Glossy Eyelids And A Feminine “Negative Space” Nail Look At Noon By Noor SS15
Since the clothing in the Noon by Noor Spring 2015 collection had a sporty yet structured feel, the beauty look created for the show was deliberately pared down.
Tiffany Johnston was the key makeup artist for MAC Cosmetics and she created a minimalist look primarily involving just hints of gloss in key areas. Rather than piling on foundation, powder and blush, Johnston focused on bringing a natural luminosity to models’ complexions by massaging their skin with the MAC Cosmetics Complete Comfort Creme, which helped to make skin appear smoother, plumper, and more luminous. Concealer was used sparingly — just a touch of the MAC Studio Finish Concealer applied using a very fluffy brush under the eyes to diminish the appearance of dark circles. Touches of concealer aside, the skin was kept bare and raw.
To give the face definition and create a dramatic look, brows were brushed up until they were “standing up at attention” and lashes were curled, but no mascara was applied nor were the brows set with a gel. On lids, Johnston applied the Power Player eye shadow (one of the shades in the Spring 2015 Eyes Forecast Palette), buffing it along the lashline using the MAC 217 Blending Brush. Next, she applied the MAC Gloss Texture, a clear gloss with a remarkable sheen, onto lids, buffing the product using the 217 brush, and working it up toward the brow bone. To give eyes a hint of color while retaining the glossy texture and the translucent finish achieved via the first gloss, Johnston next applied the MAC Studio Eye Gloss in Médoc, a burgundy wine color with pearls infused into it, along the lash line. To illuminate eyes, she smoothed the MAC Studio Eye Gloss in Pearl Varnish, a nacreous white shade, along the”V” area of the tear ducts using the 209 Eye Liner Brush.
Lips, meanwhile, were left bare but exfoliated and moisturized using a clever makeup artist trick. Johnston dabbed MAC Lip Conditioner atop models’ pouts and, using a mascara wand, she scrubbed the lip area to exfoliate any dead skin and create a smooth and even surface while hydrating and plumping lips — all without there being any shine or color left behind. Last, to accentuate the cupid’s bow, she applied a bit of the MAC Studio Eye Gloss in Varnish therein.
The nail look created for the show was similarly brilliant in its striking simplicity. Zoya‘s Creative Director, Rebecca Isa, created a manicure that emphasized one of Spring 2015’s biggest nail trends: negative space. Isa defines the negative space idea much like any painter, illustrator, or graphic designer would — except, of course, that the medium or canvas in question is a fingernail. In this scenario, negative space means that a section of the nail is left bare or open, making whatever nail art details stand out all the more by virtue of the stark contrast. Rather than the eye dancing around to take in a number of visual elements, then, it’s instantly drawn to one singular detail.
For the Noon by Noor SS15 show, then, the notion of open space was created by brushing on a coat of the Zoya Erin nail lacquer, a soft, sheer, and slightly shimmering beige shade, and then adding a half curve on the inside corner of the nail tip with the Zoya Cosmo Magical PixieDust nail lacquer, a glitzy silver hue. The idea was to create a very soft look that would offer a playful glint as models’ hands were illuminated under the runway lights and the glittery flecks of the Cosmo shade reflected that oncoming light. The shimmering adornment was made using free-hand movements so as not to be too rigid and Isa describes the shape as a “half chevron” but with a slightly more rounded edge thanks to the way the nails were filed. To offer a makeup equivalent of the nail look created, Isa drew the parallel of applying a sheer foundation as opposed to a more opaque formula and then applying a touch of lip gloss. Who knew minimalism could be so lovely?
Make sure to check out the video interviews with Tiffany Johnston and Rebecca Isa above!
