Orgasm NFTs? NARS Cosmetics Brand Reveals Eyebrow-Raising Art Auctions

Now here's an NFT art premise that's sure to turn some heads: Makeup brand NARS is set to release another NFT collection inspired by the colors and textures of a shade the company calls “Orgasm,” tied to the upcoming celebration of National Orgasm Day on July 31.

Five female-identifying artists were commissioned to make bespoke digital pieces, which will be available for auction as single-edition Ethereum NFT artworks via the SuperRare platform. SuperRare will begin taking bids on the “Orgasm, Activated” pieces starting July 25. All auction proceeds and royalties will go to the creators.

Artists Dr. Alex Box, Serwah Attafuah, Nina "Ninocence" Hawkins, Clara Bacou, and Damara Ingles were chosen for the O-inspired showcase. Each auctioned piece will also come with a number of added benefits, including an Infinite Objects video frame displaying the NFT, a selection of NARS “Orgasm” cosmetics products, and a consultation with a brand makeup artist.

Each artist also created an augmented reality (AR) filter inspired by their composition. These lively filters will be available via NARS’ Instagram account on July 31 to mark the occasion.

People using the filters and sharing content with the #NARSFilterContest hashtag and @NARSissist tag will be entered into a prize draw for a surprise “orgasm gift,” according to an announcement.

“The emergence of Web3 and digital collectibles has ushered in a new era of artistic creation and self-expression,” said Gabrielle Archambault, executive director of global digital innovation and media at NARS. “We're excited to leverage our platform to amplify the work of these next-generation creators.”

This is not NARS’ first foray into NFTs, and the brand has repeatedly used the same inspiration for its Web3 moves.

In August 2021, the decades-old makeup brand dropped NFTs on a platform called Truesy, which were redeemable for a limited edition lip balm. It’s unclear how successful these were, as Truesy doesn’t appear to be active anymore. Like these latest NFTs, those pieces were also tied to National Orgasm Day.

This past February, NARS also teamed up with NFT project Boss Beauties to release a collection with the moniker "Odentity," also inspired by the “Orgasm” makeup shade.

NARS is one of many mainstream makeup and beauty brands that has experimented in the NFT space, as companies try to capitalize on different revenue streams and customer loyalty via digital collectables.

L’Oreal’s NYX makeup brand did just this with the creation of an online beauty incubator in the form of a DAO (or decentralized online community) earlier this year. June’s Metaverse Beauty Week, spread across platforms like Decentraland and Roblox, also pulled in brands like Lush, Neutrogena, Clementine, and others.