Exclusive Sneak Peek: Herve Leger NYFW Beauty

The invite to cover Max Azria's Herve Leger show is always an honor as his infamous bandage dresses always catch my attention, but this season an even more special invite landed in my inbox – the opportunity to cover the hair and makeup test the day before the show. RSVP: Yes.  Here are details on my exclusive preview of what the models hair, makeup and nails will look like.  PS: The show is tomorrow afternoon.

Prior to today, the glam squad met with Lubov Azria, the Chief Creative Officer of Max Azria to give direction for look and show off the Fall 2014 collection.  According to Lead Bumble & Bumble Stylist, Laurent Philippon, words like "bold," "cyber," "high tech" and "robotic" kept coming up.  There were two models at the test and I watched as he pulled their hair into high, tight ponytails and added streaks of "avatar blue" extensions into them starting at the root.  A look that later, wasn't approved by Azria.

Tomorrow, the girls are expected to walk with the same equestrian style ponytail, but the colored pieces of blue and a reddish coral will be coming in from the bottom as if they were an extension of their necklines.  "This way the audience can only see the color when the model turns, making it a more subtle statement," explains Philippon.

The eyes were the makeup look.  "I applied everything n a diagonal so you get the feeling of digital speed and movement," comments Val Garland, the lead makeup artist for Temptu.  The whole look was really emulated through the eyeliner, which Garland used a cream liner to create the graphic shape and then set it with Temptu's paint.  Her tip:  Don't move for 15 seconds after applying eyeliner to ensure it stays crisp like "a tick."  Her look was instantly approved.

Essie's Lead Manicurist, Julie Kandalec gave Azria a variety of designs to choose from playing off of the the lines in a bandage dress.  "She wanted to go in a blush direction to pick up the bare shade in the collection," she commented.  Tomorrow, all of the models will be wearing the same shade, Lady Like, but maybe not the same nail.

Backstage Beauty Report: Naeem Khan A 1920's Inspired Look Worth Talking About

Each year throughout my coverage of NYFW I can't wait to go backstage and get a look.  A look, meaning something worth talking about.  While every backstage glam squad has reasoning for 'leaving the hair down, straight and parted in the middle' or 'keeping the face fresh' for the runway, as a beauty journalist, it's boring!  Backstage at Naeem Khan today I saw a stunning 1920's inspired beauty look that left me in awe.

Bumble and Bumble created a beautifully structured, chignon with sheen and Essie's lead manicurist, Michelle Saunders layered two oldie but goodies, Licorice and Bordeaux to create a devil red shade that had more black than red to compliment the 1920's inspiration.

"The clothes have a lot of color and texture and the hair has a beautiful sheen, so I didn't want the makeup to have anything glossy, James Boehmer the Director of Global Artistry for NARS.  "It would be too much, so we played with other textures."

The look had a decadent feeling of the 1920's, focusing the strength on the brows.  Using NARS's new mechanical pencil (coming out in fall), Boehmer defined the brow shape and then layered Coconut Grove shadow over them, which is a very deep brown, to set it.  "I'm following the shape of the brows and then extending out and down forgetting about the arch," he commented.  "I don't want to make it high, but straight and low so it has a '20's feel and not a '90's feel."

Two coats of Larger Than Life Volumizing Mascara and a bit of smudged shadow lining the bottom rims finished the eyes.  Inspired by the diffusion of the light in 1920's films, he shaded the cheeks to create a shadow and illuminated the corner of the eye with an eyeshadow shade called Alhambra Duo Eyeshadow.  Using the same color, he highlighted the bow of the lip like a thumbprint.   A dust of Zen Blush was swept on the apples of the models cheeks to give them a kick.

Stories & Snapshots from Backstage the Heart Truth Red Dress Fashion Show

Where else would I be able to chat with Wendy Williams about her sleek wig, Kelly Osbourne about her fuchsia lip gloss, Kris Jenner about Kylie and Kendall's modeling careers and Deborah Lippmann about Jillian Michaels?  Of course, only a good cause could bring all of these personalities together and this time it was to spread awareness about heart disease at the Heart Truth Red Dress Fashion Show.  Backstage I weaned in and out of all of them like a sly fox sneaking in a question or two as they were being primped for their runway debut.

