Quotes from Francois Nars

Makeup is an accessory to fashion. You buy a bag, you buy shoes, you put on eyeliner, you buy a lipstick, makeup compliments the clothes.

I would find myself in these photo shoots with models and makeup, and I got swept up in it all.

I can't remember the first time, but I've worked with supermodels almost from day one.

I think everyone deserves to look better and to look good.

I've seen makeup destroy people and make them look bad if it's badly done.

I have always been attracted to faces that are different.

It really has stayed practically the same. It wasn't like I used to do wild punk make-up: no, I always had the same vision.

My mother hated foundation; she hated having a mask on her face - and she pushed me to build my own vision and concept of beauty for women.

It's not that I'm easily shocked. It takes a lot to shock me. And wildness I like. But vulgarity shocks me.

In this world, you do your job, a good job, and that's what counts.

Women are very unpredictable.

I made contours and all that, but in real life, you have to be very careful with that because you can go out in the street and look terrible. All those girls who show how to do contour, they do it quite well, but they're like makeup artists. They're in artificial light.

I don't think there's a major change between runway and real life anymore.

We love those under-eye circles. It's real life.

My mother and my two grandmothers, I was lucky to have three women around me growing up that were very special, very elegant women, very beautiful women. They were my first step into the beauty world, let's say, and then the fashion world, of course.

Wearing colourful eyeliner in a graphic shape is the epitome of make-up as an accessory.

I remember this time I worked with Linda Evangelista on a shoot for Richard Avedon. I just put grease on her face, and it was beautiful.

In a lot of cases, makeup is a fantastic help, and that's why women love makeup in general. It's a fantastic way to help somebody look great. It's not the only way, of course, but it's a major accessory, along with hair, clothes, lighting, all those things.

Women are being more experimental with eye color.

I hate knowing where people go to the bathroom. You follow them going to pee, to eat - I hate everything when it comes to reality shows!

I've always loved the way movie stars in the Forties looked when they were off set. Shot poolside or at their home, they always wore a matte red lipstick with practically no foundation - it was how they wore makeup in real life.

A woman who hides behind a mask of makeup is still going to have to take it off at some point... and deal with reality.

A fresh face with a red lip is timeless. It's supermodern and relaxed but very chic.

Even with - the best make-up in the world won't look good if you don't cleanse and exfoliate and have a good basic regime. This is why one of my goals has always been to create a skincare line.