Backstage Beauty at London Fashion Week

Welcome to London F ashion Week!

Maria Grachvogel

First show of the day and things are very calm backstage at Maria Grachvogel. I caught up with Mel Arter of MAC who described the look as ‘Power 90\'s\' - think Neneh Cherry in the Kiss On The Wing video - glam but achievable.

Mel used warm tones on the eyes but a cool lip gave a modern twist to the nineties nudes using a mix of MAC Stone and Spice lipliner (£10) and ‘Til Tomorrow lipstick. Opaque skin set off the neutral shaded eyes and brows were filled in with natural pencils. We love!

Check out the gorgeous ‘Parisian Plait\' created by Kenna, Creative Director for Wella using SP Trendset (Kenner slipped us a bottle before we left so we can practise!)

Hair was given a light spritz before it was pulled back into this nonchalant looking braid. Kenna\'s rules for this look are to keep it as far away from straight and sleek as possible, ‘I wanted to give the hair not so much of a look as a personality tucking the ends under to avoid any kind of ending.\' When the models are dressed the plaits will be tucked into their jackets to loosen them up - perfect winter hair!

Click through our gallery for more beauty trends, how-tos and exclusive backstage access from London Fashion Week - and we\'ve got more backstage show reports to come!

Ashley Isham

Inspiration: Flash Gordon  (and in particular Ming the Merciless\'s daughter) triggered the tonal medley of bronze and golds at this show. Sharon Dowsett for MAC tried out this look on her teenage niece to make sure that this softly graphic look would be perfect today.

MAC Mineralised Foundation was used as a base for its luminescent finish and depending on the models skin tone a green-brown or a blue-brown MAC pigment was used giving an iridescent beetle back sheen to the lid. Blacktrack liner and Smoulder kohl were blended together in and under the lash line and false lashes blended with Pro Lash mascara balanced out the power shoulders. Finish off with Pearl Cream Cheek Colour on the ledge of the cheek and brush Sepia blush under the cheekbone.

Get ready for a season of multifunctional makeup this season - eye pigments in pink broze shades were patted onto lips topped off with gloss.

Malcom Edwards for L\'Oreal admitted that he cracked up at the thought of cheesy cartoon 80\'s so he went for the cool vibe turning the classic roll on its side. Two textures were seen again like last season and hair was spritzed with Texture Tonic and backbrushed to create an airy halo.

Felder Felder

Inspiration: Winona Ryder in Dracula - goth rock n\' roll.

A summer application using a winter palette pairing the slightly odd combination of tobacco and blackberry seemed to work here. Georgina Graham for MAC declared her love of Face Protect SPF50  for its lavender hue. Used after moisturiser and before foundation it gives a slightly cold, ethereal look. We told you multifunctionality was key - Georgina used concealers in Caramel and Ochre on the lids smudged slightly under for a slightly tobacco-y square/oval look.

MAC Silver Dusk was used vertically in the centre of the eye and down the bridge of the nose to highlight. Our fave discovery of the day - MAC\'s new Blackcurrant lipstick patted onto lips for a sheer glossy sheen.

Hair was inspired by the Felder Felder twins - cool, naturally effortless texture with a rock vibe. Blowdry with Bumble and Bumble Thickening Spray  and tong sections using hands (no brushes allowed - it\'ll neaten it too much) B&B Grooming Cream on the ends breaks up any uniformity and keep hair nice and natural with no spray.

Hannah Marshall

Inspiration: the strength and power of Hannah\'s clothing. Atmosphere was hectic and crazy due to three powercuts before we arrived!

Hannah experimented with crushed velvet this season along with her statement harsh lines so texture was mirrored in the makeup. Alex Box blended MAC Blue Lip Mix and Black Lip Mix which were drowned in gloss before the models went on. Eyes were dusted with Silver Dust to highlight and topped off with Taupe and Carbon liners to represent the lines in the clothes. Cheeks were highlighted with Silver and Nude Dust.