There's nothing not to love about Wendy!  She had a glamorous wig on as she was getting ready, but waited until the last minute to place her show wig on.  She described her look saying, "The wig is sleek and the dress is sleeker."

Kelly Osbourne is perhaps the sweetest person and showed me the combination of lip glosses she wanted to wear to compliment her earrings, but her makeup artists wouldn't give me names or allow for pics of the unidentified clear containers.  And of course Kris Jenner was "so excited to be part of something special with her girls who developed in to models."  Yes, Kylie and Kendall were walking too and they're beyond naturally beautiful.

Deborah Lippmann gave the talent manicures backstage and I always love cornering her at this show to talk about what I'm going to see backstage for the rest of the week.  Instead, she had a more captivating story.  As she was painting Jillian Michaels's nails, they were "having girl talk" about heart disease and the scary truth that it's the number one killer amongst women.  Of course, Jillian began giving Deborah "hard hitting health tips" and told her that "people need to get moving, it doesn't matter what they do."  Beyond the glitz and the glam of the evening is the message.  It was nice to speak with Deborah, who I've admired for her skills and polish collection for so long about something tied to meaning.  Oh and of course, Jillian chose to wear Lady is A Tramp, "she's not going to wear a wimpy red," Deborah concluded.

Ted Gibson Explains the Creative Process Behind the Rachel Roy Fall 2013 Presentation

Each season when I'm reporting backstage during NY Fashion Week I always take a moment to look around, take in all the craziness and remind myself how blessed I am to be there. Funny thing is, the most sought out celebrity hairstylist, Ted Gibson, doesn't take the scene for granted either.  As someone who understands hair, is a great listener, has experience in editorial, celebrity and runway, my friend Ted also turned his passion into his career.  It's no wonder why designers like Rachel Roy always partner with him.  From Rachel Roy's hair trial to her presentation, Ted gave me the scoop on how the creative process went down. "It takes a village," Ted said right off the bat.  Yesterday was Rachel Roy's Fall 2013 digital presentation, which streamed live on her Facebook page.  Before the presentation on Friday, Roy's creative team including Stylist, Julia von Boehm (every designer uses a stylist to help pull looks together with accessories and details), Ted and Bobbi Brown (on makeup) all met to brainstorm and come up with the look.

"The great thing about Rachel is that she knows exactly who the girl is that she's trying to portray," explains Ted.  "I listen and am always focused on her direction so she values my opinion."

After shooting around ideas and making sure his thoughts worked cohesively with Bobbi's, the two artists got to work and produce a finished look for Rachel to sign off on.  Most of the time for trials like these hairstylists and makeup artists are working on fit models, because the models for the show aren't even cast yet.  Yes, this is four days before.

"I really wanted the hair to be able to reflect an effortless chic style, but still make a statement," Ted stated.

Yesterday was show day.  Ted and the team began working on the models promptly at 7:30am.  Since it was a presentation there were only three, but that didn't mean there was any less effort put in.  "The collection was all about refined opulence," he explains.  With lots of texturized fabrics, fake fur and embroidered pantsuits, he didn't want the hair to be too overdone and described the look as if "the models were out all night and just showed up to the presentation."

Texture. Texture. Texture.  Believe it or not no curling iron was used.  He took the hair in sections and sprayed it from midlength to the ends with Build It Blow Drying Agent then twirled each section in opposite ways (forward and back) before drying.  Once dry, he created three loose braids, leaving the ends out so they didn't have as much texture, and left them in as the models got their makeup done.  Afterwards, he took them out and refined the waves with his hands.

"A girl from downtown can wear it and so can a girl from uptown," he explained.  The look was accessible just like Rachel's collection.  Job well done.

Top 5 Spring Beauty Trends, Straight from Backstage NY Fashion Week

As I prepare to cover backstage New York Fashion Week this week to get a sneak preview of the fall beauty and fashion trends, it only appropriate to post a round up of what I saw when I covered last September at the Spring shows since you can actually start wearing these trends now.  After all, the groundhogs predicted only six more weeks of winter this weekend and I, for one, couldn't be happier!  Here are the top five spring beauty trends to get excited about.

