backstage beauty: makeup artists share their skincare must-haves

when you want to know which skincare products are the best, makeup artists are among the best people to turn to ~ they deal with skin all day after all, and know how important well-prepped {and taken care of} skin is to the result of every makeup look.

at many ny fashion week shows this season Weleda Skin Food was spotted being used backstage, including Greg Lauren, Meden and Rebecca Minkoff, among others. this multi-duty beauty product was used as a primer and as a "skin gloss" on the cheekbones; Sarah Lucero, Stila makeup artist and global director of education and artistry calls Skin Food a must-have staple in her team's makeup kits.

Weleda Skin Food is a unique, ultra-rich whole-body cream that deeply hydrates, restores and protects the skin. when applied, skin is left looking soft, supple and has a healthy glow. sounds fabulous, right? you can find it at usa.weleda.com

in another part of the beauty world, Emmy award winning makeup artist, Sarah Woolf uses L’dara Advanced Anti-Aging Serum to prep the skin of contestants on Dancing With The Stars every week!

Sarah raves about the anti-aging serum, stating that "L’dara Advanced Anti-Aging Serum works better than a primer, it evens out skin tone and you can literally feel and see the difference." celeb fans include Candace Cameron Bure and Peta Muragatroyd.

L’dara Advanced Anti-Aging Serum is an antioxidant-rich serum that works to reduce discoloration and the visible effects of sun damage. it boasts a light-weight texture, promises to smooth the complexion and work to dramatically decrease the look of fine lines and wrinkles. if you've ever watched DWTS, you know the the makeup always looks fabulous, so i'm curious to discover more about this one! visit l’daraserum.com for more info.

info and images courtesy of featured brand's pr representative

nyfw spring '15 {hair}: scünci x Tracy Reese

i was beyond in love with the ballerina-inspired collection and complimenting hair styles seen at Tracy Reese's spring 2015 runway show ~ did you see it? the best part, in my opinion, were that the hairstyles are easily created using affordable products from scünci hair accessories!

 the scünci x Tracy Reese ready-to-wear collection will be available in spring 2015 {the collaboration marks the first-ever designer partnership for the leading hair accessory brand}, but you can get the look at home right now with the chic headbands from the current collection!

as you can see, hair accessories were integral to the Tracy Reese collection for spring 2015, so it seems fitting that she'd turn to scünci to create exclusive items for the runway. the designer also tapped Bok-Hee, master stylist, to lend her creative perspective in the development process. together, the three joined forces to come up with the pieces based on the hair look, including fabrics, designs and colors of the ballet-inspired collection.

 both easily beautiful and on trend, thin and thick soft headbands were used in various textures. here's how to get the look yourself...

1. add tons of texture to the hair using a texture spray, a round brush and a teasing brush such as Conair's Infiniti Pro Thermal Round Brush and Teasing Comb.

2. pull back into loose ponytail in the middle of the back of the head and secure with a scünci No Slip Grip or Evolution Hair Tie.

3. next, layer headbands in different textures and colors to add some pop and dimension to your style with a scünci No Slip Grip or Interlock Fabric Headwraps.

4. finally, take the ponytail and loop the end in the back of the bottom of the headband to create the perfect "unpolished" look.

pull up the headbands and voila ~you have textured ballerina hair, imperfectly perfect for every day wear! 

j'adore...

"Tracy Reese was inspired by the modern dance techniques of Martha Graham for her spring 2015 collection, and when you look at her pictures, you see that she is very structured and angular," explains makeup artist Daniel Martin.

the focal point when it came to makeup for the show was exaggerated, 60s-inspired graphic eyeliner, and rather than going for a traditional cat eye, Martin used NYX The Curve liner to give models a more square-shaped line above the lashes, and drew a banana-shaped line over the lids to keep the graphic element. Martin also gave the models a two-toned lip to create depth, and accentuated their natural lip color using various shades of the brand’s Simply Pink Lip Cream collection.

visit scunci.com to see more behind the scenes pics and {as always} more info and where to buy.

images style.com, zimbio.com + featured brand's PR

nyfw spring '15 {beauty}: backstage at Derek Lam

the look on the Derek Lam spring 2015 runway reflected the designer's love of america in the 70's, but in his fresh, polished, understated way. i loved seeing the shades of violet and jade, that really stood out against neutral tones.

