Paris Couture Week Spring 2018: The Beauty Look [PHOTOS]

Makeup at Elie Saab

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“The look of the show is young and glamorous at the same time,” said makeup artist Tom Pecheux, working with MAC Cosmetics. “The collection is based on Les Années Folles, basically 100 years ago in Paris — Josephine Baker, Charles Stone. So for the makeup we decided to keep the girls very fresh because there are a lot of things going on in the clothes with embroidery, color, feathers. But we play also with glamour.” To wit: Models’ skin was given a satin finish and their lips a beige hue, while eyebrows were subtly groomed. “There is a lot of mascara on the top and bottom [lashes], and gold liquid eyeliner that we placed on the sockets,” continued Pecheux, adding he applied a gold shimmer and silver glitter on eyelids, as well. “There is a little bit of contour and highlight just to give a structure to the face.” — Jennifer Weil
Hair at Elie Saab

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“It’s really young and fresh,” said Orlando Pita, describing the hairstyle he crafted for Elie Saab’s spring 2018 couture show. He parted models’ tresses in the middle, blew them out and then used a large-barrel curling iron “just to create some movement” in the back. Since the fashion collection was highly ornate, Pita opted for a toned-down coif. The idea was to “keep it really simple…because the dresses speak for themselves,” he said. Pita used products from his styling line, including Orlando Pita Play Body Breakthrough Volume Boosting Hairspray and the newly released Argan Oil Firm Hold Hairspray. — Jennifer Weil
Makeup at Givenchy

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“It’s about a strong, boyish girl in general,” said Guido Palau, working with Redken, referring to the beauty look at Givenchy’s couture show. “So there’s a lot of girls with haircuts, short hair. Some are going to have a beautiful chignon. Fashion is about individualism, and I really wanted [this] to feel boyish but [while] still just making the girl the most beautiful she could be.” Not much product was used on tresses here — only a bit of Redken Wind Blown 05 dry hairspray. — Jennifer Weil
Hair at Givenchy

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“It’s about a strong, boyish girl in general,” said Guido Palau, working with Redken, referring to the beauty look at Givenchy’s couture show. “So there’s a lot of girls with haircuts, short hair. Some are going to have a beautiful chignon. Fashion is about individualism, and I really wanted [this] to feel boyish but [while] still just making the girl the most beautiful she could be.” Not much product was used on tresses here — only a bit of Redken Wind Blown 05 dry hairspray. — Jennifer Weil
Makeup at Jean Paul Gaultier

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Since the Jean Paul Gaultier show was paying homage to Pierre Cardin, Stéphane Marais went with a highly graphic makeup look for models walking the runway. For many of them, he drew almond shapes around peepers with liner, while others’ lips were painted a shiny black or red. “It’s very pure in a way, but very graphic in another way,” he said of the look overall. — Jennifer Weil
Hair at Jean Paul Gaultier

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Odile Gilbert created two coifs — a bob and a chignon — for Jean Paul Gaultier’s spring 2018 couture show, which paid homage to Pierre Cardin. But they weren’t any old bob and chignon. The former came in bright colors, such as pink and light blue, with a knob of hair at the top. Meanwhile, the chignons, which twirled in spirals of tresses towering high above heads, resembled twisted orange peels and were similarly hued. “It’s in the spirit of the collection,” she said. — Jennifer Weil
Makeup at Viktor & Rolf

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For Viktor & Rolf, Peter Philips sent a wide variety of beauty looks down the runway. The makeup artist left a handful of models natural-looking, put masks on about a dozen and then fashioned intricate colorblocking around the eyes of the rest — in a nod to the couture collection’s satin fabric. “There’s a whole range of girls who have squares in glitter,” he explained, adding these came in tones like gold, salmon or copper, chosen to be somewhat coordinated with skin tones. Two models, who were wearing woven, patterned clothing, had the same motif made with makeup applied around their eyes. “The skin in natural,” Philips said. — Jennifer Weil
Hair at Viktor & Rolf

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“The inspiration actually was quite fresh and young girls,” said hairstylist Damien Boissinot backstage at Viktor & Rolf. Here, models with long hair were given a low, slightly messy braid, and wispy strands were left to waft. “It’s more like an idea of movement, like wind blowing,” he explained. Then, for a feminine, touch flowers were added to the braids and headpieces with large flowers topped off the look of some. — Jennifer Weil
Makeup at Zuhair Murad

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Christelle Cocquet took a cue from Zuhair Murad’s spring couture collection, which had Native American influences with its embroideries and colors, such as red, black and gold. “He didn’t want us to do a classic makeup,” she explained. So instead, Cocquet created a look with a touch of gold starting from the outer top lids of models’ eyes to their temples. For this, she used a metallic powder mixed with makeup remover. “It’s like eye jewelry we’ve put on in gold,” Coquet said. — Jennifer Weil
Hair at Zuhair Murad

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Laurent Philippon said the hairstyle for Zuhair Murad’s fashion show had a Santa Fe, New Mexico, and Native American take. He fashioned for models a low, deconstructed ponytail. “There’s a very loose, messy braid on one side only,” he said. “We have the wispy bits that are going to fly.” Among the key products used for the look was Bumble and bumble Thickening Dryspun Finish spray. — Jennifer Weil
Hair at Alexis Mabille

