Backstage Beauty Tips From New York Fashion Week 2015

Backstage at New York Fashion Week is a like a busy beehive just bursting with activity. Models are scattered around the room, getting doted on by top hair, nail and makeup specialists working to construct a look that’ll be all the rage among beauty editors and fashion enthusiasts alike. This year, I was lucky enough to get backstage and interview beauty pros from shows like Kate Spade, Emily Saunder, Malan Breton and Rebecca Minkoff.

Read on to find out their tips for how to create runway-ready looks yourself!

Kate Spade 

1. At Kate Spade, lead stylist Bob Recine for Fekkai created a center part due to  it’s youthful vibe. “When working with a center park, make hair a bit messy and not pin straight since it tends to look better this way,” Recine explained.
2. Lead makeup artist for MAC added a flush to models’ faces by starting at the apples of their cheeks and blending downward for a “just out of the cold” look.
3. Nail pro Deborah Lippmann explained “quick dry drops are best because they add a barrier to the nail to prevent those nicks you get when nails are already dry but hit against keys, etc. when leaving the salon. They don’t actually significantly speed up dry time.”
4. For depth rather than a sculpted eye look, Kate Spade’s makeup artists shaded deeply in the creases and outer corners of each smoked out eye.

1. A tip from behind the scenes at Malan Breton was to spritz your face with water before moisturizing. A damp face has open pores so it will absorb the formula better.

1. Backstage at Rebecca Minkoff, chamomile tea or rose water was used to lightly spritz on one’s face as an anti-inflammatory.
2. Michelle Saunders for essie created Rebecca Minkoff’s edgy chevron nails and explained how the width of the polish brush is essential in creating proportioned lines for the zigzagged look. Thinner brushes are easier to maneuver and give a cleaner design.