Mercedes Benz Fashion Week Australia has now closed for another year and what an interesting week of beauty it was!
From an outsider looking in, I would say it would seem that lived in beauty is on a huge rise, glamour seems so long ago…
But there were some key trends seen this year, lived in and raw beauty ruled the runways, but some designers did choose to raise the bar with a little colour and depth amongst the bare skin looks seen at the majority of shows throughout the week.
Contouring was another huge trend this Fashion Week…
With different shades of bronzer used to sculpt and lift the face, but keeping everything very nude, soft and muted in colour.
The look for most shows was to create the illusion the model was wearing no makeup – this may work for models, but not for most of us out there…
The highly contoured look can still be on trend with the no makeup, barely there look, but also create a little extra shape to the face, bringing forward great bone structure and a touch of glamour, seen at Alex Perry with Napoleon Perdis makeup design.
MB PRO TIP – Always use an angled brush to create the best contour!
The smaller end will grab product from product and apply on the skin first and in your brush stroke the longer end sweeps and blend, giving a double effect with one brush.
Jayson Brunsdon also went for a highly contoured look, but adding rich chocolate shades to the lip and eye for a little more definition, which looked divine thanks to Nicole Thompson from M.A.C.
The return of the chocolate eyes are quite striking, giving contour and smokey all in one – just make sure to have some highlight in the inner corner of eye, cupids bow and on cheekbone to lift this shade choice when trying this look at home.
Skin was such a big focus that models from Dion Lee, Lan Yu and Aje all receiving mini skin facials before makeup was applied!
Models at Dion Lee saw no foundation on their faces which meant a relaxing and nourishing face oil massaged into the skin and only concealing where needed for that raw, ‘Just out of bed look’.
Jesinta Campbell who looked stunning in the Lan Yu showcase said, “My skin feels so amazing and fresh” after receiving a mini facial with Evohe Skincare, a natural, vegan skincare before makeup was applied.
Lancôme’s famous Genefique was layered on the skin and mixed through with foundation backstage at Aje, giving models such an inner glow – it really was all about skin and taking the time to prep skin well to project luminosity this Fashion Week.
Even though eyes were a nude, soft contour for most, the shows that did upgrade there eye all had a graphic slight theme…
Eyeliner and abstract design seemed to be a big trend and creating lifting shapes with eyeliners seemed to be the way to go.
Ellery saw subtle, but a double eyeliner that gave edge but still lift, which is what eyeliner is there for with M.A.C.
MB PRO TIP – It is important to apply that perfect wing liner with the eyes open to get the best placement for that lift when trying this at home.
Bec and Bridge, also makeup by M.A.C, decided to use contouring as a base with a metallic Gold, almost lightning bolt design, on the eye area – very striking and metallic in general seems to be another trend with fabrics, so adding it onto the eye in a subtle way, not covering the whole area, can be a great addition to your makeup.
I would suggest only apply to the mobile lid as a pop or as eyeliner!
We did see some fun colour on the eye at We Are Handsome with models either sporting yellow, blue or purple eye shadow with a little 60’s twist.
Nigel Stanislaus from Maybelline wanted to bring out the tones shown in the amazing swimwear prints, a sea of colour and fun designs never disappoint at We Are Handsome.
Being one of the only shows to have any type of colour, it definitely was a great change from the super nude makeup looks during the week.
Lips were very nude, following the barely there trend, but a few shows did dabble in a little colour, but more of a stain.
Aurelio Costarella was my personal fave and the crimson lip was pressed into the lip to create a stain effect, a very subtle edge gave a very Parisian feel to the look.
MB PRO TIP – Fingertips are the best way to dab and press in a lipstick into the lip, locking in pigment and creating a stain.
The rounded fingertip also gives a fuller lip.
Hair trends were definitely lived in, bed head and raw texture….
Soft and bouncy that we see at Victoria Secret was nowhere in sight and the slightly oily, textured hair also made an appearance on the runway.
Adding textured height was seen in all different ways, but gave a little more shape to lift the models silhouette.
I loved the slightly Japanese feel with Redken at Dion Lee.
Seen at so many shows, lived in hair was key for the overall beauty looks and feel with fashion seeming to be relaxed yet styled…
This just proves that something so simple can really add a little shape and texture to your hair.
The Common smooth blow dry is now textured, slightly oily for a lived in feel and adding height in any way possible to create a little bed hair.
Maticevski gave us this feel perfectly… I like that yet natural it still gave us healthy hair and not to messy where it cannot be worn daily.
With body, St Tropez Tan worked with Alex Perry, Ellery and We Are Handsome and I was lucky enough to be one of the brands Skin Finishing Experts.
We did not want to altar the models skin tone as the bronze goddess look has taken a backseat, but healthy, even and highlighted skin is a big trend, showing off light on the body as we do in the face.
St Tropez doesn’t need to be thought of as only a self-tan brand, but the Instant Tan range can be used just to lift and enhance your natural skin tone rather than changing the tone and then using the skin illuminator on frontal points of the body, the bone areas really to add highlight and shade – body beautiful with light is THE body trend this season.
So lived in hair and natural contoured makeup – that’s not too hard is it?
It seems we don’t have to spend hours on our beauty look, but using nude tones, shape and highlight the skin and perhaps put the rollers away and shake up the hair with your hands instead?
Whatever your look, its good to know that beauty can be simple when needed.
Go backstage with Michael Brown at the We Are Handsome Fashion Week Australia show in the video below: