NYFW Fall 2019: The Best Hair and Makeup From the Runways
Historically, New York fashion week hasn't always showcased the most memorable hair and makeup moments. While London has always been eclectic, Milan sexy, and Paris artsy, the New York runways were typically full of sporty ponytails, easy beachy waves, and the occasional classic red lip or flick of black liner. But the beauty status quo at NYFW has slowly been changing, and throughout the fall 2019 season, we saw loads of exciting hair and makeup looks come to life backstage. It started right off the bat with the Rodarte show (which was technically in Los Angeles but since it was the day before NYFW, we say it counts), featuring matchy-matchy glitter makeup and Jerry Hall–style waves. Since then, there's been smoldering shadow, glorious chignons (that bring to mind a certain duchess's wedding hairstyle), and a distinct nod to'70s disco. Put that all together and there's a lotfor us beauty editors to write home about this fashion week.
1/34Tom Ford: Shiny Smoky Eyes
“It’s become a bit of a Tom Ford signature,” hairstylist Orlando Pita said of the low chignons he meticulously crafted backstage for the designer’s fall 2019 show. “You see it and you know it’s his show.” Regardless of natural texture, all the models’ hair was straightened and slicked back into pretty knots.
Another Tom Ford staple, the smoky eye, made an appearance, with makeup artist Diane Kendal layering cream shadows over mauve, gray, and plum powder shadows (from the Tom Ford Eye Color Quads in Nude Dip, Orchid Haze) over dark-brown pencil (the Tom Ford Eye Kohl in Espresso) and topping it all off with an eye gloss before the models stepped out. "Adding all the layers actually gives the shadow more dimension and doesn't make it look too heavy," said Kendal. "The light hits it [on the runway] and gives life to it," which you can see beautifully here.
Getty Images2/34Cushnie: Monochromatic Terra Cotta
A sleek, chic ponytail courtesy of hairstylist Justine Marjan and a tonal terra-cotta makeup moment proved to be the perfect beauty pairing at Cushnie, where models walked the runway with swaths of warm reddish-tan worn on lids, lips, and cheeks. “[The color] is in all the right places to give the face dimension,” makeup artist Grace Lee said of the look, featuring Maybelline's Made for All Lipstick in Mauve for Me and Spice for Me, which doubled as blush, eye shadow, and lip color.
3/34Adeam: Pearl Accents
Makeup artist Sado Ito only used three makeup products on the models backstage at Adeam, all from Nars: the Soft Matte Concealer, the Super Radiant Booster, and the new Lip Balm. "It's really, really fresh, clean, and pure; I didn't use any color, only highlighter," said makeup artist Sado Ito. The bareness of the face, however, is what made the two tiny flat-back pearls Ito placed at the inner corners of the eyes look as strong and striking as, say, a flick of neon liner or bold red lip.
Nail artist Mei Kawajiri also played around with pearl accents for the manicures, gluing lots of them onto long, press-on nails that were painted with one of two colors: sapphire or an iridescent sheer pink. "We used lots of different sizes of pearls, which I think makes the final look a little edgier," said Kawajiri. Mei and her team hand-made each and every nail, a process that took nearly 12 hours — from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. the day before the show.
Composite: Getty Images4/34Christian Siriano: Studs and Chains
“It sparkles and shines just like the clothes this season,” makeup artist Erin Parsons said of how the Swarovski-crystal-studded makeup look she created tied into designer Christian Siriano's fall 2019 collection. “I wanted to make it look like a veil. Whenever I do stones I usually do them very organically — they almost feel like freckles or beauty marks." As a finishing touch, Parsons coated the lashes in blue mascara, breaking out the new Maybelline New York Snapscara in Deja Blue.
