NARS Chic Out Audacious Collection

Hot on the heels of NARS’ Powerfall 2016 Colour Collection (previously reviewed), comes the Chic Out Audacious Collection for Fall 2016, bringing new (& permanent) shades to the brand’s best-selling Audacious Lipstick range, along with a brow cream you’ll wonder how you ever did without. And Audacious Mascara which I’ve had on repeat since it launched (it’s THAT good).

Follow @ommorphia YouTube ♦ Instagram ♦ Facebook ♦ Twitter ♦ Pinterest ♦ Bloglovin’

Aya Jones for NARS Chic Out Audacious Collection

NARS Audacious Lipstick, Chic Out Collection

If you’ve yet to try NARS’ range of Audacious lipsticks, then A) you’re in the minority (for real) and B) you’re truly missing out on an amazing lippie experience. Made with a ton of nourishing ingredients along with a weightless feel, you literally get total coverage with just the first swipe — that includes the lighter shades as well. The texture glides along the lips and I swear it feels like butter; not the greasy-drippy kind, but more like velvet. Yes, it feels like velvety butter. It’s totally a thing.

NARS Audacious Lipstick swatches, Chic Out Collection

Shirley (CAN $39.00) | Red Crimson, with brick undertones (warm leaning)

Kate (CAN $39.00) | Purple Orchid, almost a dirty mauve & will suit all skin tones

Apoline (CAN $39.00) | Pink Rose, so definitely both pink AND rose perfectly combined

Stefania (CAN $39.00) | Deep Fuchsia, also probably the most wearable hot pink ever

Mona (CAN $39.00) | Mahogany, umm… maybe – but I see warm brick red (so gorgeously retro)

Black Panther Unrestricted Eyeliner Stylo, limited edition (CAN $34.00/each) | Felt liners are having a total moment right now and this brand is making it easy by giving you just 1 colour choice: black, but in true NARS fashion it’s the finish that gets tweaked. Long-lasting without any flaking or fading, they also dry relatively quickly so do work one eye at a time to avoid any swearing overload.

Black Panther Matte – more charcoal than ebony, colour saturation is much lighter than I expected although I’m really digging this effect as it’s quite different from anything else I currently have in the genre.
Black Panther Satin – with its semi-glossy finish, this is more statement making than the Matte version and with a rich pigmentation as well.

NARS Black Panther Unrestricted Eyeliner Stylo swatches, Chic Out Collection

NARS Black Moon Audacious Mascara (CAN $34.00/repromote) | As I’ve previously reviewed this shade in depth (check it out here), I won’t get into the nitty-gritty here. Suffice it to say, I have already gone through 2 tubes of it (and currently emptying a 3rd). Testament to how much I love it.

NARS Brow Defining Cream, Chic Out Collection

Show me someone’s brows, and I can tell you [approximately] which generation they’re from; sparse & over plucked? 70’s. Comma-shaped? 80’s. Today’s brows are making up for past transgressions by staying true to their nature: fuller and looking almost untouched. Naturally, if you’ve been overly zealous with the tweezers (guilty) and don’t have a snowball’s chance in hell of ever sporting a Cara-like set, there help: NARS Brow Defining Cream.

With a silky formula that won’t clump or cake upon your existing hairs, this product not only fills your brows in beautifully, but does so in a softly natural-looking way. I was initially surprised to see only 4 shades, but after a little experimenting I’ve discovered that you can not only mix & match them for a truly customized colour, but you’re able to dial the intensity up or down, all depending on how much you apply and whether you brush through it after or not. Long-lasting, sweat & humidity-proof as well (nothing worse than brow product dripping down one’s face) it stays put all day until removed. Best part? You can actually brush through your brows without ending up removing and/or disturbing the cream. Oh yes, it’s also so easy to use – no specific brow wizardry skills required.

Sonoran (CAN $29.00) – Blonde, with a good mix of both ashy & warm undertones
Tanami (CAN $29.00) – Auburn, ruddy in tone with a soft brown base
El Djouf (CAN $29.00) – Light Brown, universally wearable shade/both cool & warm
Danakil (CAN $29.00) – Dark Brown, deep yet still wearable & will keep black brows from looking too harsh

NARS Brow Defining Cream swatches, Chic Out Collection

You know what’s interesting here? Apart from the eye liners, this is a collection that doesn’t have a bunch of limited edition products to induce any hoarding frenzied behaviour, staying true to the NARS philosophy of creating wearable yet truly original makeup. The lipsticks are all amazing and even if none of the shades shown here don’t grab your fancy, there are so many more to choose from. Brows get the royal treatment with these creams and even work perfectly in tandem to accompany regular brow pencil-users like myself. I’m still working out the kinks of my eye-lining skills (so not there yet), and using a marker make it a whole lot easier, let me tell you. So I’m not sure if I can even call this a collection in the usual sense of the word, mainly because everything is just so … right, if that makes any sense, and just so totally worth checking out too.

Available now online, September 1 at all NARS counters