Aside from make-up artists and beauty editors, no one gives much thought to the new season’s beauty trends.
The majority of us end up getting stuck in the same routine that we set up when we began experimenting with make-up in our teens. It hasn’t always been pretty, mind you.
Certainly there were a few minor blips along the way. A swipe of electric blue on the lid to impress someone wholly inappropriate (that was the point). Or the barely there brow that made us all look as surprised to be there as the crayon-like drawn line did. There was a frosted lip here and there, or perhaps a perm, if you were really lucky (I wasn’t allowed).
But, more often than not, most of us stick to the same old patterns for years. Like getting a drastic (break-up) crop, projecting a different version of ourselves and throwing it out to the world can be somewhat unnerving.
This season, however, there was just as much excitement above the neck as below, with the best looks taking their cues from a similar sense of spontaneity and fun that swept through the runways.
The power brow, pioneered by Audrey Hepburn and most recently rehashed by Cara Delevingne, certainly seems to be firmly holding fort. This time around, however, the look demands a more-manicured line, closer to the trademark of many 1950s sirens.
For those with nothing more than a faint wispy arc, don’t fight nature entirely with your new-found zealous use of the brow pen. It’s important not to overdo things, as it will only overpower the beauty of your own eyes.
There was certainly a homespun technique involved with this season’s eyes, with heavy liner making an appearance in many exaggerated forms. While Prada took the traditional ladylike flick and elongated it for a more-feline aesthetic, Fendi used strips of leather glued directly on the eyelids. Think modern 1960s pop culture – Twiggy, Jean Shrimpton; artful, nonchalant, without a hint of cliché.
The only thing to rival the sea of high-gloss, out-the-shower-into-the-office low ponytails, as seen at Alexander Wang and Gucci, was the rough-cut shaggy bob, which will appeal to the bold and the brave. Pair with fresh, glowing skin and a berry stain for a dreamy spring look.
Lastly, and most interestingly, it was only a matter of time before somebody took the whole “no-make-up make-up” trend as literal.
Not to be mistaken for “minimal make-up” that takes the best part of an hour to apply, this new look does exactly what it says on the tin. Nothing. Not a scrap. The army of barefaced models at Marc Jacobs in their raw state were beautiful in the way all girls of that age are: all plumped up in a way that is impossible to recreate.
Still, it was a bold move and something to think about. When foundation starts to work as Polyfilla and eyeshadow makes a home in the lids, perhaps it’s time to put it down. Heaven forbid that any of us look exactly like we’re meant to.
weekend@thenational.ae