The shine beaming from the models' hair wasn't from crystals, but rather from silver chains that hairstylist Justine Marjan wove throughout simple low ponytails. “We did a tiny braid in the center of the head that we attached clip-on braids to, and we just gathered it into a low ponytail," explained Marjan. That’s when the chains were clipped in and wrapped around the elastic. “It’s really cool because, from the front, there’s no part, and the hair will just be sleek and slicked-back and clean; from the back, there’s that element of surprise."
Jason Lloyd-Evans5/34Area: Dripping in Crystals
The bling didn't stop there. At Area, hairstylist Jawara took the trend to a whole other level with crystal-mesh headpieces and face masks (shown here) that he placed over hair that had been slicked back into low ponytails with a tiny braid running down the center of the head. On a few models, he even wove strands of twinkly stones through Bantu knots and rows of tight braids — styles we really hope a celebrity or two tries out for the next big red-carpet event (wink, wink).
Getty Images6/34Christian Cowan: Crystal Headgear
Model Halima Aden's rhinestone hijab has to be our favorite accessory of the week.
Getty Images7/34R13: Rapunzel Goes Grunge
It's official: Super long hair is officially a trend. Not only have we spotted it a couple times on the fall 2019 runways, but we've also seen it over and over again on the red carpet (the 2019 Grammy Awards, which happened smack-dab in the middle of NYFW, is a prime example). At R13, hairstylist Guido added extensions to air-dried hair, giving them a very subtle bend with a large curling iron if needed. To achieve the "grungy, kind of punk feel," Guido ran a leave-in conditioner — Redken All Soft Mega Hydramelt, to be exact — from midlength to ends, creating the slightly messy, piecey texture you see above.
8/34Rodarte: Matchy-Matchy Glitter
“We were all feeling a bit ’70s,” said makeup artist James Kaliardos, who turned to Bob Fosse musicals for inspiration when dreaming up the monochromatic glitter-lids-and-lips combo for Rodarte's homecoming show in Los Angeles. (And yes, we know it's not technically part of New York fashion week since it wasn't in New York, but we'll let it slide since the show basically marked the start of the fall 2019 show season.) To create the look, Kaliardos used fuchsia, pink, or red lipstick as a base, swiping it onto the eyelids and lips, followed by color-matched glitter that he pressed on top. The result? Light-catching splashes of color that sent hearts pumping backstage, on the runway, and all over Instagram.
9/34Rodarte: Dream Curls
Glitter was only half of the equation at Rodarte's fall show. The amazing floral headpieces, which sat atop bouncy curls — both natural and those created by a curling iron, depending on the models' own texture — were equal parts glamazon and nymph.
Dia Dipasupil10/34Rosa Chá: Inky Glitter
More glittery lids, this time for Rosa Chá's fall 2019 show. To create the "sparkled black liner" look, makeup artist Sil Bruinsma used Surratt Beauty Auto-Graphique Eyeliner, followed by a layer of Ben Nye makeup adhesive, and topped off with Ben Nye loose glitter in Black Diamond, he explained on his Instagram feed.
11/34Michael Kors: Disco Fever
Several shows paid homage to the decadence and glam of the ‘70s disco scene. None so much as Michael Kors, who, on the last day of NYFW, fully embraced the Studio 54 era with a glitzy collection, a guest appearance by model Patti Hansen, and the one and only Barry Manilow belting out Copacabana for the finale.
A majority of the models wore just a touch of black eyeliner and mascara down the runway, but a few received the disco treatment with either winged shadow in black and gold or a cloud of iridescent violet encircling their lids (both shown above). To create the looks, makeup artist Dick Page dipped into new palettes from M.A.C. (launching in the fall), as well as the brand's Extra Dimension Eye Shadows. As for the hair, Orlando Pita played with lots of volume, either fluffing up the hair of models with natural curls and afros, or adding Jerry Hall-style waves on a few of the models with straight hair, which he did by weaving strands around large hair pins, pressing down on the pins with a flatiron, letting it set, and then brushing all the hair out.