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Damien Boissinot wove models’ hair into two braids starting at the top of their heads for the Alexis Mabille couture show. “He wanted big braids inversed,” said the hairstylist, who explained the plaits were made using extensions. “And then we’re going to mess [them] up a little bit.” Boissinot described the look as a bit “tribal” feeling, but at the same time “still chic and very couture.” The braids’ ends were decorated with costume jewelry clips created by Mabille. “He wanted to put [them] in the hair because it’s quite raw, quite tough in a way,” continued Boissinot, who was working with René Furterer products. — Jennifer Weil
Makeup at Alexis Mabille

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Lloyd Simmonds said Alexis Mabille wanted models to appear like a combination of “19th-century princess and sort of gangsta” for his couture show. The gangster element was introduced through bejeweled nail art. “The makeup is not really so gangster,” Simmonds said, calling it instead “super refined.” “It’s just mostly about [a] gorgeous, really sophisticated, princess-y sort of done [look], with matte skin.” Working with MAC Cosmetics, he used on most models’ lips Retro Matte Liquid Lipcolour in Feels So Grand. He also added a pinkish blusher (made by mixing two products) high up on their cheeks, brushed a tad on their eyelids and into hairlines. There’s “a nice, beautiful big brow – and that’s it,” he said. — Jennifer Weil
Makeup at Giambattista Valli

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“The inspiration started with the idea of a modern, young, carefree Jane Birkin,” said Val Garland backstage before Gaimbattista Valli’s couture show, describing its beauty look. “In terms of makeup, [the designer] just wants impeccable skin – the best versions of models’ own selves.” The makeup artist added a bit of sheen to their faces and brushed up eyebrows. Valli, she said, “wants [it] to feel like real women wear couture.” – Jennifer Weil
Hair at Giambattista Valli

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“It’s very fresh, very natural hair tucked behind the ears,” Anthony Turner said, describing the look at Giambattista Valli. He said the designer had envisaged a “pure, innocent young woman that’s fallen to earth from some heavenly place.” When it came to coifs the idea was to create “the most aspirational hair. It’s very organic, very clean, very natural.” Turner used no products – just water. ÒWe want the hair to feel super light,” he explained. “We’re playing with each girl’s individual texture.” If a model had stick-straight hair, it was given a natural bend with a curling iron. Thin hair was thickened with extensions. “It’s about thick, gorgeous hair,” Turner said. “We are also really enjoying the little baby hairs through the front. So it feels very light, very angelic.” He used combs from Cruxe. – Jennifer Weil
Makeup at Giorgio Armani Privé

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Linda Cantello, Giorgio Armani Beauty’s international makeup artist, said the beauty look at the brand’s couture show was meant to be very “soft” and “opaline.” “So the makeup is just like a nuage of pastels, very blended with a lot of white,” she explained. Some faux eyelashes were added to the outer areas of models’ peepers for heightened definition, while their lips were left a natural color with an added touch of raspberry pink. Among the key products used here were Armani’s Eye Tint in numbers 32, 33 and 35, Face Fabric number 0, Eccentrico mascara number 1 and Lip Maestro number 505. – Jennifer Weil
Hair at Giorgio Armani Privé

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“The hair started off inspired a little bit by Audrey Hepburn in ‘Breakfast at Tiffany’s,'” explained Orlando Pita backstage at the Giorgio Armani Privé couture show, referring to the models’ chignons there. “But then we made it a little smaller and a little more undone.” He used hair spray from his own line, Orlando Pita Play, to top off the look. – Jennifer Weil
Makeup at Dior

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At Dior, the house’s creative and image director for makeup Peter Philips explained that lashes were drawn on models’ eyelids with a loose hand. This look was “inspired by surreal movies like ‘The Red Shoes,'” he said. “And there are some great pictures of Romy Schneider, who did amazing elongated eyeliner.” The eye makeup – created with key products including the new Diorshow On Stage Liner in black and Khôl in beige – was designed to be combined with masks by Stephen Jones. On faces Philips also used products such as Diorskin Forever & Ever Wear Primer and Undercover Foundation, and Dior Addict Lip Maximizer and Lip Glow. “There are body tattoos, which are Surrealist quotes that Maria Grazia picked,” continued Philips, referring to the house’s creative director. “It’s a new way of [using] slogans without putting them on clothes.” – Jennifer Weil
Hair at Dior

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For Dior’s couture show, Guido Palau fashioned a “boyish ponytail.” Working with Redken products, he applied Satinwear 04 on tresses before blowing them dry and creating a side part. Then Redken Foreceful 23 hairspray was spritzed on. “It’s a little bit boyish,” he said of the look, which also included wispy bits left around models’ ears. “[Everyone] feels very groomed – in a very simple way.” – Jennifer Weil

Makeup at Elie Saab

Hair at Elie Saab

Makeup at Givenchy

Hair at Givenchy

Makeup at Jean Paul Gaultier

Hair at Jean Paul Gaultier

Makeup at Viktor & Rolf

Hair at Viktor & Rolf

Makeup at Zuhair Murad

Hair at Zuhair Murad

Hair at Alexis Mabille

Makeup at Alexis Mabille

Makeup at Giambattista Valli

Hair at Giambattista Valli

Makeup at Giorgio Armani Privé

Hair at Giorgio Armani Privé

Makeup at Dior

Hair at Dior

Makeup at Giorgio Armani Privé

Hair at Giorgio Armani Privé