The Glossy Gunmetal Eyes at Public School
A smoky eye is a smoky eye is a smoky eye—until you put some gloss on top of it. Then it becomes a look only ‘cool girls’ would wear. I roll my eyes at that phrase too, but legit, the first thing I thought when I saw this look backstage was ‘Jenny Humphrey would so wear this in 2017.’ What’s best: Everything makeup artist Grace Lee used was Maybelline, from the matte foundation—which is key for balancing out the high-shine eyes—to the shadows and lip gloss she used for that oil-slick finish. This was a look begging to be tested. —Lindsay Schallon, senior beauty editor
On Lindsay
First impressions: This look is incredible, albeit incredibly messy. There’s a reason lip gloss is meant for your lips and that’s because it’s sticky and does not stay put. Still, that didn’t stop me from wearing this all day long at work. (To copy it, first swipe on black shadow from lid to crease. Put a metallic silver over it, then tap on a drop of clear gloss with your finger.) Sure, I had to check my face every time I got up from my desk to see if the black and silver shadow had migrated up to my brows, but the compliments I got from nearly everyone I saw was worth it. 11/10 would wear it again.
The Faux Freckles and Stamped Liner at Jason Wu
Makeup artist Yadim got a text from Jason on his way to the show asking if they could add a graphic eye to the (otherwise minimal) beauty look they had already decided on. That spirit of spontaneity is at the heart of this look, which masterfully balances delicate faux-freckles with the frenetic, graphic eye. It’s safe to say the Jason Wu girl is as cool as ever. —Jen Mulrow, assistant beauty editor
On Jen
I am obsessed with this look. I’ll definitely be wearing it for a night out with my friends soon. My biggest takeaway tips from backstage: Mix a drop of too-dark-for-you foundation with moisturizer for an undetectable glow, use an ashy, blond brow pencil for more believable freckles, and stamp on that dark shadow with a round brush as if you just used your pinky finger.
The Accented Cat Eye at Oscar de la Renta
Last season Tom Pecheux created a beautiful two-toned colored liner look for Oscar de la Renta, and while it was amazing, it was near impossible to actually pull off. This time around he made it just a bit more approachable with a black cat eye flick and just a touch of color underneath. The second I saw it, I knew I had to try it. —Erin Reimel, beauty assistant
On Erin
This literally couldn’t be easier to do. (Once you get the hang of the liquid liner, that is. Some cat eye tips, here, if you need them.) After you’ve drawn your flick, just add a little line of color underneath the tail and you’re done. I chose teal since it brings out the blue in my eyes, but the MAC team used baby blue, lilac, chartreuse, lavender, pale pink, and peach at the show. You truly can’t go wrong.
The Bobby Pin Art at Sally LaPointe
It’s constantly amazing how experts can turn things as mundane as bobby pins—ye olde, basic bobby pins—into artwork, but c’est la vie backstage. At Sally LaPointe, TRESemmé hairstylist Holli Smith stacked pins evenly on both sides, for an ultra-modern take on keeping your hair back. —Rachel Nussbaum, beauty writer
On Rachel
Guys, I loved this. I’m not sure when I picked it up, but it feels like I was born with my hair tucked behind one ear. Given my, ahem, boisterous 3b curls, I’ve never felt the need to switch it up—they and I need the tiniest bit of order to peacefully coexist. After moving past feeling like a Star Trek Borg for a hot second, the pure coolness of the pins won me over. It’s also the easiest thing in the world to re-create, which definitely didn’t hurt.
The Rosy Glow at Adam Selman
Behold: the freshest fresh face makeup I’ve ever seen. Every model’s glowy cheeks looked like an IRL flush only better, which was the whole point, as makeup artist Dick Page explained backstage. To create that natural glow, he dabbed a custom blend of cream blush onto each model’s cheeks with a powder brush. —Amber Rambharose, beauty editor
On Amber
Here’s why Dick Page is a makeup genius: Cream blushes pack a lot of pigment power which means they last all day, but rarely look natural. By following Page’s swatch on your wrist, blend with your brush, then apply to your cheeks method, you get a 24-hour glow that doesn’t lean too far in any shade direction. I’ve been doing my cheeks the Dick Page way every single day since the Adam Selman show and I’m never, ever going back. RIP, makeup sponge. You won’t be missed.