The disco era didn’t just provide beauty inspiration for Page and Pita but it also brought about a tinge of nostalgia. "I've always liked the idea of makeup as decoration," Page said of what he liked best about the makeup looks worn in the '70s. "That era, it's part of my taste, it's part of what I connect to," said Pita. "It's a shame that I can't sit out front and watch the show."
12/34Kate Spade: Rosewood Shimmer
"Rosewood" was the word makeup artist Romy Soleimani kept using to describe the colors she used backstage at Kate Spade. Looking at the makeup of '70s style icons like Biba and Twiggy, Soleimani dipped into the burgundy powders in the Maybelline New York Burgundy Bar palette, concentrating the color on the inner half of the eyes, then using rose-gold shadows on the outer half of the eyes and along the cheekbones. "Doing this really warms and opens up the face and looks gorgeous in the profile," Soleimani said. "It just gives this glowy, wide-eyed, almost butterfly-like effect." A rust-colored lip and a healthy coating of Maybelline Great Lash on top and bottom lashes completed the look.
Getty Images13/34Anna Sui: '60s-Inspired Cut Creases
Pictures of Shirley MacLaine as Irma La Douce covered hairstylist Garren's mood board backstage at Anna Sui. He translated them into brightly colored wigs with a punk twist. To give them volume, he back-combed the wigs before holding the look in place with the R + Co Outer Space Flexible Hairspray.
The '60s vibe carried through to the colorful eye makeup. After drawing on winged liner with the Pat McGrath Labs Perma Precision Liquid Liner, makeup artist Pat McGrath painted on colorful arcs along the models' creases. She also etched the Permagel Ultra Glide Eye Pencil along their lower lash lines and outlined their waterlines to completely define their eyes.
Composite: Getty Images14/34Jonathan Simkhai: Modern Romance
Is there anything more romantic than a just-kissed, diffused red lip? Didn’t think so. At Jonathan Simkhai, a ruby pout was the pièce de résistance against fresh, dewy-in-all-the-right-places skin. “She’s slightly imperfect, and I like that,” explained makeup artist Grace Lee, who used Maybelline's Made for All Lipstick in Ruby for Me backstage. “It’s very clean, and I think [the lip] makes more of an impact when everything is on a bare canvas. ”A romantic low ponytail with a semiconcealed braid and face-framing pieces (courtesy of Odile Gilbert) completed the look.
15/34Collina Strada: Pastel Splatter
If you gave Jackson Pollock a model and a tray of pastel makeup paints, the look at Collina Strada is what you'd get. Makeup artist Yuka Ishizuka, who created the look, called it a "tie-dye" effect. She mixed vividly colored creams with white to create the acid-bright shades she brushed all around the eyes, brows, and cheekbones.
Malorie Shmyr for Fashion Unfiltered16/34Eckhaus Latta: Airbrushed Eyes
Ismaya Ffrench broke out a tool we're not used to seeing backstage at fashion week: an airbrush makeup machine. But instead of using it to get flawless, long-lasting complexions (the way most of us are familiar with the device), the London-based makeup artist used it to apply different colored M.A.C. pigments around the eyes in either sporadic painterly smudges (shown above) or hazy, multicolored masks that stretched across the top half of the models' faces. "I was really inspired by some of the furry jackets that have these great two-tone off colors, like vintage-y oranges with grays," Ffrench told Vogue in an interview backstage. "How do we make an extension [of that look] in a very beautiful way and not feel face-paint-y?" Her solution led her to an airbrusher, which diffuses and blurs the pigments on the skin. "You can't guarantee what you're going to get, so there's a little bit of risk in using it," she added in that same interview. "I really like that because it means everyone's going to be totally individual."
17/34Chromat: Shocks of Neon
Chromat brought Miami to NYFW with neon swimsuits and equally as fluorescent eye makeup. "I like to think of the look as almost an extension of the suits, so you see straps of neons, lines, and bright colors on the face," explained lead makeup artist Fatima Thomas. Models' lids were decorated with either a warm or cool color scheme based on their outfits.
