Well what an amazing Fashion Week this was. Finally I had the chance to attend London Fashion Week whilst living in London, and being able to head back to my warm comfortable bed after a day on heels…
It was such a change and therefore the best season for me so far. But not only for that reason, this season I had the chance to attend fourteen shows, from a Mulberry presentation to House of Holland and my favourite footwear designer, Sophia Webster, and I really began to feel like a true part of the industry I love.
I had the opportunity to spend a lot of time backstage with Maybelline this year, at their seven shows over the five days and got an insight into the chaos that goes on behind the professional show. Whilst the models may walk onto a quiet and empty catwalk, the backstage areas are definitely not so tranquil. Makeup artists and hair stylist are busy with their craft whilst a dozen photographers scurry around their stations snapping any perfect shot of the models with makeup and hair in process. And this time, I was one of those people. I wanted to bring you backstage with me to show you some of the madness, but mainly to give you an insight into what you will be seeing on our faces next autumn. You may have already caught up on the fashion updates for these shows on the blog in previous posts, but this time its all about the beauty.
Shrimps
This show was Maybelline nails accompanied by HD Brows but I still wanted to bring you an update. The skin was kept fair and pale, with HD Brows foundations washed over the skin for a sheer base of colour. HD brows highlighter was mixed with moisturiser for a creamy highlight for the cheek bones whilst lips were kept opaque ad perfected in a rich orange red. Eyes were left free of mascara but shrouded in an burnt orange toned eyeshadow to halo the eye sockets and provide further depth. Terracotta nails were concocted and mixed up by head nail artist Michelle Humphrey using three of Maybelline’s Colour Show polishes in Power red, orange attack and brown and made a subtle change from the generic cherry red nail. As we have seen with the influx of orange and cherry reds on the catwalks, this sort of nail will definitely be a hit for the autumn.
Fyodor Golan
Fun and fictional makeup was created, using neon greens and yellows from Maybelline quads (Big Eyes Eyeshadows in Grass) and applied to the lash lines in a long elfin flick. The lashes were painted with pink lipstick for a contrast of brights, with the lower lash line brought out in an opaque white kohl liner for added drama. Whilst this might be a tad on the neon rave club-night side of the makeup spectrum, it could be a sign that flashes of neon eyeliner could be back for the late summer-autumn months. Cool blue was added to rounded nails for a further pop of colour.
Lucas Nascimento
Nails were kept sophisticated and nude, in the shade Love This Sweater, which after seeing this show became a new favourite of mine. The nails were left ‘sporty and shorty’ in an oval shape, for the active girl who loves a wearable and easy nail. For me, I have always been a fan of the squared off nail, but perhaps the oval is calling to me. The makeup was cashmere and polished with a bronzed contour, baby lips balm to the cheek bones for a dewy glow and white liner to the water line. White or black liner was a prominent feature in the Maybelline shows and could signify daytime to evening looks. White for a wide eyed day look against black for a smouldering evening.
Sophia Webster
Whilst the white Triadic Ballet painted faces might not be your thing, the premise behind it was interesting and thoughtful. Sharon Dowcett, Maybelline’s fantastic head makeup artist, stated that we needed to bring light back to makeup. Bring back the light and brighten up our faces. So she created a clean white base onto which she applied a white luminous highlighter from the Big Eyes palette to the cheek bones, brow bones and cupids bow, to catch the light. White kajal kohl was added into the water line for wide eyes and sweet pink lip liner to overdraw the lips. Sharon then mixed the Rebel Bouquet Petal Pink lipstick with white kajal liner, to soften and pastel the pink, in order to create her own lipstick blend. This was applied to the lips to add a dash of bright colour. Sometimes you only need your lipstick. I might not be adding white powders to my face all that soon, but mixing my own lipstick shades is something I will definitely be trying out, whether on the back of my hand before applying, or directly over the lips by layering.
Osman
The Osman show included 10 white, 10 red and 10 black outfits, in a thematic show that was a personal favourite, for that very reason. Therefore to keep it clean and fresh, Michelle went for a naked and clear manicured nail with one coat of Peach Pie and a glossy top coat for extra shine. The shape was rounded and simple with oils added to the cuticles to soften and neaten.
The makeup however was Glam Rock Grunge. All about the black kohl eyeliner over Dream Fresh BB Cream and Better Skin Concealer for a flawless finish. For an extra dewy finish, Maybellines Baby Lips has become their key product, added not only to the lips but used as a highlight to those areas that catch the light. It is a genius concept and a makeup tip I am going to be using so much from now on. Just adding the product onto your fingertips and patting onto the cheekbones will add the most dewy glisten you can achieve. Mixing baby lips into Rosewood Pearl from the lipstick collection will add a champagne finish for the cupids bow and cheek highlight. A genius idea for not only Autumn but those summer months where we lust over dewy skin.
Emilio de la Moreno
Black eyeliner was back again, this time worked into the lower lash line for a day after the night before look. Applied all along the water line and into the tear duct, the rest of the skin was barely touched, for a no makeup look – almost to resemble makeup that has rubbed off over night. For a touch of colour, Colour Tattoo in pomegranate was washed over the lid and BB cream in a darker shade added to the cheek hollows as contour. I guess this look signifies that less can definitely be more and just a touch of eyeliner can bring your whole look to life. Ive also come to realise the the Dream Fresh BB Cream is a firm favourite of Sharons as it was used profusely over the week.
Ashish
It was exciting to see print on the nails, with camo covering the acrylics for the Ashish show to match the camo in the collection. Five shades of Colour Show polish were meticulously painted for a precise print onto ultra oval nails and added to the ‘trashy’ feel of the collection. Their words not mine. Sharon explained the look as ‘Lady of the Night’, inspired by the bright red lace-up boots worn by every model on the catwalk and aimed for a trashy yet luxury feel. The models were playing characters, ‘applying their makeup in a dark smokey room’, and were asked to personally apply their own lipstick, liner and mascara for a sexy, unprofessional edge. Lashes were thick black with Lash Multiplier mascara and lips were layered with ‘Pleasure Me Red’ lipstick and Fab Orange lip kohl. The skin was clean and fresh with Dream Fresh BB cream and no blush, to create a focus on the lashes and lips. This was probably my favourite look, as who doesnt love a red lip and lots of lashes!?
And that was my week drawn to a close. Seven fantastic shows and opportunities to go backstage to witness the chaos. Ive picked up some brilliant tips for not only Autumn but the summer and it was a fantastic experience to be around such wonderful make-up artists with such flair and creativity. Just remember, keep your skin looking like your skin, but better – with bb creams and soft brushes. Eyeliner is your new best friend and baby lips to the cheeks will give you 100% more life! Fingers crossed I can work backstage again next season!
Which is your favourite look and what tips do you think you’ll be trying out soon?
Thankyou so much to Maybelline for the opportunity to work with them backstage and for sponsoring this post.
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