Flushed Cheeks And Just-Bitten Pouts Created A Chilly Beauty Look At Nicole Miller Fall 2016
Though we’ve seen some bold pouts during New York Fashion Week AW16 thus far, there’s also been a surprising number of minimalist beauty looks involving lips neutralized with concealer, cheeks and mouths given just a hint of pink or peach color (dabbed in for an even more subdued effect), eyelids left completely bare or dusted with ruddy earth tones or a lavender wash, and nails coated with sheer polishes. As a beauty lover, I tend to grimace whenever I see these looks since they tend to lack the “wow” factor I expect in a runway scenario. Besides, these minimalist looks are typically reserved for the spring and summer seasons, whereas gilded eyeshadows, luminizing powders, and rich red and oxblood lips tend to abound in Fall/Winter. That said, the barebones beauty looks at some shows have been decidedly pretty — even if not necessarily mind-blowing in their originality of theatricality.
At the Nicole Miller Fall 2016 show, for instance, butter LONDON makeup artist and manicurist Katie Jane Hughes created looks that complemented the apparel collection’s Nordic overtones, focusing on flushed cheeks and just-bitten lips — a nod to the natural changes in our skin when we venture into the arctic cold.
Hughes started by priming skin with the Charlotte Tilbury Magic Cream, then applying the MAC Face and Body Foundation for a layer of sheer coverage. Next, to conceal blemishes and color correct any redness or sallowness, she used the Laura Mercier Secret Camouflage. To give the skin a matte, porcelain finish, she then applied Laura Mercier Translucent Loose Powder, using circular lotions for a buffed effect.
To create the flushed, slightly wind-chapped complexion, Hughes applied the butter LONDON BronzerClutch in Sun Baked along the hollows of the cheeks and then swept the butter LONDON BlushClutch in Simply Sweet (available in April 2016) onto the apples of cheeks.
The graphic eyeliner was the boldest element of the beauty look thanks to the depth and intensity of the black hue and the precision of the line traced. To create the look, Hughes traced a straight line along the upper lash line using the butter LONDON Eye Pencil in Union Jack Black, achieving a medium thickness, and adding an upward-swooping curve at the outer corners instead of the traditional angled flicks or wings. To give the liner greater intensity and add a glossy finish, Hughes retraced the line using the butter LONDON Iconoclast Infinite Lacquer Liner. She completed the eye look with two coats of butter LONDON Double Decker Mascara available in March 2016), focusing solely on the top lashes.
Lips, meanwhile, were given a rosy, just-bitten effect by mixing together three butter LONDON Plush Rush Lipstick hues — Daring, Provocative, and Buzzed — then dabbing the blended hue onto models’ pouts.
The nail look was similarly minimalist, with just a couple of design elements to signify snowfall and create an icy vibe. To create the perfect base for the manicure, Hughes applied one layer of the butter LONDON Nail Foundation Priming Basecoat. Next, using the butter LONDON Nail Lacquer in Cotton Buds, Hughes applied one dot in the middle of each nail, close to the nail bed. Once this dot was dry, Hughes applied one coat of the butter LONDON Nail Lacquer in Splash Out (available in April 2016) to add a bit of sparkle and create the illusion of falling snow. She finished the look with one coat of the butter LONDON Matte Finish Shine Free Top Coat.
