Make-up artist to the stars KAY MONTANO shares her beauty secrets. This week, from pastel to bright lips and smoky eyes, here are the key looks for spring/summer
There's nothing like the first signs of spring to uplift the spirits and remind us of how inspiring a change in outlook can be. Spring/summer catwalk looks reflected this perfectly with a variety of make-up styles from strong to simple to unashamedly pretty and colourful.
What I see is a real return to 'proper' looking make-up after years of more conceptual looks that have avoided anything that could possibly be deemed 'pretty' or 'classic'. Perfectly applied canvases reigned throughout, which means light and carefully applied foundation concealer and loose powder. Create a flawless finish by applying Benefit You Rebel Lite SPF 15.
Use under eye concealer such as Guerlain Issima on any dark circles and a neutralising concealer wherever necessary. Finish with a fine dusting of Calvin Klein Translucent loose powder. If this all sounds too time consuming, try my favourite 'all in one' formulation - Chanel Naturally Luminous Compact Make-up, then try one of these great looks.
Sugar sweet For me the Valentino show is synonymous with a dark haired woman with a classic red dress and lip combo. But for Spring Summer, his make-up team threw off any remnants of their 'signature look' with lilac eyes and sugar-y pink lips. To get the look, apply a pale eyeshadow - Estee Lauder have a fabulous range - across the eye area with a soft brush, leaving a space of bare skin between the socket and eyebrow. When using a pale colour, I often recommend applying the thinnest, most subtle black liquid liner right at the root of the eyelashes before applying mascara to avoid the powdery-eyed look - I swear by M&S Autograph Liquid Liner. Then apply Bobbi Brown's Brightening Lip Gloss to the lips. Balance out the face by applying a faint hint of Laura Mercier Creme Cheek Colour.
Neutral There were many interpretations of neutral on the Spring/Summer runways (no surprise at Calvin Klein as it is rare for his models to be anything but neutral) and the most interesting take for me was at the Y.S.L. show. The team had used subtle contouring and a lipstick colour that accentuated the natural pigment in the lips. Use a neutral, matte blusher or subtle bronzer and apply on the contour of the cheekbones. Take the same product and use on the contour of the eye socket. Using a flat, wide lip brush, apply Paul & Joe's lipstick in 056 to clearly define lips. Finish with black mascara.
Bright lips I know I've mentioned it before but lipstick is back in a big way. Whether eccentrically bright (Temperley), classically red (Chanel), or sensually deep (Dolce & Gabbana), lipstick was seen on many of the key runways. Apart from Chanel (who used the faintest hint of blue-grey eyshadow), lipstick was used alone with only mascara for company which may seem strange but is the reason why such unusual shades as the coral lipstick at the Temperley show actually work as it keeps the face looking fresh and young rather than overly made-up. All you need is a good lip brush and your usual mascara for this most simple of catwalk looks.
Smokey eyes You can't have a fashion season without smokey eyes and despite the perennial nature of this make-up look, it still manages to evolve each season. The usual smokey eyed regulars are Gucci and Versace, and this year Gucci surpassed itself make-up wise with a truly beautiful wide dark grey eye and glossy beige mouth which turned model Raquel Zimmerman into the finest rock n roll princess ever seen.
Blending is key to getting this look right so once skin is prepped, use a soft black pencil to line the upper lid next to the lashes and rub in softly with fingertips or applicator. Use Guerlain's Eyeliner Eyeshadow palette or Benefit's Crease Cream Shadow liner to create a 'panda' shaped eye which extends outwards, keeping the upper lid paler and accentuating the socket line. Blend until soft looking. Finish with a few coats of black mascara and neutral lipgloss.
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