Platinum Eyes, Graphic Eyeliner and Nude Lips at Carmen Marc Valvo Spring 2014

Minimalism has dominated the Spring 2014 runways, with nude lips, near-bare lids, mascara-less lashes, and muted fingernails popping up in show after show. The stripped-down beauty looks can be a disappointment to those of us who crave color and enjoy experimenting with bold and even theatrical makeup, but fortunately, some have managed to infuse a dose of drama into these more minimal looks. For the Carmen Marc Valvo Spring 2014 runway show, for instance, NARS Cosmetics artist Uzo masterminded a futuristic, graphic eye look that echoed the inspiration behind the designer’s “Tribal Techno” collection, which incorporated tribal motifs but modernized them by making them appear a bit pixelated and digitized, creating these patterns with luxurious fabrics and toying with textural contrasts, and, of course, by replacing any vibrant or earthy shades with crisp white, black, and silver tones.

Uzo wanted to create a look that was as elegant as Valvo’s designs but which was equally striking and playful. To accomplish this feat, she gave models clean and luminous skin using the NARS Sheer Glow Foundation, a liquid foundation that offers sheer and buildable coverage and boosts radiance, and NARS Loose Powder, a triple milled powder with a silky texture that improves the skin’s texture and creates a satin finish.

To create a natural look, eyelids were covered with the matte peach shade in the NARS Duo Eyeshadow in Key Largo. Next, to create the thick band of color sitting atop the lash line, Uzo brushed on the gold lamé side of the Kauai Duo Eyeshadow (new for Spring 2014). Next, the sheer white shimmer shadow in the Pandora Duo Eyeshadow was brushed atop it to create a platinum tone. Eyes, meanwhile were lined with the NARS Eye Paint in Black Valley, a long-wearing gel liner, and winged out to create a more graphic look. The NARS Eyeliner Pencil in Black Moon was then used to trace over the area and make the black tones denser and more striking. To complete the look, the NARS Larger Than Life Volumizing Mascara was brushed onto lashes.

Since the eye look was so bold, the lip was kept soft and muted. Uzo applied the NARS Radiant Creamy Concealer onto lips, patting it in so as to neutralize the natural rosiness of models’ lips and create a matte canvas. Next, she applied the NARS Pure Matte Lipstick in Tashkent, a nude beige color.

The monochromatic makeup look was the perfect complement to the Cruella De Vil-flavored wigs donned by models, which were trimmed in the shape of asymmetrical bobs and given blunt bangs. The dip-dyed wigs were platinum blonde along the crown and down to the mid-lengths and then the color transitioned into gray and down to jet black along the lower half of strands.