The Scrunchies at Mansur Gavriel
Trust, there’s nobody more in disbelief that I’m writing this than me: I’m here for this scrunchie comeback. Up until a few months ago, I was firmly in the Carrie Bradshaw camp that no self-respecting woman would ever be caught dead wearing a scrunchie. A few surprisingly cool sightings and the Mansur Gavriel runway show later, and I’m sold—especially when worn low and loose on air-dried hair like this. —L.S.
On Lindsay
I kid you not, two days after the Mansur show I called up the label’s store in SoHo to see if the scrunchies actually were being sold straight off the runway as was rumored. Oh, they were, and after debating between a sheer red one, a green floral print one, and this shirting-stripe tie, my preppy side took hold and I shilled out $35 for the latter. I recognize most would find this crazy, but I stand by my decision. Wearing this makes me feel like one of those girls who just “throws up her hair,” yet somehow always looks like she spent all morning doing it.
The Gilded Lids at Derek Lam
Makeup artist Tom Pecheux might’ve faked me out by starting off his interview backstage saying that this look was just a ‘tiny bit of makeup.’ I’ve seen my fair share of no makeup-makeup looks, and this is certainly not one of them. What he actually did was use three different products to create these gilded, glossy lids—MAC loose pigment, loose powder, and a holographic lipgloss—elevating your typical metallic eye to a much smudgier, sexier level. —J.M.
On Jen
What I learned from recreating this look on my own is that less is more: you only apply the gold gloss right at the lash line since it’ll all spread out as soon as you blink. Which is sort of the point: Pecheux even recommends using a non-waterproof mascara so that the black pigment melts into the gloss for an even edgier, imperfect finish. Now that’s how you go for the gold.
The Red Monochrome Look at Badgley Mischka
Gucci Westman’s goal with this Inglot look was to give off a carefree vibe. It may be a little more glam than most of us would normally see as “chill” but with a little red shadow smudged on the eyes and a matching red lip, it’s a pretty low maintenance deal. It’s the same color all over, after all. —E.R.
On Erin
A year ago, I would have never considered wearing red shadow on my eyes, but now it’s my everyday go-to look. I was actually excited to be so on top of the trends already when I saw this backstage at the show. It’s easier to wear than you’d expect—just make sure to brighten your under eyes to avoid looking tired, and pair it with a bold lip to balance things out.
The Dual Color Liner at Rebecca Minkoff
The inspiration backstage at Rebecca Minkoff was ‘70s rock ‘n’ roll, which in 2017 translates to bedhead, slept-in smoky eyes, and dewy skin. To add intrigue and put a fresh spin on the liner, makeup artist Daniel Martin worked black shadow into models’ lash lines for a smudgy look with a raw, dirty edge. Then he put navy shadow on the bottom lash line, and topped both with matching pencil liners. The result: a compelling, livable twist on two-tone liner. —R.N.
On Rachel
As a former brown-liner-only kind of girl, I’ve been reformed. The black on top appeased my comfort zone, while the navy played up the gold in my eyes in a super subtle way. I’ve read more “use purple for brown eyes!!!” advice articles than I can count, and it just doesn’t fly for me. This, on the other hand, feels both refreshing and doable for my everyday life. I have the oiliest lids in the world, so the black shadow on top didn’t stick around all day, but I cherish the time we had together.
The Sunshine Eyes at Novis
Yellow is not a color I’d ever think to put on my eyes, and yet something about the tiny golden halos on the models’ lids at Novis had me—someone who rarely wears eyeshadow—transfixed. Uzo, Nars’ Director of Global Artistry, mixed three different shades to create this sunny look, so it seemed simple enough to give it a try. Fashion Week looks are nothing if not permission to step out of your comfort zone. —A.R.
On Amber
Like Uzo, I used three different shades of yellow: a bright canary along my lash line, gold in my crease, and a soft lemon all over to smooth the transition between the other two colors. I was worried it looked crazy, but based on the compliments I got in the office, at Wendy’s, and on my train ride home, it surprisingly looked great! My one tip: Do your eyes first and keep a few makeup wipes on hand, because all the blending causes a tiny rainstorm of yellow powder all over your face.
