Nars

Nars makeup has long been lauded for its highly pigmented shades (some would say orgasmic), but now you'll be seeking the brand's revamped skin care products, too. "Light is a key element to the entire line because it plays a huge role in how healthy skin can look." François Nars told WWD. "Skin care should reflect the light and makeup should catch it."

The nine-piece NarsSkin collection ($29 to $72) will replace the limited offerings currently available. "When I launched Nars in 1994, one of my biggest goals was to also create a skin care line one day,” Nars said. "It not only aligns with my philosophy that beautiful makeup starts with beautiful skin, but also my obsession with light."

The spread includes everything from cleanser to serum, and the pearlescent packaging is just a preview of the luminosity that will soon be your skin's best trait. Look for the new products at Saks Fifth Avenue on Aug. 1 and elsewhere on Aug. 15.

What do you get when you cross one of the world's most creative cosmetics brands with a legend in Pop art? This: a makeup collection between Nars and The Andy Warhol Foundation. Created by makeup artist François Nars, the limited-edition cosmetics collaboration will hit stores in October; of course, the project promises bright hues and packaging in tribute to the late artist's creative view.

The artist's work is no stranger to licensing, and Warhol himself would have likely loved the idea. His art is a gadget case favorite, but beauty lovers won't forget the Bond No. 9 fragrance released last year in his honor. No word yet on specifics for the Nars collection, but it's sure to include standouts from the brighter end of the color spectrum — it wouldn't be Warholian without them.

Sad news today: Marcel Nars, the only French Bulldog to ever front a cosmetic campaign, has passed away. Marcel, the longtime canine companion of legendary makeup artist François Nars, fronted the brand's Pro-Prime campaign in 2010; he also "participated" in a Twitter chat. "To our beloved Marcel who brought us so much joy and happiness over these years," Mr. Nars wrote in tribute. "We will miss him very much." So will we — a poster of his wrinkled little face hangs near our desks, and he unknowingly made us happy from afar. See a gallery of Marcel's modeling shots at Refinery 29.

Nars just wrapped its Makeup Your Mind contest, which asked website users to do their best versions of 12 faces from the book of the same name. The winner, Kale Teter of Texas, is about as cute as they come. This guy did some truly fierce takes on the Nars looks, and in a competition stacked with talented people, he was still the standout. His prize is a chance to join the Nars crew during Fall 2012 Fashion Week next February.

"The Nars competition has become really important to me," Teter says. "The amount of support I've gotten from fans across the country has been amazing, and winning means the world to me. I feel like I've come quite a long way from the shy boy in Panhandle, Texas." Sweet and humble too? No wonder this guy's the winner. Let's hope we get to see more from him soon.

We previewed the new Nars Larger Than Life eyeliner at New York Fashion Week, and now you can get a closer look with a new short film. Interview editorial director Fabien Baron directed this spot, which features model Emily Baker languid beneath two mechanical arms. First they twist and turn, moving over her body; then, they precisely apply a perfectly even line to each eye. The overall result is a tense, unusual, and wholly artsy way of looking at liner.

It's been a big year for Nars. Just a few months ago, the first Nars boutique opened in New York. This week, the cosmetic brand relaunches its website with a top-to-bottom makeover that provides a richer, better experience. Browse any of the cosmetics, for instance, and you'll get multiple photos (including detailed swatches) along with makeup tips from François Nars. There's more to discover, too, in the World of Nars section: past campaigns, behind-the-scenes Fashion Week videos, and devastatingly adorable photographs of François's French bulldog, Marcel. It's sleek, streamlined, and the next best thing to spending an hour at the Nars counter.