6 posts tagged "MAC"
“Futuristic Maharaja” Eyes And “Skater Boy” Strands, Backstage At Kenzo
Black cat-eyes—thin flicks of dark pencil drawn across the upper lash line—are a pretty standard maneuver for makeup artists hoping to incite a feeling of classic glamour. But what if you want to accentuate the lids while steering clear of that feeling entirely? “It’s all about the under eye,” according to Aaron de Mey, who used an elongated uptick of MAC Eye Kohl in Smoulder underneath the lower lash line, inside the water line, and in the root of the lashes to get the reverse effect at Kenzo—or a “punky” vibe, as he put it.
“It’s very futuristic maharaja,” de Mey said of the look, citing references ranging from Stanley Kubrick to India as he topped his hand-scrawled stroke with MAC Eyeshadow in Carbon to intensify the darkness of the pigment and its Fluidline in Blacktrack, which was used on the outer corners only to define the straight shape. “It looks strong, direct, and purposeful,” he continued of the graphic element that contrasted with Humberto Leon and Carol Lim’s incredibly rich, colorful collection—as well as skin that de Mey described as “icy” as he used a blend of its Cream Colour Base in Pearl and its Iridescent Powder in Silver Dusk to create dimension on the high planes of the face. Slicking MAC Gloss Texture across lids for a high-shine finish, de Mey concentrated a small dose of it on the center of mouths as well, which had been made slightly smaller with a finger-pressing of foundation around the edges. “It’s like the girls were sucking on ice,” he explained of the technique—which wasn’t too hard to imagine, considering the subarctic chill backstage at La Samaritaine.
“There’s a lot going on,” Anthony Turner confirmed of the bounty of prints and patterns in the clothes, not to mention the large enameled Delfina Delettrez Fendi-designed earrings that dangled from models’ ears. “We wanted to make sure we brought the girls back into the young Kenzo world,” he elaborated of the “cool, downtown, nonchalant” hair he fashioned by coating strands with Moroccanoil Curl Defining Mousse, drying them with his fingers, and then carving out messy side parts. “I was inspired by skater boys—you know, how they put too much product in their hair,” he continued, slathering lengths with its Intense Curl Cream before tucking them behind the ears and simulating a soft, piece-y frizz around the hairline and the crown, so the style felt more organic. “I live in New York,” Turner declared. “I know what this looks like.”
Beauty By Alaïa; Obama “Loves” Michelle’s Bangs; And More…
Alaïa, the fragrance and cosmetics line; it’s coming! [WWD]
Interested in Beyoncé’s inauguration beauty secrets? That’d be hair color by Rita Hazan, nails courtesy of NCLA Nail Lacquer in I’m With the Band, and makeup by Mally Roncal. “The Star-Spangled Banner” has never looked, er, sounded so good. [Glamour]
Speaking of the inauguration, Michelle Obama’s newly cut fringe was the talk of the festivities yesterday, but the style’s approval rating skyrocketed on Sunday, when the president himself weighed in. “To address the most significant event of the weekend, I love her bangs,” Obama said. [USA Today]
The fashion shows won’t be the only attraction for members of the fashion tribe en route to Paris for the Fall collections next month. MAC has announced the opening of a new Paris flagship, the first such store outside of the United States, which will open on February 20. [NYDN]
A Lancôme Star Is Born; MAC’s Comic Relief; And More…
Lancôme’s latest must-have mascara launches in September but starting today, Sephora is offering a 72-hour preview of its Hypnôse Star, inspired by brand face Daria Werbowy…and Betty Boop. [Sephora]
MAC has become synonymous with behemoth collaborations. From Hello, Kitty and Wonder Woman to partnerships with Beth Ditto, Daphne Guinnes, and Ruffian, there’s nothing the makeup brand can’t turn into covetable, limited-edition cosmetics. Its latest trick? Archie. The comic strip’s Betty and Veronica characters will get their own color ranges early next year. [WWD]
