Beauty wrap-up: day one
Beauty director Alexis and beauty assistant Lisa went backstage at MBFWA 2012 for a sneak peek
May 01, 2012
Shazaaam!
Romance Was Born kicked off the week in true superhero style – with a Marvel-themed show complete with firey orange hair, sky-blue liquid liner and shiny stick-on brows. Ghd stylist Alan White used the brand's Total Volume Foam, $22, ghdhair.com/au, to build height as well as movement into the models’ wigs, which took him a whopping 18 different tries of custom dyeing to find the shade he wanted. We think he’s a bit of a superhero himself.
Red hot
Models backstage at Gary Bigeni’s show looked picture-perfect with rich, red lips and super-fresh, dewy skin. “The lip is strong and empowering,” says Napoleon Perdis. Not quite ready for the ultra-pigmented version? Napoleon Perdis make-up artist, Kate Squires, suggests using a lip stain first. “Just dab it on, then blot off the excess – you don’t have to be so precise and it’s a more relaxed way to wear a red lip.” Try: Napoleon Perdis Under Cover Red Lip Gloss, $30, napoleonperdis.com.
All that glitters
The smouldering chocolate eyes at the Camilla show had a shot of sparkle with chunky glitter shadows lining the lower lashes, and shiny jewels glinting on the inner corners. “It really matched the gypsy feel of the show,” says make-up artist for Napoleon Perdis, Tannia Tiropanis. But the hero was the Eye Pencil in Brown Sugar, $28, napoleonperdis.com. Make-up artists used it not just in the lash line but all over the lids for a sexy, smudged style that’s easy to recreate at home.
Wispy Whitney
If you’re a fan of Whitney Port (um, obviously), you’ll know braids are a signature for the one-time star of The City. Tresemmé’s Joh Bailey combined the style with a wispy, backcombed quiff, using not one but three braids, for a romantic and whimsical updo. “If you can plait or braid, you’ll find this easy to do at home,” he says. Bailey separated hair into three sections, backcombing the top section and braiding down the back of the model's head. He then took the two side sections and braided them, merging all three sections into one and pinning under. “Embrace the flyaways!” he adds. Oh, we will.
Where there’s smoke...
…there’s blazing-hot makeup. Maybelline NY’s Nigel Stanislaus built up a super-smoky eye on models backstage at the Ksubi show, with rich dark shadow and larger-than-life lashes. “To get that really spiky lash look, swing the brush through from roots to tips, then go back and use it like a window wiper, swishing it side to side,” he says. “I gave the girls at least four coats of mascara each!” Try: Maybelline NY Volum'Express The Falsies mascara, $19.25, 1300 369 327.
Alexis Elia, beauty director and Lisa Patulny, beauty assistant
For all the trends straight from the Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week catwalk check out our galleries here.