1. Bright Eyes

Most of the brightly colored eyes that were seen backstage included hues of blue.  To make the look more wearable, (so you don't look like Mimi in Drew Carey, remember her?) try switching out your black or brown liner for navy or add a fun pop of color to your lids by playing with a brighter shade.  You can also incorporate different tones of blue into a smokey eye instead of sticking with your basic greyish shades.

2. Candy Colored Hair

Colored streaks are here to stay... for a little while at least.  Love 'em or hate 'em, some very high end designers including Oscar de la Renta incorporated them into their runway looks.  From adding highlights into sophisticated updo's to creating an ombre effect, you can play with hair chalk at home for fun look that washes out.

3. Nude Nails

The nude nails at Rodarte were my favorite version backstage since texture was added, making them more interesting, but DVF and Derek Lam opted for a more classic, clean nude nail this season.  Pick your poison, but just know that nude doesn't have to be boring.

4. Sophisticated Braids

This spring a basic side braid doesn't cut it as more intricate details were all the rage.  My favorite braids were from Honor (pictured above) as I love how they showed off the nape of the neck making them more elegant, but the models at Tory Burch and Jason Wu also donned great looks.

5. Bold, Matte Lips

It was all about a colored, matte lip at Burberry, Missoni and Prada.  The tick to wearing is to make sure your lips are properly prepped.  Make sure they're moisturized before applying the lip product.  You'll still be able to achieve the matte finish.

Backstage Broadway's "Breakfast at Tiffany's" with Sonia Kashuk & Umberto

In case you didn't hear yet, Breakfast at Tiffany's is premiering on Broadway this March  and Emilia Clarke of the Game of Thrones will be playing Holly Golightly, "the woman every man wants to be with and every woman wants to be."  As the exclusive beauty partner, Target brands, Sonia Kashuk and Umberto were in charge of recreating Holly's look on Emilia for the promo pieces and the show.  I got the scoop on the transformation. “I was so excited when Target approached me with this opportunity as I’ve been a fan of Broadway for years," comments Sonia Kashuk.  "I think the Target partnership with the Breakfast at Tiffany’s production is an exciting and unexpected way to reach women who may not know about Sonia Kashuk Beauty at Target or think of Target as an on-trend beauty destination.

Key products used: Perfecting Luminous Foundation and Eye on Neutral 12-pan shadow palette

“I worked closely with Sonia Kashuk and the show’s costume designer, Colleen Atwood to create the signature Holly Golightly look.  The goal for us was to create a look that is true to Truman Capote’s vision for Holly Golightly in his novella, but also one that Target guests can easily and affordably replicate at home," says Umberto.

Key products used: Umberto Beverly Hulls Roman Oil Serum and Umberto Beverly Hills Shimmer Shine Spray

Alessandra Ambrosio Talks French Kiss Lips & the Million Dollar Bra Backstage the VS Fashion Show

After waiting for makeup artist, Tom Pecheux to finish Alessandra's makeup, I nabbed the first interview with the power duo! This is my third year covering backstage for Victoria's Secret and each time I try to bring you something new. This, by far, is a fun clip. Stay tuned as there's much more to come!

The Casual Chic Setting at the Independent Spirit Awards Blew My Mind, The Backstage Scoop & Video

If you've been following me on Twitter this weekend, you probably saw me freak out at a Michelle Williams and Busy Phillips sighting yesterday backstage at the Independent Spirit Awards.  Yes, I'm in LA!  While here for some business meetings I made sure to schedule some time to take advantage of one of the biggest awards season weekends of the year. Yesterday, I covered backstage at the Independent Spirit Awards in Santa Monica and have never experienced such a scene! The event was held right on the beach with the purple carpet facing the ocean. The awards were held in one big tent and all around that tent were smaller tents of gifting lounges and open bars.  The actors and actresses were in a very laid back fashion walking around in between presenters and everyone was hanging out as if it was one big festival on the beach.  Here were some highlights:

I chatted with Carson Kressley (the guy from Queer Eye) on his idea of beach chic (since that was the dress code for the event and Oscar predictions.  Check out the video here.

