Red lipstick doesn’t sound all that revolutionary, but when it goes away for a few seasons in favor of clear balms and nude tints, then makes its comeback in big, not-so-expected ways on the
fall runways, well, it’s what we needed to get us excited about the makeup bag staple all over again. At 3.1 Philip Lim, makeup artist Francelle Dalylooked to her ’90s-era Doc Martens to inspire the brick-red shade, while Dolce & Gabbana and Marchesa went moodier than usual with their takes on the trend.
Here, the beauty trends to know for the season:
1. Red Hot
Dolce & Gabbana
2. Blush Rush
Ralph Lauren
Put aside your taupe sculpting powders and stock up on warm peach and rose blushes that make you look like you just went on a brisk, wintry walk (the look makeup artist Lynn Desnoyers went for at Kate Spade), spend your days gallivanting around the Wild West like the “pretty, urban cowgirls” at Ralph Lauren, or go by the name Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy (Michael Kors‘s inspiration).
3. Heavy Metal
Mara Hoffman
Shimmer, sparkle and sequins were used in fresh ways at Zac Posen, where makeup artist Kabuki applied either gold, bronze or silver liner (whichever shade happened to be the most flattering; “we’re just using our brains,” he said) across the lower lids; Rodarte, where James Kaliardos tried countless crystal shapes before settling on a single line formation that felt like something we haven’t seen before; and Mara Hoffman, where luxe-looking gold shadow was mixed with smoky black.
4. Shadow Play
Elie Saab
The best tip we picked up backstage for getting perfect smoky eyes was to blend until you think you can’t blend any more and then keep going. The result is ultradiffused shadow that, while intense, still feels soft. Pat McGrath used shades of black at Diane von Furstenberg, while brown palettes ruled at Tom Ford, Burberry and Nicole Miller.
5. Lash Out
Rachel Zoe
The power of mascara, falsies and lash add-ons was demonstrated at Carolina Herrera, where silver sparkles on the tips of lashes gave a water droplet effect; Rachel Zoe, where models channeled Twiggy with their doe-eyes; and Giambattista Valli, where makeup artist Val Garland layered lengthening and volumes mascaras on the top and bottom for the prettiest lashes of the season.