Hair had to compete with the graphic detail of the collection so hair was given its own shoulder pads. Think Grace Jones for the 00\'s. Ponytail was given a frizzy electric feel using Tec Ni Art Gloss Control to give it a dry texture and then backcombed and ironed over until it looked like it had spent a windy weekend on the Yorkshire Moors. Metallic Gloss on the hairline mirrored the makeup

House of Holland - Ghetto Fabulous!

Inspiration: Harlem ghetto girls complete with gold chains and hoop earrings, bandanas and looooong acrylic nails walked the catwalk to a backing track of UK hip hop - think ghetto chic meets a cool Lady Sovereign.

Shay Dempsey, Global Creative Stylist for Sebastian Professional used Volupt Blowdry Spray to give hair massive volume whilst keeping it soft and clean looking. Hair was pulled into a ponytail high up on the head and Shay explained that to avoid the 80\'s high pony look it needs to be placed it above the left eye rather than set back on the head. Bandana\'s matching Henry\'s collection were then wrapped around the base of the pony helping to raise the height of the hair. Shay then used a large barrel curling tong in sections to create soft voluminous waves that fell over the eye giving this jailhouse chic hair movement and bounce.

Acrylic nails (obv, what else would ghetto glam girls opt for?!) were hand painted by nail supreme Sophy Robson spelling out NALGO (Not A Lot Going On) and CTFO (Chill The F**K Out)

Because there was so much going on with the hair, nails and clothes Lucia Pica for MAC made the skin the emphasis keeping the tanning element to these Harlem hotties by using foundation a shade darker than their skintone over a blend of moisturiser mixed with MAC Care Blend Oil to create a dewy skin texture. Lashes were curled and Studio Fix Lash in Charcoal Brown was applied. Lips were concealed around the edges with just a hint of natural pink showing through et voila - the ghetto has a makeover!

Matthew Williamson

Look - Muted, grey fascination, simple and clean lines.

When we weren\'t stalking Sienna through the backstage area we were talking to makeup supremo James Kaliardos about how to get this look which he called, ‘the how to do as little as possible but get a really cool effect\' look.

The star product here was the L\'Oreal Paris Studio Secrets Resurfacing Primer which smoothes and mattifies the skin. Studio Secrets High Definition Foundation was then brushed onto the temples and cheekbones to contour and Studio Secrets Anti Dullness Primer gave a pinky glow to the cheeks. A swipe of grey from the L\'Oreal Paris Colour Appeal Trio  was given to the eyelids and lips were beiged out with foundation and softly glossed in number 411. No lashes and no liner - hmmm, we spy a trend!

Over to hair and models arriving from Richard Nicoll (see the look here) were ushered onto chairs where their hair was baby powdered and washed in washing up liquid to get out all of the product. Malcom Edwards then layered L\'Oreal Professional Texture Tonic onto hair and pulled into a pony before lacing the hair using fingers like you would shoelaces. Sides were pulled in but it the top was slightly raised creating an airy texture that looked girly from the side but masculine from the front.

Ashish

Inspiration: Romany gypsy meets grunge.

After a season of what seems to be lacking in a lot of colour we knew we could count on Ashish for upping the fun factor. Coloured hair wefts were added to the hair in pinks, blues, greens and oranges that stylists had hand dyed the night before. The hair was then soaked in L\'Oreal Professional Pli  at the roots for lift and Playball Texture Tonic  to create a dry, frizzy feel before it was worked into a classic three strand plait, the idea being that the plait changed colour the lower down you look. Simple, clean and all on the right hand side, a little black beanie hat was added just before the models went on stage.

With Ashish\'s signature sequins, makeup was kept fresh and simple by Georgina Graham for MAC who explained that sometimes it\'s the smallest of things that make the biggest statements. She kept the strength to the brows, ‘I wanted them to look like little lion cubs,\' by using the new MAC eyebrow pencil in Taupe, ‘everyone can wear this colour.\' Using the edge of the pencil in flicks upwards she thickened the brow.  Georgina is obsessed this season by the new Prep and Prime SPF50  for the slight lavender hue it gives to skin stopping skin from looking matte. She buffed this onto the face using a brush followed by Mac Face and Body on the top. Lashes were curled and no mascara was applied.

