The Inspiration: Victoria Beckham, of course.
Beauty at Victoria Beckham's Fall 2012 show. Photo: Peter Michael Dills/Getty Images
Hair: As I entered New York Public Library's Astor Hall, the venue for Beckham's fall 2012 fashion show, I couldn't help but notice things seem too calm. A row of models sat straight up in chairs along one wall as the beauty teams transformed them into sophisticated ladies, starting with long, blunt locks. "This style shows that we can do simple hair very stylish if we make it perfect," said Redken hairstylist Guido Palau. "It complements the clothes because they are quite sexy and the hair tones it down." Satinwear lotion was smoothed through the models' hair before blow drying to minimize frizz. Palau made a severe side part and added hair extensions that were cut to create blunt ends. For a shock of wetness in the front, he slicked with Hardwear gel and set the look with Shine Flash. Palau adds, "The more I work with hair products in the fashion sense, I use them as accessories to get different textures to make it look more modern. It's the idea that products can help to achieve a high fashion look."
Makeup: Still no Posh Spice in site, I made my way down the line where Sunday Riley lead artist Diane Kendal was busy perfecting gorgeous skin and a red mouth to complement Beckham's architectural-driven and slim-fitting fall 2012 collection. Kendal prepped skin with Juno Serum and Tinted Primer for a dewy effect. Next, she filled in the brows. To finish, the makeup pro added a pop of color using Persuasive Lipstick (a blue-red) and blotted orange blush on top to create a matte, yet vibrant finish.
Nails: To not compete with the bold red pout, CND manicurists made a statement with shiny nude shades. Could Beckham spark a new trend in backstage beauty etiquette? Maybe. "We're doing the ultimate luxe manicure," said Roxanne Valinoti. "It really is what Victoria is wearing right now... a great all-purpose nude but obviously really chic." Layering warm and cool colors, she first applied Putty (a semi-sheer nude) and topped with Marshmallow Rose (a barely-there pink). "This color combination looks great on every skin tone," said Valinoti.