Once heralded as the go-to style for anyone wanted to look effortless but chic, French-girl beauty has gotten a bit of a bad wrap over time. It's been disregarded as a cliché, and possibly a bit exclusionary: After all, how many times can you see the same cherry red lips and disheveled bed head before getting a little bit bored? But Saint Laurent's Fall/Winter 2020 runway beauty look attempted to revitalize your love of the women of France — crimson lipstick and all.
The look was decidedly Parisian, with both the hair and the makeup paying homage to classic Saint Laurent style that was also communicated in the clothes. Leather leggings, double-breasted jackets, and pussy bow blouses evoked a seriously early '90s YSL aesthetic.
To compliment the power suiting, lead makeup artist Tom Pecheux opted for a red lip that was at once feminine but powerful. "It’s very YSL makeup, because YSL is all about powerful women and powerful makeup," he said. "When you have [those] kind of lips, you don’t really need anything else."
The lipstick in question was the brand's Rouge Pur Couture The Slim Matte Lipstick in No 21 Rouge Paradox. Pecheux applied it directly to the lips from the bullet. "Most of the 60 models that are doing the show have asked which color it was because they loved it," he said.
The rest of the look was, in true French girl beauty fashion, decidedly minimal and focused on the skin. Pecheux applied All Hours Foundation and All Hours Concealer where needed, setting it with the brand's All Hours Setting Powder. There was no blush, mascara, or eyeshadow. Instead, Pecheux just brushed up the brows, filling them in with Couture Brow Slim where needed.
For the hair, lead hairstylist Duffy created a range of styles, from classic French girl shags to slicked-down ponytails that gave a bit of a masculine vibe. “It was a continuation of the stricter silhouettes," he told Vogue.
Paired with the classic French makeup, the graphic hair added a bit of formality to the rest of the look. It was a new twist on Parisian chic — one that might turn your heart back to this old trend.
