E/S Palette
Audacious Lipsticks- Anna and Charlotte
* The LE Eyeshadow palette is NARS “Makeup your Mind’ in shade “TOKYO”
Very nice list, Trudi! I don’t remember the Toko palette!
1. Cristal Setting Powder (LOOOOOVE!!!)
2. Radiant Creamy Concealer
3. Listick in Russian Doll (Discontinued 🙁 )
4. Eyeshadow base
5. Sheer Glow Foundation
6. Blush in Sin
7. Oil Free face base
8. Ashes to Ashes single eyeshadow
9. Charade Duo Eyeshadow
10. BLKR Matte Lipstick
Hopefully they bring back Russian Doll for ya!
Silvana is one of my all time favorite blush, more than Madly, more than Luster. The way it luminous is just different than the last two, it is more refined, more glow without giving your pores some enlargement. But then, it was discontinued. WHY?
Another favorite blush of mine from NARS is Day Dream, which is a limited edition. Tell me about bad luck 🙁
Awwwww! I hope they’ll bring back Silvana!
i don’t have the ones in your list christine but with my internet makeup knowledge i’m drooling and agreeing with some of your picks haha.
I am an audacious lippie fan, they are amazing, heart and wallet breaking but amazing nonetheless. I have one, Anita and it’s one my go-to lipsticks. I wish i could get more (basically all of them domnique, kelly and julie had caught my eye for a while now haha) but the abscence of a Nars counter in my country makes it a bit difficult. Another favourite i have is the Nars Mysterious red lip pencil, i wanted Dragon Girl but it was sold out, anyway that one is a really cute red. I know this sounds mainstream but the Nars Sheer Glow, Laguna bronzer, Albatross highlighter (not as preferred as my mac soft and gentle imo but) and Orgasm blush are cute too.
nice picks, that nail polish color looks delightful!
The Audacious formula is really good, and it seems quite popular across the board!