MAKEOVER TIME
Transform your make-up look with these easy ideas
It’s all about individuality and tailoring to the face in front of you — now more than ever,” says M.A.C’s national artist Kiekie Stanners, talking to the mood of the moment in makeup. With her regular trips overseas to work backstage, Kiekie is well-placed to interpret the changing face(s) of fashion and beauty.
Words like authenticity, credibility and individuality abound as she outlines the continued march of models from identikit clotheshorses to more inclusive inspiration. It’s a similar story, ranging from budget brands to designer names. Thankfully there really are more foundation shades and less prescriptive “looks” out there, but the reality is that brands first and foremost want you, yes all of you, to sign on to what they’re selling.
Forgive me for being a little cynical — for while the growing diversity of look and choice is welcome, the marketing of it is starting to sound like a choreographed chorus of commerce. The beauty industry is now well and truly “woke” to the shifting global mood. So how about we all just get on with the finger painting fun. That’s where artists like Kiekie come into their own, enthusing about the transformative power of makeup to “create a mood on the face”. She understands the underpinning cultural ideas that help shape collections, but mostly makes you excited to slap the stuff on. After seeing her handiwork on Kate Sylvester’s models at the recent Frances show (pictured), I’m even considering facial squiggles to match my outfit.
At M.A.C’s latest runway-inspired trends preview this month — the sessions are referred to as directions, because we’re all too on-trend to need trends — there’s a deconstructed approach in play. Not the no-makeup look, and certainly not anything overly contoured, but a refined application of cosmetics to perfected skin that is more androgynous than pretty. Colour, if worn noticeably, is layered and vibrant or tends to be diffused warm bronze or peachy tones.
Across the brands this coming season expect more skincare-makeup fusion, some interesting new jelly and gel makeup formulas and an invigorating burst of easy to apply colour in hybrid cream-powders. Even if all of your makeup needs are satisfied, we predict you’ll likely continue the quest for the “one” perfect lippy, despite having a drawer full of them.