In a gifting lounge, celebs like Jeffery Dean Morgan, Penelope Anne Miller and Gabrielle Beauvais were flocking to the Votre Vu table (of course I was hanging out by the beauty stuff) and couldn't wait to get their hands on SnapDragon.  Jeffery Dean Morgan also visited Wella and was joking around about his hair and what he needed while posing with a bottle of styling product.

I ventured into the Piaget gifting suite (yes, the celebs are also gifted with diamonds) with my friend Nola from Glam.com and ran into Rosario Dawson who was practically being hit on every two seconds.  We sat with her on the couch drinking mimosas and kept laughing as people approached her.  First a fashion stylist wanting to give her a bag she made, then a man who practically proposed and it went on.  She was so accepting to all of them.  Nola and I sat there discussing how hard it must be to really have to put up with that.

Throughout the day, A-listers like Jonah Hill, Seth Rogen, Penelope Ann Miller and Kate Beckinsale all walked by countless amount of times, but it was Michelle Williams and Busy Phillips who had me at awe.  I'm rarely caught off guard by a celebs presence, but seeing them together as two best friends in such a casual setting was very cool.  Check out the video below!

Video: Backstage with the Glam Squads During NYFW

Futuristic Luxe at Ports 1961

  The New York Public Library isn't just for book worms - it's where Ports 1961 showcased their Spring 2012 collection.  I think the library first received major fashion cred thanks to Sex and the City.   Before I dish on the backstage beauty I wanted to say thank you to Jeannine for letting be in her shoes for a week! It was so great being a part of SS 2012 NYFW and most of all being able to share my experiences with you!

The theme for hair, makeup and nails: futuristic luxe.  As soon as I heard that term from Nonie Creme, Founder of Butter London, I just had mental flashbacks of The Jetsons and how I thought that by now I would have owned a flying car.  To complement this theme, for the nails, Nonie used one coat of Chimney Sweep, a dark charcoal with a metallic finish, topped with matte top coat.  Doing this created that velvety texture without completely losing the shine (Nonie was the hand model for the above picture).  The focus for the makeup was having a bare face with a burst of color on the eyes using a vibrant metallic green eyeliner.  Pat McGrath, lead makeup artist for Covergirl,  used Intense Shadow Blast in everlasting green and create a thick line across the eye.  Quick tip: if you're a beginner start off by playing connect the dots;  make dots along the lash line and then connect them.

Lastly, the hair imparts a heroic sentiment with an east coast feel, says Guido, lead Redken stylist.  Guido accomplished this by creating a  'faux ponytail'; he simply pulled the hair back without tying it.  Guido also used barrettes, that he painted white, to hold the hair back.  The look is no-frills, modern and elegant,  a common theme I've seen this NYFW season.  Thank you again for checking out my posts for Beauty Sweet Spot - hope you enjoyed them!  xo

How to Style a Chic Braid, Backstage Carlos Miele

Backstage at the Carlos Miele fall 2011 show I caught Rodney Cutler of Cutler for a quick video on how to perfect a chunky, sleek braid.  I was so excited to see the models rocking a look that girls like us are able to do everyday.  If I normally pull back my hair and braid it, I'd look like I was going to the gym!  From now on, I'll be following Mr. Cutler's advice on how to make the style look clean and chic.  Check it out:

Morning After Curls and Vintage Makeup Create an Urban Gypsy Feel, Backstage Rebecca Minkoff

Rebecca Minkoff’s Fall 2011 collection has an urban gypsy theme – a mix between sexy bohemian and classic. Ouidad herself  was the lead on hair, said that she wanted to bring curls back to the runway. The soft yet textured look she created was a refreshing change from the silky straight tresses that have been so popular at past shows. The “morning after” hair was achieved by using Ouidad’s line of light and water-soluble products. The PlayCurl line was used to create more movement and volumize the models’ naturally straight hair. The hair was rolled with a 1" curling iron to get curls, but not that ultra curly look. Right before the models went on the runway, their hair was tousled up to create that messy bed head look.

