When creating his ‘uptown girls with downtown boyfriends’ look for 3.1 Phillip Lim (model above right), make-up maestro Francois Nars used a brown eyeliner pencil to colour in lips, for a modern take on 90s grunge. Skin was semi-matte yet luminous (we recommend FACE Stockholm’s Picture Perfect Foundation) and eyebrows were filled in and brushed up, for an overall effect that married elegance with edge. Mascara was also prominent in its absence – lashes were lined at the root but left otherwise naked – for a fresh, grown-up Gothic vibe. >> Channel the 3.1 Phillip Lim look using OCC’s Lip Tar in Melange, or RMS Beauty’s Lip2Cheek in Illusive for a softer, more wearable take on the trend.
Mascara was deemed obsolete at numerous NYFW shows. At Carolina Herrera, Ohne Titel, Theysken’s Theory, Vera Wang and Reed Krakoff, make-up artists parted company with their usually indispensable lash-amplifying sidekicks and instead, lined lashes closely using gel or cream textures and an ultra-fine brush, to achieve undetectable volume boost that looked strikingly sexy yet subtle. The result – although unthinkable to many – was refreshingly futuristic and is one of the easiest ways to update your beauty look for winter. >> Try 3 Custom Color’s Bright-Eyed and Bushy Tailed Duo to widen and brighten eyes, before lining the upper lashes with Stila Cosmetics’ Smudge Pot in Brown or Grey. Lip gloss fans, rejoice! The mainstay of teenage school bags is back on the industry radar and at Marc by Marc Jacobs, red lips were lacquered to a mirror-like shine (above right). Although not for the fainthearted – this is high impact but equally high maintenance – we think the ends more than justify the effort. Just keep the rest of your make-up pared back and let your lips do the talking. >> Stila Cosmetics’ Stay All Day Liquid Lips is perfect for coating your kisser in ultra hard-wearing pigment, which can be topped with Belmacz’s Glow Gold Leaf Lip Gloss for an extra shot of shine.
Having enjoyed a dalliance with brightly coloured, polish, AW13’s nails will be every shade of nude. At shows as diverse as Donna Karan and Alexander Wang; Carolina Herrera and Rodarte, fingernails were painted in myriad shades of neutral cream varnish – a narrow metallic tip (as seen at Rodarte) a rare example of additional adornment. The shape of nails also took a sophisticated turn. At Carolina Herrera they were worn short and rounded – the shape mirroring the half moon for a chic, ladylike nail look.
>> Essie’s cult Ballet Slippers, Priti NYC’s Ginger Snap Orchid, NCLA’s Jenna’s Nude Moon nail wraps and September Charm are all perfect for the barely-there look…
A love-affair with ‘ladylike’ was very much in evidence, with hair rolled, teased and braided into sleek, sophisticated chignons, or worn long, loose and perfectly waved. At Carolina Herrerra and Tori Birch (above on Jourdan and right), hair was parted in the middle then twisted into 1940s-style rolls – granting flattering width and height that looked retro without being contrived. At Badgley Mischka, locks were piled into sleek yet tousled quiffs (think Tippi Hedren post-attack in The Birds, above left) and at Diane von Furstenburg, hair was set on huge rollers to achieve a luxurious, princess-worthy bounce (top middle). >> Achieve a textured up-do using Paul Labrecque’s Volume Style to grant root-boosting firm but flexible hold. >> Alternatively, smooth Sachajuan’s Shine Serum through mid lengths to ends of hair, before blow drying with the aid of MOROCCANOIL’s Barrel Brush for a super sleek and polished finish
Blusher also took a front seat, with colours being custom blended to complement each models skin tone at Narciso Rodriguez, where illuminator was applied to skin first to create a lit-from-within watercolour effect. At Alberta Ferretti, a bold pink shade was blended from cheeks right across the bridge of the nose for an almost-too-much-sun look… pretty in theory but perhaps not in practice; and at DKNY, blush was used to contour, being swept in an ‘L’ shape along the underside of cheekbones then up towards the tip of the nose. >> 3 Custom Color’s Cheek Stains are perfect for recreating the barely-there flush seen at Narciso Rodriguez. Prep skin first using FACE Stockholm’s Highlighter for a luminous, lit-from-within glow.