Editor’s note: Before you read Brittany’s fab piece below, join me in congratulating her on her new role as Onya Magazine’s Fashion Editor – hip, hip, hooray! – Sandi
What’s better than enjoying ‘An Evening with Vogue’ while admiring the gorgeous city view from The Langham’s Alto Rooftop? Not much, I think – even if I did learn that everything I thought I knew about make-up was actually wrong.
Hosted by Vogue Australia’s Beauty Director Sigourney Castelo and Mecca Cosmetica Director of Artistry Tony Baumann in the beautiful Langham Hotel in Melbourne, guests sipped on champagne and nibbled on fairy floss pink éclairs as they learnt about the four key makeup trends for this season.
Trend 1: Polished 3D Skin – Radiant and Contoured
The first trend is all about creating the perfect base for your makeup – skin should look polished, radiant and contoured. The natural look was a big hit at New York Fashion Week, and is all about contouring. Use bronzer first, before selecting a contour powder in a slightly darker and richer colour. Using the brush, stencil on the complexion where the contours should be – the temple, cheekbone and jaw. Think of it as a ‘backwards 3’ motion on your face.
Tony’s tip: If you’re going to invest in one brush, make it the NARS Kabuki brush. Its domed shape is perfect for creating this look as it does all the hard work for you.
Trend 2: The Statement Lip – Bold and Confident Colour
A natural base provides a great canvas to sport the biggest trend this season – the statement lip. Choose bold, confident colours such as orange or fuchsia for maximum impact. Both Sigourney and Tony believe it will be a classic party season go-to, as it’s an easy way to dress up an outfit. The tip here is to clash it rather than match it – the bright pop of colour works great against monochrome, making it a perfect make-up choice for Derby Day. It’s also more versatile than you think – according to Tony, a warm colour like orange suits about 95% of people.
The best way to wear this trend is matte, exfoliating your lips beforehand to avoid pigmentation.
Tony’s Tip: Do your lip liner last. After using a lip brush to apply the lipstick, pick up your lip liner, starting with your cupids bow in the centre and work outwards. The result will be neat, defined and a bold blast of colour.
Trend 3: Contoured Eyes
As seen at Elie Saab during New York Fashion Week, contoured eyes are soft, elegant and elongated. It makes your eyes look bigger, and is the perfect companion to the bold lip (and perfect for the races!) The aim is to create an ‘80s shape point with your bullet brush, then use a blending brush to diffuse the edges and eliminate any harsh lines. Brows are also an important part of this look, so make sure you pay them some attention. Start at the end and blend inwards.
Eyelashes
When applying false eyelashes, always curl your natural lashes beforehand. The best way to do this is in a ‘scoop’ motion (lining up the top lashes in the curler, before slightly tilting up) as it creates optimum curl.
If using individual lashes, rather than going straight in, apply at slightly tilted angle. This will create more of a flared effect, which opens your eyes up, and is great if you’re doing a smoky eye or adding a flick of liquid liner.
Tony’s tip: Always wait until the eyelash glue is tacky, which usually takes 30 seconds to a minute. For maximum effect, put mascara on your natural lashes before you apply the false lashes. This adds easy volume, and means your falsies will last longer.
Trend 4: Foiled Eyes – Modern Metallics
This is a trend seen everywhere from Dior’s NYFW show to our very own Melbourne Spring Fashion Week last month. For MSFW, the foiled eye applications were added on top of a dark smoky eye to add dimension. The eye foils come with a primer, so mix the pigments on the back of your hand before applying to the eye. It goes on as liquid, but dries to a smooth finish and is a great way to transform your makeup from day to evening. It’s also a fantastic grown-up alternative to glitter – for a more dramatic look, simply apply the primer generously and place the foil directly onto the lid.
Tony’s tip: It’s a great way to give your look an edge, and its rock chic attitude means it doesn’t always have to be neat and tidy.
The Finishing Touches: Final Words of Wisdom
- Prime Time
A good primer is a must in any make-up bag – Hourglass Veil Mineral Primer is always in Tony’s kit and has a great waterproof quality.
- Australia: Embrace Loose Powder!
It’s time to get over the phobia of loose powder! Your forehead, nose, cheeks and chin should never be shiny. Apply to these areas with a ‘press and roll’ motion with the brush, and finish with a sweep under the eyes. Even if you’re going for a dewy look, buff loose powder is a key basis for applying blusher. Nars Loose Powder is another favourite in Tony’s kit.
- STOP THE PRESS!
Never ever set your make-up with pressed powder – only loose will do. Pressed powder is designed to soak up any oil, so applying it straight on top of a wet foundation will just result in all the moisture being absorbed up out of your face. Avoid using powder foundation on top of other foundations – using loose powder to set your makeup will give you much better results.
Hopefully I’m not alone in not knowing all this before, but I can attest that having tried Tony’s tips and tricks out, they really do work. Will you be giving them a try? Let us know how you go!
