London Fashion Week AW17 Beauty Trend Report

Marques’ Almeida

Make-up by Terry Barber using MAC Cosmetics

Terry told us that this look was sort of a softer Shakespeare’s Sister situation. They used white Face and Body foundation to make the models look milky, the finish was super matte, and there was a little pink cream around the eye as if we were filming this girl post-rave.

He said that the look was inspired by what they (make-up artists and club kids) used to do when they lived in bedsits in the 80’s. “You’d nick your mom’s blush for eyeshadow, use a bit of eye pencil to fill in your lips, run some mascara through your brows, use a bit of talc as face powder…” Terry felt that this made a lovely journey into new wave; things were a bit wrong, shapes weren’t classic. It’s more chic.

Some girls have a glossy black lip and some have a soft pink lip; there are worlds for all sorts of beauty at the moment.

Nails by Marian Newman using Firstlooks 

One of the best snippets of information I got from this season is that Marian Newman will be bringing out her own nail brand called Firstlooks.

She created an opaque soft pink nail for this show.

Hair by Duffy using Tigi 

Duffy told me that our Marques’ Almeida girl was still the same girl that she’s always been. For this reason the hair was sweaty, dishevelled and a little bit undone. We wanted her to look like she’d just come home from a night at a rave.

Richard Malone

Make-up by Megumi Matsumo using MAC Cosmetics 

There were three different eye looks at this show, each stripy with bold, vibrant colours.

Mostly the lines were created with these beautiful Chromaline liners, but a few multi-use products came into great use. For example, these new upcoming mascaras (part of the Work It Out collection launching this March) were also used as liner.

As eyes were the focus, skin was natural and few and lips were neutral with a touch of gloss. Megrim took the Prep and Prime Essential Oil Stick down the t-zone to create this dewy look; it looks more natural and isn’t too greasy.

The brush of choice for this graphic liner look was a precise and petite 209.

I even got to meet Lesley, one of the senior artists that I’ve always wanted to meet! Her dad is also from Donegal like mine so naturally she has now been propelled to the top of my list of favourite people.

Sophia Webster

Make-up by Terry Barber using MAC Cosmetics

I’ve created an in-depth discussion of Terry’s make-up look in a separate post which you can see here as I was actually on the make-up team for this show! In short, this is mood make-up designed to look cold. Cheeks were flushed, eyes were glossy, lips were smudged and liner was a frosty white.

Nails by Rebecca Wilson using Orly 

Rebecca created the most beautiful manicure for this show – it fit the theme perfectly and was a grown up, chic way to do glitter.

So, I had no idea until Rebecca told me but Orly were actually the first brand to hero the french manicure. This in mind, she took Rose Coloured Glasses to create a rosy base and then instead of a french tip gave the nails a glitter edge.

The glitter used wasn’t quite as thick as glitter and wasn’t quite as fine as pigment; she said it was really similar to the MAC Reflects glitters. To compliment the I Scream for Ice Queens show theme, each artist dipped the wet nail into glitter and then didn’t set with a top coat so that it retained the textured finish.

J. JS. Lee

Make-up by Lucy Burt using MAC Cosmetics 

This was my favourite look from all of the shows that I saw. A really burnt and smudgy smoky eye, this was given added depth by drawing on eyelashes to the lower lash line.

Sneak peek – Lucy used two new roller ball eyeliners coming soon from MAC. They come in two finishes, matte and glossy.

Julien MacDonald 

Make-up by Val Garland using L’Oreal Paris 

Inverting a classic smoky eye, Val created a look that was bold, unblended and heavy on the inner corners of the eyes.

By contrast, skin was fresh and barely there, as were lips, leaving the eyes to do the talking.

Each make-up artist will always have their own favourites, but I noticed that everyone was using the Infallible complexion range. Both the foundations and the colour correcting palette were a top hit at every station.

Nails by Jenni Draper using L’Oreal Paris 

The clothing in this collection is very lavish, to Jenni created a soft and clean nail to compliment it. Artists took one coat of a cool, fresh nude polish to create a clean, simple nail. Shape was personal to each model; they simply kept a shape that felt natural to the person.

To elongate the nail and add a sci-fi touch, artists used a silver maker pen along the bottom of the cuticle. I loved this touch and think it’s going to be a great nail art option for anyone like me who doesn’t have the steadiest of hands but wants to try something cute and new. When I saw it on the model I was quite surprised by how wearable it looked; it’s something I’d try myself for sure.

(It was my first time meeting Jenni Draper at this show and I have to say she really stood out to me. I got a lovely warmth from her.)

Hair by Syd Hayes using L’Oreal Paris 

Syd was very inspired by the kind of woman that loves Julien MacDonald. He said she is always sexy, powerful and bold, and for that reason the hair needed to be cool and not too Pussycat Doll.

