6 Beauty Lessons From Paris Fashion Week: From The Return of Long Hair to Graphic Eyeliner
There was something palpably exciting in the natural hair, untouched skin, and rebellious undercurrents that dominated Paris Fashion Week—whether you’re a seventies-loving gypset bohemian with a weakness for floral prints, or a sooty-eyed, platform-wearing goth rocker.
There was something palpably exciting in the natural hair, untouched skin, and rebellious undercurrents that dominated Paris Fashion Week—whether you’re a seventies-loving gypset bohemian with a weakness for floral prints, or a sooty-eyed, platform-wearing goth rocker. The not-so-sub subtext? Perfection is overrated. Here, the six beauty rules we’re taking home from the City of Light.
Photographed by Taylor Jewell1/6When it comes to your hair and makeup, less may actually be more. At shows ranging from Dior and Chloé to Chanel, models walked the runway with natural waves that were literally washed, air-dried, or blasted with the occasional dose of surf spray. Makeup, too, took a turn towards fresh—with designers looking to the way the girls walked into castings for inspiration. The message, according to backstage hairstylist Sam McKnight? “Come as you are.”
Photo: Courtesy of Aoife Mulvenna2/6If you keep just one thing in your makeup bag, make it a pitch black eye pencil. Whether it’s a punkish, elongated cat eye (Givenchy, Ann Demeulemeester), a rocker babe rimming of kohl (Saint Laurent), or a quiet smolder (Sonia Rykiel), it’s the only thing you really need to make a quick day-to-night transition.
Photo: Monica Feudi/feudiguaineri.com3/6You may want to consider growing out your hair—really. After nearly four seasons of choppy crops and dramatic model transformations, extreme length suddenly looks right, especially when taking next season’s languid seventies-inspired silhouettes into account. At Louis Vuitton, a fair share of designer **Nicolas Ghesquière’**s models (including show opener Jean Campbell) had hair that fell well below the chest. Elsewhere, Balenciaga employed blunt cut extensions for dramatic effect, and extra-long-haired beauty Vanessa Moody scored top honors at Givenchy, where she closed the designer **Riccardo Tisci’**s show.
Photographed by Kevin Tachman4/6Gilded accents, like the thin line of glimmering pigment traced down the center of the lip at Dries Van Noten, are about to take a turn for the modern and minimal. And if you’re going to take a cue from the season’s decorative gold hair ornaments, graphic shapes (like Lanvin’s flashing geometric combs) or finely wrought pieces (Valentino’s delicate seashell band) say it best.
Photographed by Kevin Tachman5/6When it comes to nails, a palette-cleansing is in order—and the only manicure you’re going to want will be a milky-meets-linen shade of beige or a classic red noir. “As dark as you can get without looking black in the light” is how Marian Newman described the shades she custom-mixed backstage at Alexander McQueen. “Is there anything better?”