To ensure the cyan and pink eye shadows diffused around the models' eyes were as vivid as possible, Thomas massaged the M.A.C. Prime + Prep 24-Hour Extend Eye Base in a half-moon shape from their brow bones to their cheekbones. Then she swept on the shadows with a small, fluffy brush in an elliptical shape, as she called it. Next, Thomas painted on either a green or orange line, depending on the color combo, just below the lower lash line and extending outward. She also tightlined with the M.A.C. Powerpoint Eye Pencil in Engraved to add definition.
As for hair, some models wore theirs slicked back — as if they just got out of the ocean. Others received two or five tight braids, which were kept tidy with the Oribe Star Glow Styling Wax. Each look got its own accessory, too: flowers, leaves, or tops of recycled plastic water bottles shaped into flowers.
18/34Carolina Herrera: Color Flashes
Shocks of bright pink, orange, and blue stretched across the lids at Carolina Herrera, juxtaposed against skin that was left pretty much bare save for a sheer layer of foundation and highlighter. For the pink and orange shades, makeup artist Romy Soleimani used lipstick, smudging the bullet across the lids the same way you would apply it to your lips. "It should feel very unlabored," she explained. "Which requires you to have restraint and not try to make a perfect shape. That's how you get that minimal, shocking, how'd-that-happen effect."
Speaking of minimal, hairstylist Odile Gilbert left each model with her natural texture, whether that was straight, semi-wavy, curly, cropped, or shaved. If the model arrived with product-logged hair, she went straight to the shampoo bowl for a wash and a treatment mask. Otherwise, Gilbert simply ran a bit of Tresemmé Keratin Smooth Heat Protect Spray throughout the strands to calm flyaways and make split ends look a little less split.
19/34Sally Lapointe: Plum Tints
Makeup artist James Kaliardos added whispers of color to the lids and lips at Sally LaPointe, using one of M.A.C.'s new Powder Kiss Lipstick shades backstage.
20/34Veronica Beard: Allover Rose
With matching rosy-colored eyes and lips, the makeup at Veronica Beard brings to mind the monochromatic makeup we saw in the beginning of the week at Rodarte — minus all the glitter. And with the addition of black mascara, which adds definition to the eyes and adds a bit of sultriness to the look, this is a great way to try the ¨über-pretty trend off the runway.
21/34Veronica Beard: Satin Ribbons
We'd be remiss if we didn't show you the gorgeous ribbon situation that was also going on at Veronica Beard's fall presentation. After running a dollop of Moroccanoil Hydrating Styling Cream from midlength to ends, hairstylist Kevin Hughes blow-dried the hair with a paddle brush. After drawing a center part, he then gathered the hair low at the nape and tied it in a ponytail, pulling on the hair right above the elastic to soften up the style and give it a beautiful silhouette. A shiny satin ribbon tied around the elastic finished the look — and solidified our love of the simple yet chic hair accessory that's become so trendy among celebrities and Instagram stars alike.
22/34Oscar de la Renta: Rubies and Ribbons
Another day, another ribbon, this time at Oscar de la Renta and by the deft hands of hairstylist Odile Gilbert. While models with short cuts, braids, and kinky curls came down the runway with their natural textures on display, the models with long straight or wavy textures had their hair nipped into a tight, low ponytail with a middle part and a soft wave through the ends. Each one was decorated with either a velvet ribbon, a large jewel-encrusted barrette, or bedazzled bobby pins. To complement the simple style and romantic accessories, makeup artist Tom Pecheux gave lips a soft ruby stain — a custom hue that he blended right on the lips by dabbing a bright red liquid lipstick in the center of the mouth, applying a soft brown matte along the edges, and then blurring those two together with his finger or a cotton bud.
