The fall collections at New York Fashion Week tend to be a lesson in seasonal makeup. You typically have a good idea of what you're going to see backstage — jewel-tones, berry lips, and matte skin are all trends you would expect to see coming down the runway. But the makeup artists in charge seemed to be having a little more fun with the looks, bucking expectations of what fall or winter makeup would look like — and the best makeup trends from NYFW Fall/Winter 2019 are proof.
As Dick Page told The Zoe Report backstage at the Self-Portrait Fall/Winter 2019 show in Manhattan on Feb. 9, "There's no such thing as seasons. The concept of seasons doesn't exist anymore. Everything blurs together." Sure, that could've been a nod to the unseasonably warm start to the week, but it's also outright permission to ignore the "rules."
That ethos was on full display during the Fall/Winter 2019 shows, where makeup artists created a wide range of beauty looks. Pink eye shadow, glowing skin sans-highlighter, and fluttering lashes were all part of the trend story, one that points to diversity in makeup instead of a boxed-in idea of what beauty should be.
So the makeup ideas from Fall/Winter 2019 are decidedly more playful than you might expect to see. Sure, there are some old standbys — like a blotted cabernet lip — that are commonplace during the chillier months. But don't be surprised to see bright pops of pink or dewey skin. Now if only mother nature would get the memo of seasons being an illusion.
Blotted Lips
Seen at: Jonathan Simkhai, Priscavera
Get the look: If it ain't broke, don't fix it. Or at least that was the thought backstage at Jonathan Simkhai and Priscavera, where blotted, wine-stained lips were the look du jour. This classic fall shade got a modern update, thanks for its smudgy, diffused look. Or, as Maybelline lead makeup artist Grace Lee said backstage at Simkhai, "It looks like [the models] kissed someone." She mixed a lip liner and lipstick to create the look, and then pressed a loose powder on the nails to create the velvety diffused look.
At Priscavera, artists popped multiple shades of Pat McGrath's Mattetrance Lipstick in McMenamy. The deep burgundy shade was bold enough on its own — so much so that the artists didn't bother with lip liner. The diffused look came from multiple applications, making this one of the easier trends you could pull off at home.
Smokey Eyeshadow
Seen at: Tom Ford, LaQuan Smith
Get the look: A fall smokey eye isn't exactly groundbreaking, but designers like Tom Ford and Laquan turned this typical trend on its head. At Tom Ford, lead makeup artist Diane Kendal opted for what she described as a smoky mauve with hints of pink. She used a handful of shades from Tom Ford's own Eye Color Quad in 03 Nude Dip. To create the wet sheen, Kendal popped a bit of Eye Gloss across the lids. "It looks smoldering and sexy," she said.
At LaQuan, lead makeup artist Erin parsons, working with Maybelline, worked with the brand's The City Mini Eyeshadow Palette in Hi-Rise Sunset to create the look. In order to get the shimmering shadow, the blended Maybelline's FaceStudio Master Chrome Metallic Highlighter in both Molten Rose Gold and Molten Gold. The result was a glistening, shimmering smokey eye that was anything but basic.
Fluttery Lashes
Seen at: Brandon Maxwell, Tomo Koizumi
Get the look: It's official — Twiggy lashes are making a serious comeback. At least that was the attitude backstage at both Brandon Maxwell and Tomo Koizumi. At Brandon Maxwell, lead makeup artist Tom Pecheux created this amped-up look by applying multiple coats of mascara, followed by a few individual lashes in strategic points. The goal wasn't to look doll-like, he explained. "We want it to be sophisticated and cool," he said.
There was a similar vibe at Tomo Koizumi, but with one distinct difference. Lead makeup artist Pat McGrath didn't use any fake lashes — only multiple coats of her FetishEyes Mascara to create the spikey '60s look. So don't worry if you aren't a fan of falsies. You can pull this off with just a good tube of mascara.
Pink Eyeshadow
Seen at: Chromat, Kate Spade
Get the look: Bright pink isn't typically a shade you'd see for fall and winter. But at Chromat, lead makeup artist Fatima Thomas opted for a neon-inspired eye look. She dusted on MAC's Magenta Madness along the outer corners of the lids, buffing them to create a sunset-inspired look. This is definitely a pink for a bold personality.
At Kate Spade, however, the pink was a little more office appropriate. Lead makeup artist Romy Soleimani, working with Maybelline, wanted to create a fresh and youthful look. So she buffed on shades from Maybelline's The Burgundy Bar Eyeshadow Palette to create a gorgeous rosewood shadow look. The result was a gorgeously wearable shadow, proving that pink doesn't just have to be relegated to party makeup.
Graphic Eyeliner
Seen at: Proenza Schouler, Zimmermann
Get the look: According to these two designers, i's time to have fun with your liner again. Bold, graphic lines stole the show backstage at both Proenza Schouler and Zimmermann. At Proenza, lead makeup artist Dick Page used Maybelline Color Tattoo 24HR Gel Cream Eyeliner in Risk (which is due out in June) to create bold, painterly stripes across nine models' eyes. "It's a heavy, graphic line," he explained. To create the stripe, Page used an eyeshadow brush — not a typical liner brush — for added weight and thickness.
At Zimmermann, the look was still graphic, but a touch more wearable. Lead makeup artist Jodie Boland, working with Bobbi Brown, created a graphic triangular eyeliner look. "It's not a cat-eye," she told The Zoe Report. Instead of following the natural curve of the models' eyes , Boland sketched on a line that extended directly up toward the natural end of their brow. The finished look was a triangular wing that was graphic, not twee.
The kit: Maybelline Color Tattoo 24HR Gel Cream Eyeliner in Risk Maker, $7.99 (Available in June, 2019)
No Highlighter
Seen at: Tom Ford, Veronica Beard
Get the look: When you think of highlighter, you likely think of the streak of shine that's part of an Instagram-ready contour. But backstage this season, makeup artists were interested in a glow without an obvious highlight. At Tom Ford, makeup artist Diane Kendal opted instead for a natural contour, using the brand's Shade and Illuminate palette. Kendal powdered the T-zone for shine control, but the models' natural glow still shone through.
At Veronica Beard, on the other hand, the key to the glow was all about the foundation. Bobbi Brown lead makeup artist Cassandra Garcia worked the brand's Intensive Skin Serum Foundation into models' skin. The base gave each girl an even skin tone with an instantly luminous finish — no highlighter needed.