Richard Nicoll

Inspiration: Robert Palmer\'s ‘Addicted to Love\' video.

Luke Hersheson headed up the team for L\'Oreal Professional with a backstage soundtrack ranging from classics from Cheryl Cole and 90\'s house creating the slickest bun we\'ve seen all season. Hair was doused in tonnes of Deviation Paste mixed with water layered up excessively to make a really wet, almost Brylcreamed effect and pulled into a pony that was twisted like a rope until it became a bun, combed through leaving marks and then spritzed with Sparkling Mist shine spray. Super chic hair ‘bundage\' at its best!

Sam Bryant for MAC kept the look quite powdery and chalky using bamboo shades to shade the lids, eyes and cheeks with Cream Colour Base  in Shell to highlight cheekbones, bow of the lips, and bridge of the nose to make the look pop. Drama was worked into the look by painting lips in Chili Lipstick and smudging it out with the fingers. Lashes were curled but left bare, without mascara.

Sass & Bide

Petros Pertrohilos, who did the makeup for MAC, described the look he was going for as ‘tough, graphic and tribal.\' The look was quite pared down and minimal - MAC Pro Clear Gloss was used on lids with no mascara so the eyes had little definition and just a subtle transparent sheen. He used the same product on the girls\' cheekbones to structure the face and then made lips the focus with MAC Lipstick in Media and MAC Cremestick Liner in Velvetella, topped off with a brown gloss (that\'s not actually out yet).

The hair was incredible - dramatic, theatrical and kind of futuristic. Overseen by Renya Xydis for ghd, the girls each had gold skull plates fitted to the right side of their heads and the hair was MASSIVE.

Renya said ‘It\'s a bit like a UFO but for a girl to do it at home it could be more of a side French roll, with a bit of a quiff-punk element to it.\'

If you want to give it a try (minus the skull plate), this is how they did it... Hair was saturated with a full can of ghd Maximise Mousse  to build up the body you need full such a sculptural look. ghd Fat Hair Lotion  was then spritzed around the hairline and ghd Obedience Cream was applied to the crown. Hair was dried off with a Mason & Pearson brush and then teased and backcombed all over. Then it was brushed out a bit and twisted into a side roll, pinning with Kirby grips.

To finish, the skull plates were fitted on to the side of the head but for off the runway, we recommend using a dramatic clip or hair accessory...

PPQ

The PPQ look was sensational this season. Shu Uemura\'s International Artistic Director Kakuyasu Uchiide (try saying that after a couple of glasses of champagne...) gave the girls strong dark eyes in a mix of matte black textures to work against the metallics and brocades of the collection. We got a sneak peak at two not-even-out-yet products that he was using backstage too - Stage Performer Instant Glow skin Perfecting Cream, which was applied after moisturiser to give skin a sheen, and Stage Performer Signs Off Instant Replenishing Line Smoother, which he patted around eyes and lips to plump up the skin and give a smooth finish for makeup. These products aren\'t even launching ‘til September but I tried them on my hand and the textures feel great - keep your eyes out for them...

Skin was kept quite matte with Nobara Cream Foundation Stick  because all the focus was on the eyes. Kakuyasu started with a base of Painting Liner in Black, using it as an eyeshadow. He then layered Cream Eyeshadow in Black on top to add extra depth, starting from the outer corner and strengthening the inner eyebrow bone to elongate the eye. He focused on emphasising the outer edges of the eye shape, leaving the centre of the eyelid with less colour. To finish he added Matte Black Eyeshadow over the top, again going right up to the brow on the inner corner of the eye. Eyes were finished with the Smoky Layers False Eyelashes (my personal favourite for a night out) and brows were strengthened with the Hard Formula Brow Pencil in Seal Brown. The models\' cheekbones were subtly contoured with Amber 82 and a bit of Peach 40 Glow On Blushes and lips were kept nude with Rouge Unlimited Crème Matt Lipstick in Beige 990 - a gorgeous flesh-toned nude. The look was apparently inspired by glamorous 80s women sipping cocktails in the evening - and we totally loved it.