Sarah Lucero was the lead makeup artist for Stila and went for a complete vintage look – a worn in feel with a modern and glossy finish. She applied a sheer colored tinted everyday moisturizer to the face, a peachy cream blush in Convertible Color Gerbera, and an apricot lip glaze. The eyes were the focal point to the look. She applied Chinois and Espresso Eye Shadows and she used Smudge Stick Waterproof Eye Liner in Stingray (an intense black shade) to achieve a tight, smoked out line versus the typical smoky eye. Lots of fluttery lashes were created with Glamoureyes Mascara, and as a finishing touch took Kajal Eye Liner in Topaz and swiped it right inside the eyes.

M2M did the nails, and the color that all the models wore was a bordeaux red shade that wasn’t at all vampy-- it had a pop but still was classic enough to beautifully accent the collection.

Sexy Eyes and Second Day Hair, Backstage at Cynthia Rowley

Backstage at Cynthia Rowley I taped a video for the Style Coalition interviewing the lead hairstylist with Redken, Rita Marmor. As soon as it's posted I'll put it up so you can all see it. I absolutely love doing on camera work!

For now, I'll tell you about the look. It was great second day hair. A texturized tucked under pony tail with the front piece sectioned into a triangle and pulled straight back.

The makeup was hot.  It was perfect for going out late night in the city.  I got the scoop from Charlotte Willer, the lead makeup artist with Maybelline on the inspiration and how-to get the look.  The perfect skin is compromised of 50% powder and 50% foundation.  The main focal point were the eyes.  The key to achieving the sexiness a was outlining the eye on the top and bottom on the outside and inside of the eye and blending it with the finger.  Spiky lashes were a must and they were created with layers of Maybelline Falsies Mascara.

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Go Backstage at Walter

In the undying words of lead makeup artist and creator of the eponymous makeup line used backstage at the Walter show during New York Fashion Week, “Not to prime is a crime!”  Of course, by “prime,” Napoleon Perdis was referring to the application of foundation primer underneath the models’ makeup to create a smooth palette and a soft glow to the face. The focus of the show was a good girl/bad girl dichotomy: “The theme is masculine/feminine, militaristic, tough yet girly,” noted a visibly excited Perdis.  To achieve this look, the styling team focused on creating clean complexions, eyes rimmed with black and shaded with blue, barely-there blush, and a strong but not overstated lip.  This season, the boldly hued lip has been a key makeup trend across the board.  When asked if he has any DIY tips for our readers at home, aside from his insistence on priming, Perdis pointed out, without hesitation, “Mascara first, always!  This way, if you get the rest of your face dirty, you can clean up before you apply the rest of your makeup.”

In keeping with the good versus evil premise, lead hair stylist Whitney Bliske of Toni & Guy used a myriad of Tigi products to create structured hairstyles that still managed to retain a sexy, feminine movement.  Most girls sported simple pony tails, placed high and with a bit of a controlled messy look and some height at the crown; for many, a section of hair was wrapped around the hair tie, or with “mushroom-colored bows for the brunettes and black bows for the blondes,” to add a girly touch to a tightly pulled back, sporty look, explained Bliske.

The common link between all the up-dos at Walter?  High shine.  This was achieved through prepping the hair with Tigi’s “Your Highness,” a styling must according to Bliske.  Her insider advice to getting the catwalk look yourself: “Never try to flatten out the bumps after you’ve already made the ponytail.  Work it all out with your fingers and gather the hair, then fasten.”  Considering the countless number of times I have succumbed to this exact faux pas, her advice was duly noted!

-JD

Go Backstage at Brian Reyes

New York Fashion Week is almost over and we have to bid adieu to Bryant Park and all the memories of fashion and beauty created here throughout the years. Tonight I had the pleasure to go backstage at Brian Reyes and witnessed beauty at it's finest.  Although it seemed packed it was what I would call a "controlled mess" everyone was scattered in a frenzy but knew what needed to get done to showcase Brian Reyes's vision. Pattie Yankee lead manicurist from Dashing Diva dished how Brian wanted a neutral color with a semi-gloss so that it won't take away from the variety of colors from his collection.  They just used one coat of 57th and 5th to keep it simple and to the point.