23/34Rosie Assoulin: Arts & Crafts Eyes
Think that's sparkly liquid eyeliner or just a really pigmented pencil? Think again. Backstage, makeup artist James Kaliardos actually cut out pieces of colored and glitter tape, whittling them down into tiny angled strips that he then stuck onto the models' lids for what were definitely the sharpest wings we saw all week.
24/34Tomo Koizumi: Pastel Dreams
Japanese designer Tomo Koizumi made his NYFW debut with a show of extremes, presenting his large, voluminous pieces in frothy pastel fabrics on major models like Bella Hadid and Emily Ratajkowski. The beauty look also bordered on the extreme, with hairstylist Guido wrapping the models' hair around their heads into sleek, shiny head wraps, then adding extensions at the forehead and chopping them into jagged little baby bangs with a razor. "The bang gives the very simple shape an edge," he explained, adding that his only product for the show was Redken Forceful 23 Super Strength Hairspray, which locked the style in place and gave it a high-gloss finish.
Makeup artist Pat McGrath mimicked the jagged quality of the bangs with spiky, Twiggy-like lashes on all the models (courtesy of her FetishEyes Mascara), and sharp winged eye shadow (shown here) in the most delicate, twinkly shade of lavender on just a few.
25/34Prabal Gurung: Understated Glam
Inspired by the modern “global traveler,” makeup artist Diane Kendal created a subtly smoky eye with M.A.C. Eye Kohl in Costa Riche on the models with light and medium skin tones, and with a black eyeliner pencil for the models with darker complexions. After scribbling the pencil all over the lids and along the lower lashes, Kendal diffused the pigment with a brush for a lived-in effect. Meanwhile, hairstylist Odile Gilbert created an "edgy yet chic" pushed-back style with plenty of volume for the models with long hair, while those with short crops (like Duckie Thot, shown above next to Candice Swanepoel), kept their own unique style for the runway.
26/34Cong Tri: Fresh Beauty
The no-makeup makeup look worn by major like Shanina Shaik (pictured), Herieth Paul, Lais Ribero, and Winnie Harlow was the genius work of none other than makeup artist Hung Vanngo. Using all Lancôme products, Vanngo really focused on prepping the skin with lots of hydrating products, then evening anything out with the brand's Teint Idole Ultra Wear Full Coverage Foundation. Highlighter (the Dual Finish Highlighter), setting powder, mascara (the Monsieur Big formula, an Allure Best of Beauty winner), and a neutral-colored lipstick completed the fresh-faced look. Slightly more complicated and intricate was the hairstyle, created by Brian Buenaventura — a complicated series of loops with the same level of high-watt shine as the dresses that came down the runway.
27/34Alice + Olivia: Bordeaux and Butterflies
Makeup artist Erin Parson and manicurist Gina Edwards played around with reds and burgundies for the lips and nails at Alice + Olivia — both prominent colors featured in the fall 2019 collection.
Parsons created an ombré effect on the lips by tracing the perimeter of the mouth with a plum lip liner and diffusing the pigment toward the center of the lips. She then layered Maybelline New York Superstay Matte Ink Liquid Lipstick in Composer and Pioneer on top and finished with a dot of red lipstick at the very center. "It mimics the effect of a blooming rose," she said backstage.
Kiss polishes ranging from deep burgundy to glittery white covered the models' nails. The final touch? A handmade monarch butterfly affixed on one or two fingers.
28/34Brandon Maxwell: Bambi Lashes
Some may call the eye makeup at Brandon Maxwell Twiggy-esque; makeup artist Tom Pecheux refers to it as "My Eyes Will Never Lie to You." To create the cheeky look, he started off by smudging white pigment onto the lids. Then he started layering on "tons of layers of mascara," he said. To help extend the lashes, he added a few individual falsies here and there. Finally, he drew on the '60s-inspired graphic lower lashes by placing the tip of a liquid liner at the roots of the lashes and then quickly dragging it down so the lines are thinner at the ends. Pecheux said this technique kept the lines from looking "clown-y."