the beauty look was pretty and cool, with makeup that was "a process starting with natural, then mauve, lavender and violet were built on top of nudes."

makeup artist, Tom Pecheux for MAC created the look:

face:
studio finish spf 35 concealer blended over moisturized and primed skin as needed to perfect prep + prime transparent finishing powder swept through the centre of the face to set
and provide a flawless matte finish; go guava and must have melon lipsticks from m·a·c trend forecast spring 15/lip and cheek {limited edition available fall 2014} pressed and tapped into cheeks for a peachy flush lightscapade mineralize skinfinish blended over the upper cheekbones to highlight.

eyes:
haute & naughty black lash applied to the upper lashes to lightly coat
tarot mascara {available spring/summer 2015} applied over haute & naughty black lash
for a purple emphasis to lashes lowlights fluidline {available spring/summer 2015} smudged into the upper lash line to deepen and define m·a·c pro violetta lipstick blended from lash line to crease and outward with the 242 shader brush to elongate the eyes, vibrant in tone, but soft and sheer in payoff fingers were used to press above the crease to further diffuse fascinating eye kohl applied through the waterline to open the eye
lightscapade mineralize skinfinish swept over the browbone and inner corner of the eye to highlight brows were given a bit of depth with eye shadow and then brushed upwards to diffuse and perfect

lips:
seasonally peach and spring sensation from m·a·c trend forecast spring 15/lip and cheek {limited edition available fall 2014} blended into lips with 316 lip brush/covered for a fresh finish

nail guru Jin Soon Choi created a simple and classic manicure to complement the brand’s modern sensibility. here's how:

1. file and clean nails, removing all traces of polish
2. apply JINsoon Power Coat base coat to prep the nails
3. to create warmth apply one coat of JINsoon Nostalgia
4. next, layer one coat of JINsoon Muse for a warm soft look
5. finish by applying a single coat of JINsoon Top Gloss

are you enjoying fashion week, beauties? what have been your favorite shows?

inof and images provided by respected brand PR; first image courtesy of style.com

nyfw spring '15 {beauty}: backstage at Alexander Wang

the Alexander Wang spring 2015 show was received with high praise thanks to its strong yet feminine pieces that were expertly structured, cool and definitely wearable. the collection was complimented by beautifully simple and modern looks created by artists from NARS and essie. 

Diane Kendal for NARS Cosmetics used the spring '15 collection as her inspiration to create a makeup look that highlighted and contoured to bring out the strength of each model's features.

products used:

face:

NARSSkin Luminous Moisture Cream

NARSSkin Optimal Brightening Concentrate

Radiant Creamy Concealer

Sheer Glow Foundation

cheeks:

Cappadoce Matte Multiple

the left side of Craving Dual-Intensity Blush {new for spring 2015; for now try Copacabana Multiple}

eyes:

Via Appia Larger Than Life® Long-wear Eyeliner

Iskandar Eye Paint

Cappadoce Matte Multiple layered with South Beach Multiple

on nails, Michelle Saunders for essie created a short, rounded length nail look for both the hands and feet. she layered the neutral tone of ridge filling base coat over au natural to complement the modern, active collection.

to create the look {hands and feet}:
1. apply two coats of au natural to clean, filed nails
2. next, apply one coat of ridge filling base coat in order to create the perfect modern,
neutral nail color
3. follow with good to go top coat

be sure to follow NARS and essie for more fabulous backstage coverage at ny fashion week via Instagram ~ @narsissist and @essiepolish  

info and images courtesy of featured brands' PR and style.com

nyfw spring '15 {beauty}: essie backstage at Wes Gordon

to complement the Wes Gordon spring/summer 2015 collection, Rita Remark for essie created a sophisticated, yet effortlessly cool design resembling linen against the skin for the hands, drawing inspiration from the designer’s muted color palette. the sand tropez polish shade was used on the toes to finish the look.

get the look {hands}:

apply ridge filling base coat to clean, filed nails. once the base coat dries, apply one coat of cocktails & coconuts, followed by one coat of imported bubbly to mimic the look of dewy skin.

next, dip a striping brush into blanc and remove

most of the polish in order to have maximum

control, and to prevent pooling.

to create the linen pattern, add vertical stripes of blanc down the length of the nail, keeping the lines very thin and unevenly spaced. then, repeat the method above with horizontal blanc stripes across the nail.