Martin Christopher created a consistent theme of low pony tails with a slight, not so defined, left side part.  He reinvented the polished look by adding the edginess of the modern woman.  The focus was to create that matte texture.  With a quick blowout but doing so in a forward and then back direction to create volume from the root and bring it all back into a low pony tail and securing it with TRESemmé 24 hour body finishing spray.

On the contrary, Wendy Rowe lead make-up artist for Bobbi Brown Cosmetics, wanted to create dramatic eyes to capture strength and confidence.  "The Brian Reyes girl for fall is modern and sophisticated from head to toe, but she has an edge, which her makeup reflects. She's a very cool girl who is comfortable in her own skin," she commented.

For the eyes she used aubergine shades on the upper lid such as Eggplant Shimmer Wash Eye Shadow and lined the lower lid with a spearmint color, Long-Wear Cream Eye Shadow in Aqua, to serve as a contrast.  To keep the lips neutral she faded the line.

Being that it was my first backstage show at Bryant Park it was such an inspiration to see how everything I love about beauty from the nails, hair and makeup can be used to tell the story of the designer and how it all ties together at the end. The same way I do everyday when I apply makeup that is either driven by how I feel that day, what I've seen or even inspiration from my outfit.

-MK

Go Backstage at Badgley Mischka

This was by far my favorite overall look of New York Fashion Week this season.  The talented backstage team consisted of Redken, MAC and Deborah Lippmann and the collaboration resulted in a warrior princess inspired theme.  Think Avatar.  Known for the signature ball gowns and evening wear, the two designers behind the brand, Mark Badgley and James Mischka, were introducing a new collection predominately for celebrities that is much younger. With these two looks in mind, Charlotte Tilbury lead the MAC team in contouring and highlighting, which created a look that worked for both collections.  Using a thick eyebrow brush she dragged MAC's eye shadows in Taupe, Harmony and Shadester from the top of the cheekbones up into the temples.  The swept up look helped to create the warrior effect.  On top of the cheek bones and in the bow of the lip she used MAC eye shadow in Crystal Avalanche to highlight.  MAC Lip Conditioner was used on the lips.

At home, this look can be recreated but toned down.  "The most important areas of the face for a woman to highlight would be the inner corners of the eyes, bow of the lip and upper cheekbones," she remarked.  You can use the same highlighter for all of these areas.

Since there were two collections, Redken lead stylist Peter Gray decided to change the look half way throughout the show.  The first look for the classic collection was all up. The top was loose and back-combed, sides were tightly pulled back and bottom was made up of two twists that intertwined and interlocked secured by about three hair pins.  For the warrior effect of the newer collection, as the models came back from their first walk, the pins were taken out, hair was let loose and straightened so it was half up, half down.

Deborah Lippmann used a metallic silver on the nails called Marquee Moon.

Go Backstage at Elie Tahari

This was the first show of the season that I attended where there were male models that needed some primping (grooming?) too.  Some of them were extreme divas, which is why I'm calling it primping.  The fall 2010 Elie Tahari collection experimented with texture.  One half was all black and the other was predominately gold, tan and copper. Kimberly Soane lead the Bobbi Brown lead the Bobbi Brown team in creating a gold chrome finish on the eye lined in a bright, electric blue-green shade that gave it a retro twist. The brows had a very natural finish and she introduced Bobbi's new Denim and Rose Palette, which comes out this fall, but using the dusty pinks on the cheeks and lips.

The men carried the "no makeup, makeup look" very well with a minimal amount of powder, keeping their skin pale, Bobbi Brown's Lip Balm SPF 15 and the emphasis was on the brows.  They were filled in to make them strong and defined.

Frank Rizzieri styled the women using a double barreled curling iron that created loose waves and kept the hair "simple and messy" using only a L'Oreal Elnett Hairspray at the end. The men's look completely contrasted. The inspiration was pulled from Mad Men and using Bumble & Bumble Gel the Multi-Talented Sculpting Medium, he side parted their hair and slicked it back so it was all neatly groomed.

Dashing Diva's, Patti Yankee ironically chose the color Fashion Week for the manicures and pedicures.  "I wanted to keep the nail neutral using this pale pink because there were a lot of browns and blacks in the line," she stated. Her team of four worked on the hands and feet of 35 girls backstage.  They also cleaned up all of the men's nails.