One of my favorite parts of covering backstage New York Fashion Week is picking the brains of some of the most talented hairstylists, makeup artists and manicurists in the world.
The glam squads behind the Fall 2011 fashion shows of Carolina Herrera, Betsey Johnson, Carlos Miele, Rag & Bone, Monique Lhuillier and other designers filled me in on some of their latest backstage beauty secrets that I’m definitely going to try. The eyebrow tip is already in full effect!
Check them out:
• Use eye drops prior to doing your make up to help clear your eyes and make them appear well rested. • Instead of rubbing your facial moisturizer on, press it into your skin adding a bit of pressure like a gentle massage. This will increase the blood flow in your face and help plump out fine lines. • Brush your brows upward in a 45-degree angle towards the temple for an added eyelift. • After applying lipstick, blot it with a tissue to suck out moisture and shine to create a lip stain finish. • When doing a DIY mani, make sure to cap the edges of your nails with polish for longer lasting results. When polish dries it shrinks and if the edges aren’t capped, it’s more likely to chip. • When applying eye shadow, make sure you use the right brush. The bigger your eyelids, the bigger the brush. • Preparation is key to creating a chic ponytail. Make sure you blow-dry the roots in the direction that you ultimately want your ponytail to sit.
What are some of your favorite beauty tips?
First, she cut my nails straight across to make them square and filed. Then, she prepped them by buffing each for about 10 seconds to make sure their surfaces were smooth. Kim was using stick on nail color from Incoco Dry Applique in Ruby Slippers, which she applied just to the tips of my nails. Once applied, she filed the remaining stickers off. I couldn’t believe how great my nails looked and how fast and easy it was for her to do!
black bob wigs inspired by the Sassoon movie. Of course just a simple wig for a Betsey Johnson show wasn't enough, so the team spray painted a dust of gold around a lace pattern to add a fresh fun feel. To keep the wig looking shiny as the models walked the runway, Gray used Redken Shine Flash 02.
in the fall. It's a tarnished greenish gold.
Backstage at Carolina Herrera I filmed another video for the Style Coalition interviewing Wanda Ruiz of Creative Nail Design.
Of course, I also got the scoop for BeautySweetSpot on the look, which was created by a trio of fabulously talented artists, Diane Kendal for MAC, Orlando Pita for Moroccan Oil and of course, Wanda Ruiz for Creative Nail Design who together created a very sophisticated look.
I have to admit, I get sent a lot of products to test and being one person, there's only so much I can try at one time. That being said, I have not tried Maybelline Volum' Express The Falsies Mascara until now. I'm kind of a mascara snob and no matter what I try, I've always reverted back to my MAC Zoom Lash – until now.
Maybelline sponsored New York Fashion Week and therefore Maybelline makeup artists were backstage creating the looks for multiple shows. This is where I was really introduced to The 
The Toni Francesc fall 2011 collection was inspired by the GARUDÀ bird-- a mystic creature that plummets to its death in fire and then comes back to life after 500 years, bringing back with it all this energy and color. All of the clothes from the collection had such vibrant color, mostly rich shades of red, orange, and gold, so the makeup concentrated on perfecting the skin.
Mehron Celebre Foundation, which has a lot of moisture in it, was used. Jackie Mgido from Mehron was the lead on makeup, and she told me that the models’ eyes were supposed to mimic the bird. She darkened the eyes and put on amazing lashes to create a wing-like effect. A rich red shade from Mehron was also applied on the lips, and nothing was used for the eyebrows or cheeks.
The Fall 2011 Elise Overland collection was presented on an ice rink at the Standard Hotel. To create this Icelandic “winter playground,” the models had an ethereal look. David Cruz for Tresemmé was the lead on hair, and he pulled all the models’ hair back into a ponytail from the roots, then made a fishtail braid and used the braid to form a kind of deconstructed bun. Since the designer’s collection was pretty big on texture, he didn’t want the models to look like animals and give them a lot of hair! The fishtail braid bun is simple and tightly frames the face, but still adds that extra pizzazz for the runway.
Napoleon Perdis did the makeup, and the look was all about luminous skin. He avoided using creams and gels, and used minimal foundation so that more light would reflect off the models. To prep the skin, he applied Napoleon Complex Skin Renewal Serum and Auto Pilot Pre-Foundation Primer.
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.
Backstage at Rag & Bone the inspiration was urban eskimo. Loose braids sporatically placed throughout the hair that "look as if a girl did them herself as she day dreams about her boyfriend" were paired with windswept skin and rosy lips.
The Redken lead stylist didn't want the braids to look too perfect. Each model had two that were secured with a clear hair band and then pulled out a bit to make them looser.
Gucci Westman was the lead makeup artist for Revlon and leaned on a new Revlon compact that comes out in October to complete the look. It featured a quad of what looked like a mix of lipsticks and eyeshadows. The lipstick was used not only on some of the models' lips to make them pinker, but also on the eye lids to create more texture.
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!
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.