There was a 70’s, Patty Smith kind of vibe through each hairstyle. He loved the edgy haircuts of each model and wanted to enhance them, adding short layers and keeping the style shaggy around the face. Everyone wore a clean centre part and he used different barrel tongs to create a dishevelled curly wave.

Syd loves Babyliss wands to achieve this look, but his tip was to ensure that you don’t set your heated appliances to the maximum temperature. You lose the movement and elasticity in the hair when you do this, but he assured us that you can still achieve the same styles with less heat.

His hero products were the Low Shampoo to add shine and texture, Boost It Mousse to create a shaggy, dishevelled finish, and Elnett Hairspray to seal everything in place.

How cute were these branded dressing gowns that each model wore?

Matty Bovan

Make-up by Miranda Joyce using Marc Jacobs Beauty

One of the things that the Marc Jacobs make-up collection does really well is bright, pigmented colours, so it was no surprise to me that Matty Bovan had teamed with them for his show. The look, designed by Miranda Joyce, was a futuristic nod to his favourite sci-fi inspirations.

To achieve the look, models had surgical tape applied to their face in a v shape, using the most flattering contours of their skin.

Each model had her own colour for the look, and colours were chosen from a selection of the Style Eye-Con No.7 palettes. A shade was mixed with water to create a pigmented, intense colour, and applied all over the skin to the areas within the perimeter of tape. (This tip is fantastic for intensifying any palettes you may already use and love.)

Despite the intensity of these pigments, the new O! Mega Lash Mascara shades really popped, these are coming soon from Marc Jacobs and I’m really looking forward to trying them after seeing how vibrant they were. Matte High Liner Gel Crayons were used to completely fill the water line, ensuring that there was no flesh showing.

To finish the complexion, Glow Stick in Spotlight was taken down the centre of the face and a touch of Lock Lips Moisture Balm was pressed into the lips.

Winnie Harlow was among the models for this show, I was so delighted to meet her.

Supriya Lele

Hair by Kota Suizu using Bumble & Bumble

Hair was meant to look natural and dewy. The look is minimal, with little baby hairs left out around the hair line so that it’s real.

No heat styling was used for this look; instead, each model’s own natural hair texture was embraced to celebrate natural waves. Most girls had a tiny braid hidden behind their ear, then a pony tail. This too was braided to add movement, and released at the last minute.

To achieve this look, Kotu used Invisible Oil to prime the hair. Rather than use a small amount like you would use in an everyday hairstyle, he used a large quantity to achieve this dampened finish. Then, he took Semi Sumo to add more shine and hold.

This look was created with the clothes in mind because there is lots of latex texture in the AW17 collection. And the smell! Oh my gosh. Even through a completely blocked nose, the invigorating hit of citrus got me the moment I walked over to the space.

Make-up by Alex Box using MAC Cosmetics

I love seeing Alex, especially at fashion week. When everyone is working towards a trend-led vision, Alex steps back and continues her journey towards emotional make-up, working every brief around each individual model.

Using all cream textures, Alex created a look to create a look of heat coming out of the skin. This is calm, intelligent and cool, she tells us. There are layers of intelligent placement to suit each model, with a nod to their heritage.

Dark circles are left in and even amped up; it becomes sexy and desirable to have dark circles, and the make-up looks sensual, like the girl has been somewhere and lived. It created a worn-in, tea-stained eye.

An intense massage was given to each model to press the skin, thus allowing for the make-up to work with her natural heat. Key products for the look were this new lip palette and the Prep and Prime oils.

Mimi Wade

Hair by Ali P for Bumble & Bumble

There was a 50’s inspiration for the hair at Mimi Wade, but almost with an element of 90’s grunge woven into it.

Mimi’s collection is completely dazzling this season; there’s colour, prints and embellishments everywhere. For this reason, the hair was to be quite simple and not to distract from the clothes.

Classic hairdressing techniques were used by Ali and his team for this look – think finger waves and mousse through the roots for volume.

He took his hero products, and instead of applying sprays to the hair, he applied them to a fluffy brush and worked them in this way. This allowed for the hair to be gently ploughed with product and nothing was weighed down or too heavy.

The inspiration for this look was classic Audrey Hepburn; Marilyn was a little too ladylike, ha!

Make-up by Laura Dominique for MAC Cosmetics

I’ve seen a real trend this season for two contrasting make-up looks; people seem to be going hard or going home, it’s all or nothing. This bright, bold cheek from Laura Dominique is just no different.

A MAC Pro fan brush in 184 was used to create a large flush of orange all over the cheek using Genuine Orange Paint Stick. Next, Bright Response blush was used on the cheekbone to create a hit of colour and blended softly out. The result is this stunning, gradient finish. This model wasn’t quite finished when I photographed her, but this photo shows her blusher perfectly.

Lids and lips were glossy; this added a fresh, ethereal dimension to the whole look. And as for lashes, a thick, chunky layer was added just to the outer corners of the eyes to create a chunky, winged out effect.

Keep up with my London Fashion Week coverage over on Instagram @MixedGemsBeauty.