With the fashion weeks of New York, London, and Milan ending, we have gathered some of our favourite beauty looks that graced the runways at each Fashion Week. We have seen an array of looks on the runway and some similar themes across all the shows, including a very heavy dark feminine x gothic attire alongside some glittery looks. So, if you are wondering what our favourite looks were and want to steal some for some much-needed inspiration, stay tuned.
The Wednesday Addams Effect
Ever since the hit Netflix show Wednesday graced our screens at the end of 2022, pop culture has gone wild for anything Wednesday related. At the fashion weeks, we saw a resemblance in the make-up looks that were styled on the catwalk to the aesthetics seen on the Netflix show.
In New York, Rodarte styled bold blocked eyeliner, like the eyeliner that celebs such as Julia Fox have been pictured rocking in recent months. The gothic glam look is one that is clearly sticking around as it continues to gain popularity. Rodarte paired their eyeliner art with black lipstick to finish off this goth glam look. They used Nars products to create these killer looks; so we recommend using the Nars Lipstick in shade Heroine Red. This lipstick has a matte finish so we also recommend adding gloss on top to create that wet look that the model styled. To top it off, we think that the Nars High-Pigment Longwear Eyeliner would be perfect for creating those daring eyes.
In London, it was Bora Aksu, Chet Lo and Simone Rocha that were honouring the gothic glam on their catwalk debuts. Bora Aksu’s looks looked like they had just stepped off the set of Wednesday, with their black lips and minimal eye makeup. Simone Roger had a unique twist to her looks that simulated the gothic glam aesthetic by having bows on the cheeks of her models as part of an accessory. Chet Lo incorporated the gothic glam by styling black bows and bow-like hairstyles, alongside black creative eyeliner and dark lips. These looks from London are all abbreviations of the gothic glam make-up trend that we’re all so obsessed with right now.
The beauty of the gothic glam trend is that the base makeup is very minimal; it honours natural-looking skin and therefore you do not need full coverage products on your face to create this look. Using a good moisturiser and primer with minimal concealer and maybe some highlighter would be enough makeup needed to create the dewy skin look.
When it comes down to styling some of the gothic glam looks, black lips and bold black eyeliner are our go-to. The Elf Cosmetics Expert Liquid Eyeliner or the Mac Brushstroke Liner would be the perfect products to use if you were thinking about going for the bold eyeliner aesthetic. The Lottie London Glitter Fix Bomb Face and Body Adhesive is an ideal product to use if you fancy copying Simone Rocha’s Face bows and need some glue to attach them.
In Milan, Etro and GCDS emphasised a softer take on the gothic glam look. They focused more on styling subtle smokey eyes or simply rocking basic black eyeliner. Out of all the looks, these ones are the most wearable for day-to-day looks. The Simpsons mini eyeshadow palette by Revolution has a lovely selection of shimmery black eyeshadows that would look perfect for a black smokey eye. The Dior Mono Couleur Couture eyeshadow in shade Black Bow is a matte black eyeshadow that will give your eyes intense colour and be perfect for a dramatic and well pigmented smokey eye look.
Shades of Shimmer
The next theme that we noticed in New York and London Fashion Week was the shimmery starlike aesthetic that included sparkles across the eyes in a range of different styles.
In New York, Thom Browne created a masterpiece of the planets in his design which continued within the make-up and hairstyle that were created for his models. One of his models styled an updo that resembled a planet-like shape and was dyed white to look translucent by nature.
He continued the theme of translucent white across the eyes by creating a white block shape that resembled a sort of eye mask on the model’s face. On top of the white base, the model-styled glittery Silver Stars dotted around the cheekbones and by the eyebrows. This portrayed the stars in the sky and is one of the most creative looks that we saw on the runway. Thom also dressed the model in long curly white nails to finish off this incredible look. For this look, we recommend using a combination of white eye shadow, white concealer or white face paint to help build up a pigmented base that the model.
Using either white concealer or white face paint as a base and adding in eye shadow on top means that you will have higher coverage and a smoother look to the make-up look and won’t have to use as much eye shadow to help build up pigment. The Cosmetics Camo Concealer in a white shade is a full coverage concealer that would be perfect as a base for this look. The Depixym Cosmetic Emulsion in shade Bright White is another alternative product that you can use to help build up a pigmented white base. This product is a multi-use cream that is suitable for your eyes, lips, and cheeks. It has a lovely matte finish and is super blendable, so it is perfect for this look. Once you have a pigmented base, you can then go in with a powdery eye shadow for that finishing touch to create that smokey, dusty finish.
The Mac eyeshadow or the Creator Revolution SFX White Base Matte Powder are two eyeshadow options that would suit this look well. For the glittering stars, we recommend using glitter eyeliner to create the stars on your face. The OPV Beauty Metal and Glitter Liner is a super pigmented glitter eyeliner that has a water base so it won’t smudge.
Altuzarra was also present at NYC Fashion Week and styled a goddess-like vision on the runway with gold eyeliner designs across the model’s eyes. This makeup look is a different sort of shimmer compared to the other look that we saw in NYC fashion week. The one by Altuzarra is enchanting and mystical as it resembles a sort of Aphrodite aesthetic. The Kiko gold liquid eyeliner or the Dior eyeliner in shade Gold and Pearly Bronze would be perfect for this enchanting look.