The rest of the face was kept matte all over, with the matte rose lipstick tapped below the apples of the cheeks. Pecheux picked this low blush placement as it's "fresh but not girly," he said.
The hairstyle was a bit less calculated but still had a clever name: "supersonic ballerina bun." After slicking hair back into a low, middle-parted ponytail, hairstylist Bob Recine twisted quarter-inch sections of hair in whatever which way they coiled and pinned them into a bun shape.
29/34Coach: Sharp Braids
The hair and makeup was kept minimal for Coach, with Pat McGrath breaking out her fan favorite Lip Fetish Lip Balm and not much else. What really caught our eye, however, were the models who came down the runway with their hair in freshly-done braids courtesy of hairstylist Guido and his team.
30/34Brock Collection: Romantic Smoke
"The makeup at Brock is usually quite romantic and dreamy, but the direction this time was to make the girls look a little edgier," said makeup artist Gucci Westman of her and hairstylist Peter Gray's brief for the show. Westman was excited to be able to break out some of the products from her makeup line, Westman Atelier. She applied the Lit Up Highlighter Stick underneath the Vital Skin Foundation Stick — "it makes the skin look much more ethereal," she said — followed by either her cream blush or bronzer, depending on the models' skin tone.
While Westman encircled the eyes in a cloud of charcoal gray (a blend of different shadows from Chanel), she wanted the real focus to be the jet-black line along the top and bottom lashes. "It's a really thick, sharp line with no flick — it's just meant to frame the eye," she said. To get that richness, Westman applied the liquid liner (also from Chanel) before and after she brushed on the shadow, using short, quick strokes. "It's super helpful; trying to do it in one long stroke is really tricky."
31/34Nicole Miller: Rainbow Braids
There wasn't one single hairstyle for Nicole Miller's fall 2019 runway show. The models basically came down the runway sporting their natural texture or preferred style, whether that was messy waves, springy curls, or a shaved head. Our favorite hairstyle of the show, however, belonged to rapper JZL the Empress, who wore her rainbow-color braids in pigtails and decorated with beads. "Words can’t express the appreciation I have for Nicole Miller for my runway debut!" she wrote in an Instagram post after the show. "The experience was amazing and her collection was energetically pleasing!! I loved the professional look she chose for me to mix with my playful vibes and colorz! 🦄✨👑"
32/34Marc Jacobs: Makeup-Free
For what might have been the most shocking beauty moment of NYFW, the models at Marc Jacobs came down the runway pretty much bare-faced, their hair left alone save for some bold plumage courtesy of milliner Stephen Jones.
33/34Self-Portrait: Ballerina Bun
Call it the Meghan Markle effect, but designers are loving the low knot this season. At Self-Portrait, hairstylist Jimmy Paul tied the hair into a low ponytail and wove the tail into a simple three-strand braid. He then wrapped the braid tightly into a chignon, letting the ends of the tail poke out to give a bit of attitude. To get the style sleek and shiny, Paul used Bumble and Bumble Gel to smooth the edges and a misting of Bumble and Bumble Does It All hair spray.
34/34Helmut Lang: Traffic-Stopping Red Lips
Models at Helmut Lang either received brown liner or a fiery red lip, the latter of which you can see above. "We have the person who wears an eye when they go out and we have the person who wears a lip when they go out, but both looks are pretty classic," said Sobol. To create the gorgeous crimson hue, she used Maybelline New York Color Sensational Made for All Lipstick in Red for Me (382). "It's not a super velvety matte, which is nice because it's movable. It's really easy to put on, and it dries down to a satiny matte finish." And right before they stepped out on the runway, Sobol added a dab of bright orange-red gloss (Maybelline Color Sensational Vivid Hot Lip Gloss in So Hot) right in the middle of their lips, "which catches the light beautifully on the runway," she explained.
