How To Do Barefaced Beauty Like A Beatnik

From muted neutrals to disheveled folk hair, barely-there bases are the new rule of thumb as we saw at the recent collections in Paris. What may appear to be a result of little to no groundwork and near perfect skin, don’t be fooled, the sheer luminosity and crème de nude trend that dominated the runway isn’t completely naked. This season is a throwback to one of our favorite eras, the swinging and (and turns out, rather subtle) 1960’s.

BLUSHED CHEEKS

Get glowing and dust your cheeks with a light blush and highlighter hybrid like Bobbi Brown Shimmer Brick in Nectar, the particles are a sheer alternative to denser highlighting sticks.

SPIDERY LASHES

Eyelashes took center stage at Versace this season, prompting ‘Oh la la!’s from onlookers and adding a sense of drama to an otherwise minimal look. For equally spidery eyes without the fiddliness of false eyelashes, try Benefit They’re Real! Mascara. The wider brush separates the eyelashes while coating every last lash.

BRIGHT EYES AND BRONZED CHEEKS

Ever the eternal minimalist, Stella McCartney kept it to a fresh, muted palette. Bases were bare with a little bronzer and blush. Pat McGrath aimed to keep the ‘early morning beauty’ look as simple as possible, but still ultimately beautiful. To sport the sprightly eye, first dab your fingertip in M.A.C Cream Colour Base in Luna, and gently work in to the inside corners of your eyes. Apply and remove to keep the look as understated as possible.

THE IS-SHE-OR-ISN’T SHE LIP

In keeping with the understated directive, the girls at Balmain wore balmy, slightly stained lips, which left everybody wondering ‘are they or aren’t they’ wearing lip colour? Make up maestro Tom Pecheux kept things as minimal as possible, opting simply for a swipe of lip colour, a touch of concealer here and a dot of foundation there. For an equally paired back but hydrated pout, use a spot of  Clarins Colour Quench Lip Balm in Sweet Fig. 

GLOWING COMPLEXIONS

For a dewy and luminous base glow, add a little M.A.C Strobe Cream to your base makeup. Mix with small volumes of a matte CC cream like Smashbox Camera Ready CC Cream to counteract the glittery sheen. Finish by patting the base with a lightweight moisturizer like Bobbi Brown Extra Repair Moisture Cream and pat dry with a tissue and voila! As good as naked…