Here’s why I’m opting for the NARS advent calendar - which can save you £93 on luxe makeup

With only two weeks to go until December, the time to get your advent calendars snapped up is here. And in recent years many of us have moved away from traditional Christmas advent calendars, towards more luxury options like beauty advent calendars, fashion advent calendars and even boozy gin advent calendars.

And with so many options on the market, it can make it near impossible to pick which one to go for. But for me, the choice was clear - it had to be the NARS advent calendar. The beauty behemoth offers some of the best premium makeup products on the market, with their award winning tinted moisturiser, reliable foundations and impactful eye enhancers (with their Climax Extreme being one of the best mascaras for length I’ve ever tried). But where the brand really stands out among the rest, is with their lip products. So with this year’s advent calendar offering a selection of their standout lip products for a massive £93 off - how could I say no...

NARS Advent Calendar | £175, £268 value - SAVE £93

Celebrate the 12 days of Christmas with NARS’ exclusive advent calendar and save yourself a huge £93 on premium makeup. Housed in a glamorous gold box that luxuriously unwraps to give you an exciting countdown of pretty large windows, the box is filled with some of brands most standout lip products.

With three different types of lippie inside, including their comfortable but long-lasting lipstick, their handy Velvet Matte Lip Pencil and their famously resilient Powermatte Lip Pigment, you’ll be treated to a range of sexy pinks, sophisticated nudes and sultry reds.

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We may be living in the era of reusable face masks where a swipe of one of the best mascaras is all we need to leave the house, but there is still something magical in the power of the right lipstick.

I used to be a strictly one-shade-of-nude lipstick kind of woman (MAC Velvet Teddy anyone?), but after branching out to play with different types of textures, techniques and colours - matching lip products to moods, outfits and occasions - I soon realised the transformative impact of lipstick on one’s confidence.

“Lipsticks are a great way to celebrate self-expression and boost confidence,” agrees NARS senior artist Becky Moore. “To me, no outfit is complete without lipstick. That maybe a natural lip balm for subtle elegance or a bold lipstick to feel empowered! Lipstick is a great product to create your own beauty.”

And with the Christmas season coming up and lots of celebrations likely to be taking place over video call, a swipe of a bright lipstick can take your look from casual to glam in a matter of seconds.

Especially for those days when lockdown has got you feeling low and you’d rather shake your GP’s hand sans sanitiser than join your 17th video call of the week, a dab of colour on your lips can have you ready to plaster on a smile and turn your camera to *on* for once.

So after this tumultuous year, investing in the NARS advent calendar (AKA the Queen of makeup advent calendars in my opinion) was a no-brainer for me. Here’s what you’ll find inside...

What's inside the NARS advent calendar?

NARS Lipstick

• Tolède - satin pink rose
• Lovin’ Lips - matte light blue pink
• Inappropriate Red - matte poppy red
• Immortal Red - matte crimson red

“These lipsticks are amazing for the Winter season,” says Becky. “Packed with nourishing ingredients such as Passionfruit seed oils, this will help not only keep the lips hydrated but also protected. They also have 3 desired textures, shiny sheers, silky satins and intense mattes.”

For me, the bright universality of the Inappropriate Red, which has a striking matte finish, is a must for the festive season. If you’re one who’s plagued with dry skin and chapped lips, a touch of lip balm can go a long way with this one - especially in the winter months.

NARS Velvet Matte Lip Pencil

• Intriguing - rose pink
• Dolce Vita - dusty rose
• Do Me Baby - chestnut rose
• Cruella - passionate scarlet red

“You can use the Velvet Matte Lip Pencils as a 2 in 1 product,” advises Becky. “Great for defining your lip shape as well as giving you seamless velvety, matte finish. Don’t forget its compact packaging makes it convenient to take with you – even in the smallest of bags!”

For those days when you want a little something to add a hint of class to your look on a casual loungewear day, Dolce Vita along with a swipe of mascara will give you an easy elegant look with just a touch of sexy.

NARS Powermatte Lip Pigment

• Slow Ride - soft brown pink
• American Woman - chestnut rose
• Starwoman - vivid blue red
• Vain - brick red

If you’re looking for something to get you through an evening out when we’re *fingers crossed* allowed back in restaurants again, this formula is it. No matter what shade you opt for, this resilient fluid will stay put through drinks, eats and even multiple masked trips to the toilets.

“Providing a comfortable long-wear formula these Lip Pigments are not one to smudge,” adds Becky. “With water-like consistency, they are great for a sleek, precise application. These Lip Pigments are definitely one swipe payoff that gives you a fully saturated statement lip.

For winter coat season, a swipe of Slow Ride does it for me. With its warm hue that suits most skin tones, it’ll give you a sophisticated wintry finish.

But while this confidence booster is a must-have for this season, you know I’m also getting myself a treat-filled Hotel Chocolat countdown on the side...