Hair was being done by the lovely Ben Cooke for Herbal Essences. He called the look ‘Yesterday\'s today doo\' (yep, two Os) and said he was basing it on ‘slept-in glamour\' (definitely a look we can get behind...)

He started by running Herbal Essences Mousse through the hair to give it a slightly grubby texture. Then he centre parted it and blasted it dry. To give the hair volume, he used a really sneaky trick - he crimped the underneath sections of the hair from the roots to the mid-lengths to work like scaffolding and boost the hair from underneath. ‘The crimping\'s not going to be visible - it\'s just to create a structure for the style,\' said Ben. ‘I\'m only doing the back of the head and a bit at the sides to give the look width and body.\' After the crimping, Ben then tonged the hair ‘imperfectly\', deliberately doing it badly to give the hair a random, accidental texture. ‘I\'m using a couple of different sizes of tong - a medium and a wide barrelled one - so that the wave doesn\'t look too uniform. I want the hair to look messy with a slightly gothic edge.\' He finished the style by adding a bit of Beautiful Ends Split End Protection Cream on the ends of the hair to break it up and take away the fluffiness. ‘It shouldn\'t look too perfect,\' said Ben. ‘The look should be slightly grungy and slept in - it\'s morning after hair basically.\' Mmm, think we can manage that!

J Maskrey

Inspiration: Intergalactic Bling!

Entering backstage at J Maskrey was like stepping foot on a different planet as alien-esque models were covered in crystal embellishments from head to toe. Sharon Dowsett for MAC created a melange of bronzes to give firey autumnal warmth to Maskrey\'s all-black collection. Using MAC\'s Mineralise Liquid Foundation,  ‘to keep skin luminescent in a dry way\' with Acid Orange Pigment on the cheeks, Bronze Lip Mix on the lips and no mascara on the lashes but through the brows this look was topped off with a cyber tri-bun look from the team at Vidal Sasson.

Charles Anastase

The Charles Anastase show had a 6am call-time on saturday morning so all the models (and journalists) were looking a bit bleary-eyed! The prepping had to start early though because the hair took aaaages to do.

Inspired by US Vogue\'s Grace Coddington, the aim was to create soft, fluffy, fuzziness - big with lots of texture, ‘almost like fur on the head\', said hairstylist Lydell Mansfield, who created the look for L\'Oréal Professionel.

It sounds like it shouldn\'t have been that complicated but Lydell told us that just tonging the hair couldn\'t achieve a natural enough look. ‘I want a more real, more inconsistent curl than you get by tonging,\' she told me. ‘To create it, I\'m doing a knot set - constantly knotting the hair together, right over left, from the nape of the neck to the top of the head.\' Hair was prepped first with L\'Oréal Professionel tecni.art Full Volume Extra Mousse and L\'Oréal Professionel tecni.art Playball Texture Tonic through the ends. Then after it was blow-dried, knotted, set and taken out, the stylists started tonging the very ends with a super-skinny tong. ‘You can\'t get the ends curly just from the knot set so we\'re tonging them with a really narrow tong\', said Lyndell. Next the stylists brushed out the hair and spritzed it with L\'Oréal Professionel Infinium Hairspray to hold the texture, and then some girls\' hair was left done and some put up. We definitely wouldn\'t recommend trying this look at home (unless you have several hours to spare - and are very dextrous...)

