Models catwalking Balmain’s SS09 line wore bare-ly there makeup (shoes by Giuseppe Zanotti for Balmain)
The topic of food among the fashion set is taboo save the fervid discussion of two forms of caloric intake: platters of nigiri and units of alcohol.
But, the guiding principal for mastering this season’s beauty trends is derived from solid foods (quelle horreur!): the “salt to taste” method of cosmetic application as explained by Joshua Conover, the color lead at Sephora’s Powell Street location. Offered here, then, are Joshua’s latest makeup methods, lovelies, as well as a dash of some of the most delicious beauty trends for the coming season.
The Chic Chignon
Having been in a slew of mediocre romantic comedies and on a certain junior senator from Alaska, the embattled updo is desperate for an update. Enter the hair roll at Isaac Mizrahi, Catherine Malandrino, and Sue Stemp, the latter of which was worn off to the side like a jaunty hirsute top hat—very fitting on performing monkeys, but tragically hip on humans.
Lovelies, no one will mind if you pass on the hairy cannoli. Opt for the chignon. It’s classic, says Tony Tantillo, a stylist at 77 Maiden Lane. In less than an hour, Tony can make event hair a “nonissue.” He advises coming as you are; not shampooing on the day of. Dirty hair is a friend of the modern chignon, which is texturized, romantic, and gathered around your neck—not perched on your crown.
Bare Makeup
Sheer makeup is baffling for women who like their cover-up to function as advertised. But more than several collections (Balmain, Ralph Lauren, and Stella McCartney) have ventured into this Bermuda Triangle of beauty trends.
We lie to ourselves that less is more, but just this once, it’s actually true. The biggest beauty mistake, says Jo Strettell, a makeup artist who counts Thandie Newton and Demi Moore as clients, is using heavy foundation, which invariably smudges and gets trapped in fine lines and wrinkles.
Givenchy’s Sari Glow Luminous Cheek Powder
Those who prefer their faces veiled and shellacked will be able to crack a smile with the market’s new high-performing and light-as-a-feather foundations. Check out Chanel’s Life Lumiere, Dior’s Diorskin, or Sensai’s Foundation Series. The latter boasts a secret weapon: “weightless moist glow factor,” the “je ne sais quoi” of makeup.
For lazy lovelies (you know who you are!), tinted moisturizer such as The Balm’s Balm Shelter SPF 18 is your answer to fresh-faced beauty.
Metallic Washes
It’s hands down the prettiest trend, as seen at Vera Wang’s and Doo.Ri’s shows. And by pretty, we do not refer to the word’s usage in the hands of snarky bloggers. There’s nothing ugly pretty or ironic pretty in this gorgeous watercolor for the eyes.
Tapping is key to getting the right amount of pigment on your lids, says Sephora’s Joshua. Tap off the water on your brush before dipping in your shadow pot, and tap again to remove excess. For sensitive eyes, he recommends saline or eye drops rather than faucet water to wet the brush.
Bollywood Heroines
Oranges and pinks are doing razzle-dazzle numbers at cosmetic counters. Givenchy’s Sari Glow Luminous Cheek Powder is universally flattering. For maharani wannabes, Joshua insists on strict adherence to the beauty rule of thirds. Never ever apply color on eyes, lips, and cheeks all at once. Pick one for day, two for evenings. But, with intense colors like Bollywood-inspired aquas, corals, and fuchsias, Joshua limits you to one, at all times.
The other trick that sets women apart from the girls is mastery of kohl liner. The motor skills of a brain surgeon are needed to get the inner rim of the lower eyelid just the right intensity. Guerlain’s Kajal Mineral Kohl roll-up stick is chubby enough to ensure your cornea’s safety from the shakiest of hands. And the waxy pigment glides on smooth for an even line.
Bouvier Brows
Many of us will be on self-imposed tweezer lockdown. Runway after runway, from Marni to Marchesa, featured skinny models with plump brows. It should make everyone think twice about drunk tweezing, which is just criminal. “Most people never dream of cutting their own hair, let alone doing it at night after they have had a bit too much wine,” says Hilary Price, vice president of Benefit’s Brow Bars. Leave it to the hands of a professional. A visit to a brow specialist every two to four weeks will keep your forehead well manicured and caterpillar-free.
Another mistake is what Hilary calls the “sharpie effect.” You may as well run away and join an eyebrow-less Noh opera troupe if you’re going to partake in such behaviors. Finding the right shade of powder is crucial. The most believable brow color is darker than your hair. Lowlight your brows in the deepest shade of your hair color. Benefit has a two-pronged approach to getting natural looking brows. Benefit’s Browzings brow-shaping kit is a pigmented wax that preps and plumps up brow hairs; a matching powder goes in for the kill to fill in the gaps.
And by now you should already know the drill: salt to taste.