At London fashion week Conner Rives had a shimmery blue eyeshadow look that also resembled a mystical siren gaze, that was extremely flattering on the model and one that we are obsessed with. The shimmery blue levels up this look, making it dressy and seductive. Victoria Beckham’s Lid Lustre eyeshadow matches the one that Conner Rives’ model styles closely and therefore would be perfect to use. A liquid eyeshadow would also be a good option for this look to create the pigmented and shiny aesthetic that Conner has gone for. The Sephora Collection of Colourful Special Effect Liquid eye shadow it’s a perfect product to use if you want a wet glossy look to this glittery eyeshadow style.
Old Hollywood Glamour
One thing about beauty and fashion is that classic looks will always be relevant. One of the most staple pieces that the beauty industry has ever come across is the iconic red lip. This look is timeless and over the years we have seen many alterations.
In New York, Christian Siriano created one of the sexiest and most sophisticated looks that we have seen on the runways this year. His model styled a-line coat and an elegant hat that covered her upper face revealing only her pouty red lips. She looked just like old Hollywood, glamourous, sexy and alluring. She had next to nothing underneath her coat as the only pop of colour being seen were her sultry red lips. The Dior Rouge Refillable lipstick is a lovely velvety lipstick that has good pigment and is irresistibly alluring. Alternatively, the Nars Audacious lipstick is a lovely cherry red and looks fun as well as sexy.
To achieve that perfect pout a trusted lip liner will be an asset. The NYX Professional Makeup Suede Matte Liner in the shade Spicy it’s a lovely, coloured lip liner that would accentuate your lips beautifully and be a perfect base colour for a variety of red lipsticks that you can place on top.
In London, Roksanda Ilincic created an adaptation to the timeless red lipstick look. The lips on her model had a more burgundy base to them creating a modern spin on this timeless classic. Her lips were moodier and mature, perfect for a variety of settings that you may need to pop out a dramatic lip look. For this look, they used products from Isamaya Beauty so we recommend using the suede lip liner in shade outlaw to line your lips for this look alongside the NYX Professional Makeup Shout Loud Hydrating Satin in shade Opinionated.
Natural and Dewy
One theme that we saw across all three shows was the natural, dewy makeup look that sees minimal-to-no base makeup and a simple lip tint which allows natural features to shine through effortlessly. The key to this look is having a good skincare routine pattern down so that your skin looks hydrated and flawless.
In New York, Michael Kors and Proenza Schouler rocked very natural makeup looks with very minimal makeup on the models. When recreating natural makeup looks, we recommend using a trusted moisturiser, hyaluronic acid as a serum, a vitamin c serum and either a lip tint or lip balm on the lips. You’re going to want a very hydrating skincare routine so that your skin looks healthy and plump. We recommend using the Glow Recipe Plum Plump Hyaluronic Cream as this two-in-one formula will give moisture to your face as well as have the same activities that a serum would encourage. Therefore, using this product will allow you to add vitamin C to your routine which will help brighten your skin’s complexion. Paula’s Choice C15 Super Booster Vitamin C serum contains 15% of vitamin C which will give your skin a brighter and younger complexion.
Swapping your lipstick or lip gloss for a skin tint or lip balm will keep your lips looking natural but the dash of colour will make your face look alive. The Benefit Benetint Rose-Tinted Lip and Cheeks Lip Tint is that a beautiful lip tint would be ideal if you’re wanting to keep a natural chic makeup look that appears effortless.
In London and Milan, similar looks were followed with designers such as Nensi Dojka, Ahluwalia and Blumarine all rocking very natural makeup looks. Their model’s skin was well moisturised and therefore appeared shiny and, in some places, highlighted thanks to the well-equipped skincare routine. To achieve that super glossy finish that we saw in London and Milan we recommend using the Glossier Futuredew Serum Hybrid or the Bobbi Brown Extra Illuminating Balm, which is a mix of a rich moisturiser and primer.
Alternative Pops of Colour
The final set of beauty looks that we fell in love with at the various fashion weeks was a group of looks that had alternative takes on adding colour to their model’s faces. These are some of the more creative styles that we saw on the runways and ones that would be ideal for party events or festivals in the spring and summer.
In London, Chet Lo had a pop of colour on her model faces in the middle of their eyebrows and on the sides of their eyes that resembled an explosion of colour. Pink, green and purple were spotted, and it helped make the looks appear fun and quirky on the runway. The Beauty Bay Bright Matte 42 colour palette is an amazing palette that has extremely pigmented colours in a variety of shades and would be perfect for an explosion of colour on your face like the one seen on the Chet Lo runway.
In Milan, Prada blew us away with the alternative-coloured lashes they styled in a variety of shades, which brought an added spice to the model’s makeup looks which were very natural apart from their lashes.
When recreating this look, using coloured mascara is your best bet. Barry M does a lovely purple mascara, Revolution does a volumized blue mascara and Dior does a captivating red. Colourful lashes are a fun and unique way to dress up any makeup look and make it seem super creative. If you are not sold on the coloured mascara, but you’re still after a product that can give you the looks seen on the Prada runway, why not try coloured false lashes instead? You can get individual lashes or sets of lashes to wear with a variety of colours. You can also use individual-coloured lashes mixed in with the black lash set for that dash of colour that you desire.
Words by: Sophia-fai Roche
Header Image: Thom Browne
