Catwalk beauty: London autumn/winter 2011/12 highlights

The London catwalk provided a plethora of inspirational looks for make-up, hair and nails. Here are our highlights from the London shows.  

Mary Katrantzou 

It was all about a beautiful, androgynous beauty look at Mary Katrantzou. Val Garland for MAC created “shadows on the face” using MAC Gloss Mixing Medium on top of the cheekbones, bridge of the nose and above the brows. For eyes, lashes are curled and mascara-free, while eyelids are washed over in a blue-grey tone and lined with a nude pencil.

For hair, Anthony Turner and the TIGI creative team created a “little schoolboy look” keeping hair clean, slick and simple in a low ponytail. Key products used backstage included TIGI Catwalk Extra Strong Mousse and TIGI Sleek Mystique Hairspray to give hair a high-shine finish.  

Meadham Kirchhoff

We loved the creative approach in make-up and hairstyling at Meadham Kirchhoff. Evolving from last season, models sported a cleaner look but with a dark religious undertone. Referencing the art of Pointillism - where the skin looks perfect from afar but on close-up colours and markings are visible – Florrie White for MAC drew small dots on the inner and outer corners of the eyes. White mixed MAC lipsticks in Lady Danger with Entertain Me, for a strong lip, and blotted Red Electric Pigment over the top for an even more punchy colour. Nails are matched with a fluorescent orange colour.

“Hair represents the girls from last season, but her hair style and colour has grown out,” said head hairstylist James Pecis for L’Oréal Professionnel, who created the grungy look with wigs made out of real hair and payos on the sides.  

Erdem

“She’s an artist’s wife that has left him,” explained Andrew Gallimore for MAC. “It’s a three day old worn in make-up look”. MAC Fluidline in Black Track and Waveline were mixed together to create the dark inky shadow on the eyes. Cheeks are highlighted in MAC Strobe Cream to give an ethereal glow and lips are coated in MAC Viva Glam Lipstick in Gaga 2 for a nude pout.

All the models’ backstage were given a “Hyper-real 3D tan” courtesy of St Tropez celebrity tanning expert Sophie Evans, who used a light wash-off tanner to even out the models’ skin tone and a Silver Rose Illuminator to contour. For a glossier finish, Evans drenched the models’ skin in body butter.

Inspired by the paint-splattered print in the clothes, Jenny Longworth and the nailgirls team created a glossy peachy nude nail, using Nailgirls products including Super Base, Beige #3 and Super Finish.

For hair, models rocked a messy fishtail.  

Ashish

“She’s a teenage punk Tilda Swindon,” exclaimed Georgina Graham, key make-up artist for MAC. Graham used a peachy tone over the eyes and MAC Cremesheen Glass in Hazy on the lip and added fake lip piercings on the lower lip.

James Rowe for L’Oréal Professionnel created a grungy look, inspired by Alice Dellal, with dark roots and greasy ends. L’Oréal Professionnel Liss Control is used on the ends of the hair to give a dirty finish and Techni Art Crystal Gloss is sprayed all over the head to add extra shine.

Body Amr 

Tanning guru James Read created a “candle-lit glow” on the models’ skin at Body Amr, where he presented his Body Con Tan. Read used his custom-made tanning products to sculpt the body. Illuminating Moisturiser with a hint of self-tan was applied onto the skin to create a sheer, light-reflective glow, followed by a light spray of wash-off self-tanner on the front of the legs and down the sides of the arms, to elongate and add definition. The result? A gorgeous, natural and luminous skin tone.

Theresa Yee
Assistant Editor, Beauty