Another NYFW has officially wrapped up, and we’re still coming down from the fashion high. While it may be a minute before the clothing makes its way into our wardrobes, the good news is we can draw inspiration from the beauty looks pretty much immediately.
We saw minimalist and understated hair and makeup taking centre stage at Proenza and Simkhai—but don’t be fooled into thinking that NYFW was a monochrome affair. Alongside the pared-back looks, we saw the resurgence of gothic and punk influences on the runways at Prabal Gurung, Adeam and Rodarte. Amidst the moody vibes there was also a healthy dose of romance in the air, with ethereal looks at Christian Siriano and Sandy Liang.
Here, we drive into the six most notable NYFW beauty trends we’re adding to our moodboards stat.
Image Credit: Dave Kotinsky/Getty Images & Greg Kessler
Slicked Back Updos at Christian Siriano and Jason Wu
The romantic updo is back and sleeker than ever, as evidenced by the ultra-glossy buns spotted at Christian Siriano and Jason Wu. Lacy Redway, celebrity hairstylist and lead stylist for TreSemmé created a slick rose-inspired updo for the Siriano opener to complement the billowing, Audrey Heburn-esque looks coming down the runway. “Christian has a lot of flower details throughout the entire collection, so I instantly felt like the hair should have a twist on that,” she says. To get the look, Redway applied TreSemmé’s One Step Blowout Balm for heat protectant and frizz control. She then followed up with a dollop of Extra Hold Mousse to secure a tight ponytail before manipulating sections of hair in a figure-eight pattern to create a petal-like design. Finally, she sprayed Freeze Hold Hair Spray to secure the look in place.
Image Credit: NARS & Ilia
Gothic Glamour at Rodarte, Sandy Liang and Adeam
The Wednesday Adams effect has reached new levels and we’re certainly not mad about it. Backstage and Rodarte and Adeam, NARS makeup pros went full goth with oxblood-stained lips and graphic eyes, while Sandy Liang opted for a softer take with dainty coquette-ish accessories (think hair bows for days) and ultra dark lips. “This season’s makeup was inspired by the idea of a beautiful dark angel. We created fresh, glowy skin, with hints of highlighter, and completed it with a perfectly imperfect dark crimson lip,” says NARS global artistry director Sada Ito of the makeup at Adeam. Get the just-been-kissed (or bitten?) effect by lining lips with NARS’ Velvet Matte Lip Pencil in ‘Train Bleu’ before finishing with a touch of Audacious Lipstick in ‘Bette’.
Image Credit: NARS & Ilia
Image Credit: Diane Bondareff for Kiss Products
The Updated French at PatBo and Prabal Gurung
Divided as the jury may be on the look, French tips are here to stay, as evidenced by the ultra-cool manis spotted backstage at PatBo and Prabal Gurung. KISS Ambassador and celebrity nail artist Gina Edwards created four nail looks for each show, including burgundy-and-black French tips at Prabal Gurung and a playful multi-colored mani at PatBO. Edwards said, “The collection brings us into the Kate Moss era with an edgy gracefulness. The core nail look is an interlocking pattern of all the colors, which I’m calling The Mosaic French.” To master the mosaic effect, Edwards recommends using KISS Bare But Better Nails in Nude Drama as a base, painting on a French tip and using a detail brush to draw S-lines in your preferred shades.
Image Credit: Getty & Veronica Beard
Laid-Back Locks at Veronica Beard and Proenza Schouler
Put away your curling wands and flat irons: effortless hair is having a moment in the spotlight. All eyes were on the loose updos, blunt bobs (Hailey Bieber wya?) and undone styles on the runways at Veronica Beard and Proenza Schouler. One of the most-loved looks of the bunch was the relaxed ponytail at Veronica Beard created by Jon Reyman for Aveda. To create the look, Reyman twisted hair and secured it to the head with elastic bands, leaving the bottom base of the ponytail free. Key products used were Aveda’s volumizing tonic (for prep), the Dyson supersonic (quick dry with minimal damage) and Aveda’s Phomollient Styling Foam and Control Force Hairspray to finish.
Image Credit: Hunter Abrams
Next-Day Liner at Prabal Gurung and Altuzarra
We’re living for all the low-effort, high-impact looks this season, especially the smudgy, slept-in liner that has made an appearance at Prabal Gurung and Altuzarra. At Prabal Gurung, celebrity MUA Sil Bruinsma used Mac Cosmetic’s kohl liner in ‘Feline’ to rim eyes, adding a gilded accent with the pencil shade ‘Gilt Struck’. Makeup artist Diane Kendal followed suit over at Altuzarra, finishing the smokey eye looks with a swipe of gold pigment for one of the most major beauty moments of the season.
Image Credit: @alexajaephoto for Smashbox
Barely-There Skin and Wet Effect Hair at Christian Cowan and Collina Strada
Impossibly grand hair accessories and larger-than-life appendages made quite the impression over at Christian Cowan and Collina Strada, so it comes as no surprise that the hair and skin was left au naturel (by runway standards, of course). Over at Collina Strada, animal prosthetics created by the makeup artist Isamaya Ffrench shocked and delighted viewers, while Bumble and Bumble’s Evanie Frausto (also responsible for the mini bows at Sandy Liang) created grungy-greasy pastel strands with a combo of Bumble and Bumble’s texturizing Tonic Lotion and Invisible Hairdresser Oil. At Christian Cowan, Smashbox lead artist Lori Taylor Davis gave us a masterclass in glass skin by cocktailing primers and moisturizers, mixing the Smashbox Silkscreen Primerizer+ and Silkscreen Illuminate Primer with the Original Photo Finish Primer to create a flawless base, then doubling up on moisturizers with a combo of the Halo Plumping Dew Illuminating Moisturizer and Halo Healthy Glow All-In-One Tinted Moisturizer. Juicy!