From braids to buzz cuts and wet-look hair (and even skin!), the SS16 catwalk shows were strictly for the professionals, right? Actually no. Here’s how to try them at home
It’s rare that this happens, but almost every beauty trend that surfaced from the spring/summer fashion shows was summed up by the models at Marc Jacobs.
Damp, dishevelled hair pinned precariously with a barrette; a hint of blue in the corner of the eye; purposely clumpy mascara and ’bitten’ lips – it was all there.
Sounds kind of a mess, though, doesn’t it?
But, examined in isolation, there were some very appealing elements at work on Jacobs’ mussed-up maidens, and techniques that you can – and should – try at home.
This season, unleash your rebellious streak and run wild with pretty-punk abandon…
1. GET THE BLUES
Every season has a dominant colour, this time around make-up artists made a beeline for blue, mainly on the eyes.
Missoni’s models had opaque cyan eyelids and Issey Miyake’s were daubed with aquatic splatters.
Jonathan Saunders opted for smudged Yves Klein eyeliner, while at Chanel an eye mask of powdery shadow was buffed on.
TRY IT NOW: Lancome Anthony Vaccarello Hypnose Eyeshadow Palette in Blue Mania, £38, offers a trio of blue hues to play with (www.lancome.co.uk).
2. ALL DOLLED UP
Wide-eyed porcelain dolls were the inspiration for many a beauty look, but these dolls weren’t smiling.
Ice-blue lashes made Mary Katrantzou’s models look frozen, while at Marni, the hyper-extended falsies were meant to emulate “a girl who went too far with eyelash extensions”, according to make-up artist Tom Pecheux.
The deranged doll manifested elsewhere, with tons of under-eye smudge paired with the palest of pink lips.
TRY IT NOW: Start with a couple of coats of MAC Haute & Naughty Too Black Lash, £19, then add a couple more (www.maccosmetics.co.uk).
3. HERE COMES THE BRAID
Forget pigtails and fishtails, the spring catwalks took braiding to a whole new level.
At Kristian Aadnevik, stylist Antonio Corral Calero designed an elaborate but artfully undone half-updo inspired by a “wild and rural” garden; Herve Leger’s girls were adorned with long French plaits that started at one temple, while at Roksanda, hair was tightly braided then loosened to give a soft-focus crimped effect.
TRY IT NOW: Grip and volume are essential to master a catwalk-worthy braid, so start with Moroccanoil Root Boost, £18.85 (FeelUnique.com).
4. PARTY LIKE IT’S 1990
It looks like we’ve reached Peak Nineties in terms of fashion, and make-up artists have followed suit, with Tom Pecheux declaring “a supermodel from the Nineties” his muse at Moschino, and grunge inspiring the barefaced look at Emilio Pucci.
That means heavy lipliner, brown lipstick, big brows and gleaming skin all round.
TRY IT NOW: Use MAC Lip Pencil in Oak, £12.50, alone or with a slick of clear gloss on top (www.maccosmetics.co.uk).
5. WINE STAINS
With all those doe-eyed dolls around, lips mostly took a backseat in the make-up department this season, but there were a handful of notable exceptions.
Anna Sui, Givenchy and Burberry all showed gorgeously dense burgundy pouts, chiming with that going-against-the-grain spring spirit.
TRY IT NOW: Make it matte with Burberry Kisses Lip Velvet in Oxblood, £26 (www.burberry.com).
6. WETTER THE BETTER
Marc Jacobs’ wasn’t the only show where models sported decidedly dewy complexions.
At Prabal Gurung and Simone Rocha, foundation was ditched altogether in favour of moisturiser and concealer to let the skin shine through, and ’strobing’ cream products were spotted in many make-up kits.
Hair stylists got in on the act too, with slicked back, almost dripping wet locks at Julien Macdonald, and saturated hair curled into an updo at Sophia Webster.
TRY IT NOW: Bumble and Bumble Hairdresser’s Invisible Oil Primer, £20.50, gives ample shine without the weight (www.bumbleandbumble.co.uk).
7. REBEL REBEL
Flying the flag for individualism, lots of designers abandoned the identikit model approach this season, casting crop-haired beauties alongside the usual Rapunzel-esque girls.
New hair icon Ruth Bell and two other buzz cut babes walked at Acne, Christopher Kane’s models had super-short fringes chopped in, and Alexander Wang’s girls had boyish bowl cuts.
If you’ve been thinking about a drastic restyle, there’s never been a better time to do it.
TRY IT NOW: We wouldn’t recommend grabbing the clippers yourself, you’re going to need a trip to the salon for this one…