Makeup wasn\'t quite so complicated - Sally Branka for MAC told me the inspiration came from Charlotte Rampling in the 70s and the image of a really refined, elegant woman. She used MAC Select Moisture Concealer instead of foundation to give skin a radiant, dewy look. She then used Mineralize Skinfinish Natural Powder in whatever shade each girl needed to matt it down. The eyes were given low-key definition with Fluidline in Blacktrack on the top waterline and Technakohl Liner in Graphblack along the top lashline. The lower lashline was kept bare and there was no mascara or brow pencil so the look was quite pared down. MAC Pro Sculpting Powder in Bone Beige was used on the cheeks and then lips were coloured in all over with Lip Pencil in Vino with MAC Pro Lipmix in Crimson applied on top to create deep red opaque colour. One lucky model though had a totally different look, with crazy black and white panels painted all over her face and scary zig-zag teeth. ‘We\'re basing the make-up on a Man Ray picture,\' said Sally. ‘It\'s about a woman who\'s not afraid to go out there and do her thing.\' Great sentiment...but I felt for the poor model who had to get that lot off her face in time for the next show!

Mary Katrantzou

The Mary Katrantzou show featured my favourite lips of the season (so far). Legendary makeup artist Val Garland was doing the look for MAC so we always knew it was going to be a good one... ‘The look\'s a bit 18^th Century,\' Val told me. ‘Think Dangerous Liaisons crossed with Marie Antoinette.\'

Val wanted the girls to have beautiful, fresh skin that still looked real - ‘We\'re doing a baroque red mouth so instead of doing a full-on powdered face, we\'ve modernised the look by making the skin fresh and supple.\'

In the eye sockets and a bit below the eye, she added a soft pink, using MAC Pro Lip Mix in Red. With the eyebrows, Val dragged out the arch to give the girls quite a surprised look. Then she added white pencil inside the eye rim and used the same product she used on the eyes, MAC Pro Lip Mix, to give the red colour to the lips. ‘I\'m doing more of a pointed shape in the Cupid\'s bow - like the bad queen from Alice in Wonderland. On the lower lip, I\'m using a deep red powder to create a velvety finish and then I\'m leaving the top lip more moist. So there\'s sort of a two-tone texture to the mouth.\' The models wore no blush or mascara (mascara seems to be out this season), to look like soft little dolls...

The hair, styled by Tommo Jidai for L\'Oréal Professionel, also had an 18^th Century feel - quite windswept but sophisticated, it was twisted up into a shell shape and then loose tendrils were pulled out to give it a softer feel. The hot new product used for the look was L\'Oréal Professionel Cotton Up Mousse - it hasn\'t properly launched yet but we\'ve tried it and it\'s fabulous for giving fine hair airy volume.

Mark Fast

The look at Mark Fast was called The Swinton - inspired by the idea of actress Tilda Swinton as an ethereal, other-worldly statue. Make-up artist Emma White-Turle who created the look for MAC, told me she wanted the girls to have an inner glow but to look sculpted and statuesque. MAC Mineralize Foundation was used to achieve a flawless base and finished with Mineralize Skinfinish Powder in Soft and Gentle, a gilded peachy bronze, to highlight the cheekbones and brow bones and give the face a sculpted, unreal look. Studio Sculpt Concealer was used on the models\' lips to take down their natural colour and then the same highlighting powder used on the face was brushed over the top. On the eyes, Vanilla pigment was mixed with Naked and Tan to contour and highlight the eye structure. ‘I\'m not using any mascara on the girls because when you look at a statue, you don\'t see any lashes,\' said Emma. The brows were groomed and set and to complete the statuesque look, the models\' knuckles, collarbones and elbows were all emphasised with highlighting Strobe Cream.

Hair for the show was quite clean and simple - the front was left down and pushed straight back from the forehead but the underneath sections from just above the ears were looped into a tight knot at the back of the head. TIGI Catwalk Root Boost was used before blow-drying, just to give a little lift on the top of the head, and a little TIGI Catwalk Weightless Shine Spray was misted over the finished look to give hair a healthy sheen.