finish the design by adding a thin coat of allure to diffuse the brightness, followed by good to go top coat.

i'll be bringing you more from essie and the manicures they're creating at ny fashion week, so stay tuned! for more nail style, tutorials and inspiration, follow the brand on Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest and tumblr.

first image style.com; model pics courtesy of essie brand's PR

NYFW hair: TRESemme at Jenny Packham f/w '14

for her latest collection, Jenny Packham was inspired by Bianca Jagger in the 1970's, who served as the darling of new york society. she was a woman who "epitomized the ease and opulence of evening wear at the time." and it wasn't exactly what the designer's muse wore, but "how she wore it".

to add the perfect compliment, TRESemmé stylist Jeanie Syfu created a hair look that reflected Jenny's vision: a loose, knotted bun that's both decadent and natural.

TRESemme products used:
24 Hour Body Foaming Mousse
Keratin Smooth Illuminating Shine Spray
Split Remedy Leave-In Split End Conditioning Treatment
24 Hour Body Finishing Spray

tools: 
blow dryer, round brush, Mason Pearson brush, elastic, bobby pins and hair pins

how to create the look:
apply TRESemmé 24 Hour Body Foaming Mousse to hair and blow dry with a round brush; once hair is completely dry, back-brush hair for volume. spray with Keratin Smooth Illuminating Shine Spray while gently brushing the hair away from the face. pull the hair back so that it loosely covers the ears into a low ponytail and fasten with elastic. twist the length of the hair into a bun, leaving the ends out, and fasten with hair pins.
apply Leave-In Split End Conditioning Treatment through the front of the hairline while loosely separating the hair with fingertips.
for a touchable hold, finish the look with 24 Hour Body Finishing Spray.

a simply lovely style that can easily be recreated...always love that!  you can find the products mentioned at your favorite mass and drugstore retailers. visit tresemme.com for more info.

info and images courtesy of PR for TRESemme

NYFW hair: Sebastian Professional at Christian Siriano f/w '14

last saturday, Sebastian Professional lead stylist, Anthony Cole created a sophisticated, ‘60s-inspired chignon to compliment the vision behind the collection Christian Siriano showcased…

take a look!

Christian Siriano's fall 2014 collection is inspired by late swedish fashion model, Lisa Fonssagrives, who the designer sees as the muse of parisian beauty and glamour. the collection is “lady-like yet cool” paying homage to the 60s yet maintaining a modern twist; pieces are mature and sexy with plenty of texture...

how to create this hair look:

*start by spraying Dry Clean Only around hair line, eventually covering head; brush.

*work Mousse Forte from root to tip of hair, covering entire head.

*create part directly down the center of head and slick each side over ear using Gel Forte;

*gather all hair at nape of neck and secure in low ponytail;

*finger-tease ponytail starting with underneath layer using Shaper Hairspray

*pin ponytail underneath hair elastic creating an elegant, low bun.

*synch and secure the bun to ensure it remains in-tact using bobby pins; finish with Shaper Hairspray

for more info about Sebastian Professional, visit their website.

info and images courtesy of featured brand's PR

NYFW beauty: NARS at 3.1 Phillip Lim f/w '14

NARS once again created the look for the 3.1 Phillip Lim fall 2014 runway show. here are all the gorgeous details…

lead artist Francelle Daly for NARS Cosmetics says, "it's time to 'rock the casbah' this fall. a bold, angled brow, clean eyelids and slightly sculpted cheeks give a bit of new wave punk inspiration."

key products used to create the exclusive look:

face:
Pure Radiant Tinted Moisturizer
Radiant Creamy concealer
Light Reflecting Setting Powder  ~ loose
Light Reflecting Setting Powder ~ pressed

cheeks:
Nico blush
Zen blush

eyes:
Oural brow gel {used on eyelashes}
Larger Than Life® Lengthening mascara

brows:
Brow Perfector
Matte Eyeshadow {shades Blondie, Bali, Bengali, New York or Coconut Grove depending on hair color}

nails:
Crossroads {an eggplant hue} from the 3.1 Phillip Lim for NARS Nail Collection {which includes nine limited-edition nail shades created in conjunction with Phillip Lim and will launch worldwide this august}. the collection combines Phillip's signature style with NARS' iconic and audacious beauty philosophy.

all products, except where noted, are currently available at narscosmetics.com

info and images courtesy of NARS