The Backstage Beauty Report: Dolores Cortes S/S ’14 Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week
THE LOOK: JUNGLE PUNK
Bright floral prints, studs, cornrows, chains in the hair and feline-inspired smokey eyes gave Spanish designer Dolores Cortes’ 2014 Swim Collection a punked out vibe that managed to be edgy, tough and feminine all at the same time.
THE MAKEUP:
CATS IN THE JUNGLE
To create Cortes’ feline-esque makeup look for 2014 Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Swim, Victor Amos, Whip Hand Cosmetics Lead Makeup Artist on the Dolores Cortes Runway Show, employed a new twist on the smokey eye and nude lip combination.
Lead Makeup Artists Notes: How To Create The Look
From Victor Amos:
The makeup direction for the Dolores Cortes runway show was all about punk!
When Dolores and I came up with the look, we imagined a girl who was hip, trendy, sexy, and modern. We decided on doing a very heavy, feline-shaped black eye with contoured cheeks and nude lips.
SKIN PREP
We started by prepping the skin with Ctrl+Alt+Delete Makeup Remover to clean the skin. Many of the models came in with makeup from previous shows, so it was important to remove the makeup without dehydrating the skin, which is why I used this amazing cleanser.
We then used the Give Good Face Rosewater Tonic and Skin Toner to refresh and moisturize the skin.
We finished off the skin prep by applying a thin layer of Set The Stage Makeup Primer all over the face, so that the foundation would apply smoothly, and survive the humidity, sweat, and bright lights.
COMPLEXION
I really wanted flawless skin for this look.
We are used to the traditional punk look being porcelain and pale skin, but I wanted to evolve the look so that it felt more “Miami-ish.”
We accomplished this by using a lightweight, water-based liquid foundation all over the skin to even the complexion, and used concealer only where needed.
We finished off the skin with a light dusting of translucent powder to lock the foundation into place.
CHEEKS
To help bring shape and warmth to the face, we heavily contoured the cheeks with Cheek Flash Loose Blush in “Launch.”
I almost wanted the cheeks to look sunburnt, like a character from ‘Mad-Max” of Thunderdome.
After contouring the cheeks, we used what was left on the brush and dusted it onto the temples, around the hairline, and around the jawline for structure.
EYES
This was the focus of the look.
I wanted the eyes to look narrow and sultry… very much like a cheetah’s eyes.
To get the eye pitch-black, I patted-on “Axe Handle” Crème Eyeshadow until the coverage was opaque, and the shape of the eye was exaggerated into a wing.
I then used my finger to lightly blend the edges of the shadow out so that it didn’t look too harsh. I set the cream with a matte black eyeshadow for longevity.
Next, we used the “Axe Handle” Crème Eyeshadow on the water-line of the eye to further darken it, and to give the eye its feline allure.
I finished-off the eye by dampening a fluffy brush and applying “Glow” Pure Pigment Loose Eyeshadow, wet, to the tear duct.
Using the loose pigment eyeshadow wet intensified the color and gave it an almost metallic quality. This was to give the eye a pop of light so that the look would not come across too dark and Goth.
LIPS
The mouth was very simple. I used the Lip Hit Long-Wear Lip Veneer in “Hooked” and dabbed it onto the lips with my finger.
Again, I wanted the look to be carefree, so I skipped lip liner or the use of a lip brush.
The Lip Hit Lip Veneers are completely opaque glosses, so covering the natural color of the model’s lips was a breeze.
BODY
This was the really exciting part!
Whip Hand debuted a brand new, yet-unreleased body illuminator for Fashion Week Swim called Runway Legs. This was a prototype that the Makeup Team was able to test drive under real runway conditions in Miami.
The verdict: This dry oil is amazing. It gives the body a healthy golden glow, while leaving behind a light, but refreshing coconut scent without an oily residue.
We rubbed this on the model’s legs, arms, stomach, and chest to give them a just-off-the-beach shine and to bring out definition. It’s not bronzer, but rather a sheer Illuminator, so it’s season-less and doesn’t stain. I can see this being a product that you could use all year round whenever you are showing some shoulders, legs or bare skin.
PRODUCTS USED
- Whip Hand Cosmetics CTRL+ALT+DELETE Makeup Remover
- Whip Hand Cosmetics SET THE STAGE Makeup Primer
- Whip Hand Cosmetics CHEEK FLASH Loose Blush in “LAUNCH”
- Whip Hand Cosmetics Creme Eyeshadow in “AXE HANDLE”
- Whip Hand Cosmetics Pure Pigment Loose Eyeshadow in “GLOW”
- Whip Hand Cosmetics LIP HIT Long-Wear Lip Veneers in “HOOKED”
- Whip Hand Cosmetics RUNWAY LEGS Body Illuminator (Release Date: Fall 2013)
THE HAIR:
HEAVY METAL MANES
NYC-based hairstylist Sonia Castleberry and her team created the wild, punked-out manes for Dolores Cortes’ 2014 Mercedes Benz Fashion Week Swim Runway Show by combining big, exaggerated hair with intricate side braiding and the incorporation of jewelry into the models’ tresses.
Lead Hairstylist Notes: How To
Create The Look
From Sonia Castleberry:
Dolores Cortes wanted to bring a mix of jungle love and Rock ‘n Roll to Miami at this year’s Mercedes-Benz Fashion Swim Week.
Since her designs featured bright tropical patterns and heavy metal accents we decided to construct an edgy, hard core punk look for the hair. We were definitely inspired by looks and trends of this year’s MET Gala.
My team and I used a selection of Oribe Haircare products and BaByliss Pro tools to achieve the braided, teased and embellished style. The edgy, punk look is trending this season.
Here’s how we created the look and how you can get the look at home!
1. After rough-drying the hair with the BaByliss Pro Hairdryer, create a side part from the center of the eyebrow straight down to the nape. Section off the side with the part.
2. Apply Oribe’s Rock Hard Gel to the sectioned portion and create a few small cornrow-style braids. (For the show, I wanted to show a variety of braid styles so each model had a different, unique and creative braid.)
3. Spray Oribe’s Dry Texturizing Spray throughout the rest of the hair, concentrating on the roots, to create ultimate texture and volume. Back-comb the hair at the root for even more lift. For Dolore’s runway show, my goal was to make sure the hair was exaggerated.
4. Finish with a generous amount of Oribe’s Superfine Strong Hair Spray for lasting hold.
5. If desired, embellish the look with jewelry, using the braids as an anchor to pin in chains. At Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Swim, I incorporated gold spike chains into the hair to give a complete punk finish to the look.
PRODUCTS USED
- BaBylissPro Nano Tools Hairdryer
- Oribe Rock Hard Gel
- Oribe Dry Texturizing Spray
- Oribe Superfine Strong Hair Spray
THE NAILS:
GILDED TO THE HILT
Manicurist Sashanie Gray added the final touches to Dolores’’ “Heavy Metal” look by giving it a lux twist by applying gold foil nails to the models’ fingers and toes.
Products Used:
Nail Polish: m2m damoreJon/Minx
THE ACCESSORIES:
THE FINAL LOOK: THE RUNWAY
BACKSTAGE WITH WHIP HAND COSMETICS