Never mind that successful Olympics bid. Americans have a whole new reason to be envious of London: At the end of this month, its Covent Garden neighborhood will be home to a two-floor Chanel makeup and fragrance pop-up shop. Jeal-lous. [Evening Standard]
When Taylor Swift first blew out her signature ringlets, the blogosphere was all a-gasp. But seeing the country phenom with straight hair is now something of a regular occurrence. “I decide based on what I’m doing on any given day,” Swift says of whether or not to go curly. “Lately, I’ve been doing my hair in a way that’s sort of a combination of the two, smooth on top with a loose curl at the bottom,” she explains, pointing out that her go-to hairstyle at the moment is “a ponytail with some kind of headband or scarf.” [Refinery 29]
Spotted: Natalie Portman at the Jardins du Palais Royal in Paris, where the Oscar-winning actress was reportedly shooting a new ad campaign for Miss Dior Cherie, which included a gigantic headdress made from real roses. Color us excited to see that one. [Catwalk Queen]
EXCLUSIVE: “Husky Eyes”: What They Are And How To Get Them
The retro, black cat-eye is one of the big backstage beauty stories for Spring. Chalk it up to the fifties influence that hit its stride in Milan and has continued to gain steam in Paris. But while makeup artist Lucia Pieroni gave us one of our favorite incarnations of the winged-out liner technique at Jonathan Saunders, she was going for something different at Hussein Chalayan this morning—something “strong and soft at the same time” that was decidedly less feline and more…canine. ”They’re like husky eyes,” she said of the diffused brown lids she created using MAC Eye Pencil in Coffee, which she drew along the water line and smudged into lashes before smearing its Paintpot in Contructivist, a shimmering chestnut cream pigment, through the crease. ”It makes the eyes whiter—and really makes green eyes pop,” she added—a convenient little tip for those of you who, like us, are proud members of team hazel.
“The New evolution of the Balmain woman,” Backstage At Balmain
“When we went to the fitting, there was a slight Spanish influence,” hairstylist Sam McKnight said of Olivier Rousteing’s first full-scale runway collection for Balmain. “But the rock ‘n’ roll element is always there,” he added of the house’s archetypical girl, who seemed unwilling to give up her mattified locks and black-rimmed lids for Spring, no matter who happened to be at the design helm. Translated into hair terms, this meant “something sexy that’s not too severe but also sophisticated,” which equaled a smoothed-back ponytail—just as it did last season, although today’s look featured a higher, slightly more kempt rendition of Fall’s low-lying, looser style. “It’s still got that ‘Balmain texture,’ though,” McKnight explained of the “natural, not straight and not wavy” quality of the lengths, which were coated with a little bit of Pantene Pro-V Repair & Protect Serum.
Famed facepainter Tom Pecheux’s first order of business before he started in on “makeup leftovers”—an endearing term he coined for that worn-in, smudged look pigments take on after a night of hard partying—was a thorough facial massage with Rodin Olio Lusso, Estée Lauder DayWear Plus Multi Protection Anti-Oxidant Creme, and its Idealist Pore Minimizing Skin Refinisher. “Massage is part of the makeup. It gives the girls a little bit of a break,” Pecheux explained as an appreciative Carmen Kass beamed from his chair. Applying a “little layer” of MAC Face and Body foundation “mostly for the HD cameras,” Pecheux transitioned into what he called the “new evolution” of the Balmain woman. “Usually, we do a rosy cheek, but now, we’re into contour,” he explained, using MAC Sculpting Powder in Taupe to slightly carve out definition. Then came the “makeup leftovers,” which Pecheux served up by lining the lower waterline with MAC Eye Pencil in Coffee and placing its black, Smolder shade in between upper lashes before blending the strokes with his fingertip. MAC X Mascara in Dark Brown and a naturally filled in brow completed the face. “Above all, the Balmain girl is self-confident, and full brows read power,” Pecheux declared.