All images: Lynette Chen for herworldPLUS
Oh, if only you were privy to half of what went down at this particular backstage – or is that backstab – pow-wow.
It’s times like these that we’re reminded how cruelly capricious things can get when creative creatures collide. At the risk of being forcibly extricated from future shows, let’s just say the final look you see here is a … slightly modified version of the test shot, and leave it at that. (And to the fine folks of Nars Singapore, we love you very much!)
In any case, the glorious goddess that is Dato’ Farah Khan herself – we saw the Malaysian fashion designer getting her face powdered by a flock of fawning consorts, and can affirm that the woman is just divine in the flesh – did an excellent job in making the executive call for her AFF presentation, beauty-wise.
Here’s why: We’re so done with makeup normcore. Look, we don’t mean to sound contemptuous, but slapping on some concealer and slicking on a nude gloss does not a fashion show make.
So yes, enough no-makeup makeup, please; leave that to us regular folks. We want skin sex! We demand pulse-quickening drama! Go on, contour the cheeks of your clotheshorses to within an inch of their lives! Give us life!
In short, bring back the intellectual stimulation and astronomical artistry that made us fall in love with beauty in the first place … all of which were handed to us in spades by the very dapper Nars Thailand International Makeup Artist Beam and the glam squad responsible for Farah Khan’s show.
BASE
We’re going with the assumption that you know what to do pre-makeup: Cleanse, smooth in a silky serum, prep with a plumping moisturiser, done. Lay down your canvas with a satiny wash of Nars’ Sheer Glow Foundation. Beam pressed the product in with bare fingers, which is exactly how we like it; fluid coverage lends itself well to the warmth of the human touch.
For the satiny finish we’re gunning for here, dot onto forehead, cheeks and nose, then blend, blend, and blend some more; the goal is to ensure that even the most senior of maquillage masters won’t be able to detect the demarcation between your cheeks and jawline.
There’s a fair bit of contouring going on, but that’s par for the course. Done right, you’ll look nothing like a burlesque performer, and here’s how. Stipple a wide paddle-shaped brush (try Nars’ #20 Blush Brush) and buff in the darker shade from Nars’ Paloma Contour Blush palette. This gives a sexy semi-matte finish, and won’t read as greasy when placed on the highest planes of your cheekbones. Bring the contouring colour right up to your temples for an ultra-sleek, slenderising effect.
For a glimmering accent, layer on The Multiple in Copacabana, gliding the stick directly onto your apples and patting it in with your fingers. Use like an illuminator; dab on a smidgen along your nose bridge, chin and above your cupid’s bow.
EYES
Farah Khan’s brief came in the form of a vintage Vogue cover, so there’s lots of slinky ‘60s glamour referencing going on in the eyes. No shadow, for starters; instead, we see the flair of Fellini in the fabulous flick of liner. Instead of a flat-out wingtip, however, we get more of what we call a “tadpole”: A wiggly little tail that extends just shy of the natural lash line.
That isn’t to say there isn’t drama; lots of smudging on the lids courtesy of a masterful blend of blacks in different finishes. Start by etching out an elliptical silhouette using a matte midnight pencil (try Nars’ Black Moon) following the half-moon of your lids, but show restraint by keeping the hue within your crease. Use a fan-shaped brush to sweep the sooty hue outwards, then smudge very judiciously at the corners.
This matte black will form the base for a sexy obsidian shine in the centre of the lids. Grab a stiff angled brush (#47 will do very nicely indeed) and press Nars’ Eye Paint in Black Valley just under your crease; the shiny slate is absolutely scintillating against the matte charcoal of the Black Moon lid.
Get the precision sliver of a flick by switching to a felt-tipped liner by way of Eyeliner Stylo in Black Carpates. Gently graze the pointer at the end of your drawn-on line, working it in so that you get a nicely winged tip.
Almost done. Fill in sparse brows with the chocolate powder from the Madrague duo palette; simply follow the natural arc of your hair growth. Crimp your upper lashes, then wiggle an inky bodybuilding mascara across your upper lashes; we adore Larger Than Life Volumizing Mascara for its racy robustness.
Leave the lower lashes as is for contrast, and breathe light into the wedge-shaped inner corners by way of a shimmery champagne gold highlight; instructions as per previous makeup how-to.
LIPS
For something so rad, the lips are a cinch to pull off. Just three steps: Hydrating balm as base; Nars Semi Matte Lipstick in Red Lizard; finish by tracing with Lip Liner Pencil in Jungle Red.
Both shades, for what it’s worth, will be familiar to “Narcissists”, being quite the fan favourites for their intoxicatingly full-bodied, flatteringly blue-red undertones. Oh, and nothing too precious or neat, please; you want poppin’ puckers that border on insolence.
KEY TAKEAWAY
The beauty code spoke to us of 1960s pin-ups and urban punk princesses – the unlikely mash-up between the kohl-eyed Euro-erotica of Anita Ekberg, Monica Vitti and Romy Schneider, and the carelessly drawn on rouge of say, Betsey Johnson or the The Bromley Contingent ...
Translation: No wallflowers, please. And yet, the relative restraint of the cat eye – keeping the smoke within the crease, for instance – makes this look infinitely wearable, if you’re gutsy and up for a colour challenge, that is. Pair this with a sequinned top courtesy of the fabulous Farah Khan, throw on some leather leggings and you’re good to go. Rock on, and live a little!
Nars is the official makeup sponsor for Audi Fashion Festival 2014. Unless stated otherwise, all products used are available at Nars Cosmetics counters. For more information, visit www.narscosmetics.com and follow Nars Cosmetics on Facebook and Instagram.
Audi Fashion Festival 2014 is held at the Tent@Orchard from May 14 to 18, 2014. Tickets are available at sistic.com. For more information, go to www.audifashionfestival.com. Get updates on AFF 2014 on Facebook at www.facebook.com/AudiFashionFestivalSingapore, on Twitter@AudiFashionFest and Instagram @AudiFashionFest and by following the hashtag #affsg.