Just when I think that I’ve got the NARS philosophy pinned down, this brand comes out with yet another vision of beauty. Their latest to hit counters is the Sarah Moon x NARS Collection, a collaboration between this often-eclectic beauty brand and model-turned-fashion-photogrpaher Sarah Moon. Drawing heavily on iconic cinema for inspiration, the collection centres around a sultry red theme, a colour that’s not only absolutely perfect for the holidays but the only hue that can be at once sultry, mysterious, dangerous & sophisticated — perfectly exemplified by the three limited edition lacquers shown here.
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As this is a fairly large collection, I’ve broken it down into several posts that I’ll be showing here, in order to give each gorgeous item its proper due — stay tuned for the rest.
photo by Sarah Moon
FlonFlons (CAN $31.00) | Described as “pink red”, I see this more as a true tomato red colour, bearing a hybrid crème-jelly formula that applies in a totally self-levelling way and leaving a high-gloss finish behind. Richly pigmented, opacity is wonderful even with the first coat, without displaying any of the spring-back effect normally seen with this type of polish. Relatively non-staining, I still wouldn’t skip base coat just the same. PS: how much fun is it to say “FlonFlons”?
Coats: 2, plus top coat
NARS x Sarah Moon Nail Lacquer · FlonFlons swatch
Never Tamed (CAN $31.00) | Described as “geranium”, that’s pretty much bang-on; a brick-red hue with a blueish undertone but that will still be equally wearable against warmer skin-tones as well. Bearing a lighter version of a crème-jelly formula, it applies smoothly and winds up super glossy. Displaying the thinnest flow of the threes, opacity is excellent just the same with the final look giving off a vintage Hollywood-glam vibe — think screen siren, and you’ll get the picture. Slightly less staining than FlonFlons, I still recommend applying base coat first.
Coats: 2, plus top coat
NARS x Sarah Moon Nail Lacquer · Never Tamed swatch
La Dame En Noir (CAN $31.00) | Described as “deep burgundy”, is once again totally accurate, although there’s a look of lush port wine to this hue as well. Bearing a similar formula to Never Tamed along with similar blue undertones in the base, this shade is the epitome of sexy vampiness; think of it as the adult version of the entire group, one that positively drips with sultriness and a bit of ooh-la-la, along with being the glossiest of the trio as well.
Coats: 2, plus top coat (although the latter is only there for protection, not shine)
NARS x Sarah Moon Nail Lacquer · La Dame En Noir swatch
In my opinion, red will always be a classic and regardless of how many trendy shades pop up, I always swing back to it. Granted, none of the hues here are groundbreaking in terms of colour and if you’re anything like me, you probably already own more than your share of reds. That being said, it comes down to formulation and this time around, NARS has nailed it; not only has application improved by light years compared to past iterations, but the brush is pretty amazing too — something I’ve had issues with in the past with this brand. So if you’re looking for that perfect red to flaunt for the holidays, you’ll definitely channel your inner Marilyn or Greta with this trio.
Available at The Bay, Sephora & online
Press samples/As always, all opinions are my own
