Skin un covered
The prevailing trend for skin, undisputed across the fashion capitals, was for it to be clean, stripped-back and bare. “It’s not natural, undone, nothingness,” explains Pat Mcgrath backstage at Jil Sander. “It’s pure but beautiful and polished.” While the concept of a naked face reigned for yet another season, subtle nuances were in evidence at various shows, with both dewy and demi-matte finishes on display. At Stella Mccartney, a fresh flush, the result of buffing a natural cream blush into cheeks, gave the skin a sporty look. Meanwhile, carefully placed luminous highlights at Alberta Ferretti gave the models an almost reflective mannequin finish. At Bottega Veneta, Calvin Klein and Isabel Marant, faces were gently buffed and velvety matte, as though sun-blasted and baked, whereas Burberry’s sheer wash of BB cream enhanced, rather than concealed, the skin’s natural texture. The “real” skin seen on the catwalks was the result of seamless, skinperfecting formulas applied with masterful artistry: the make-up was minimal, however the preparation was anything but. Both Tom Pecheux and Pat Mcgrath spent more time tending to models’ skin—massaging in oils and adminstering plumping, brightening masks—than actually applying make-up.
GET THE LOOK PREP THE SKIN WITH NOURISHING PRODUCTS, THEN APPLY A LIGHTWEIGHT BASE OR CONCEALER ONLY WHERE NEEDED TO EVEN OUT TONE. USE A BUFFING BRUSH; THIS WILL CREATE A MORE “UNDONE” FINISH THAN FINGERS OR SPONGE APPLICATION CAN.