Christian Siriano, who is known for his extravagant yet sophisticated dresses, was inspired by black orchids for his fall 2011 collection. While the hair and makeup at his shows are usually equally as intricate, he went for a much simpler look this season. Antoinette Beenders for Aveda was drawn to the smooth and flat petals of Siriano's orchids and aimed to emulate them with the hair. After prepping hair with Aveda Damage Remedy Daily Hair Repair and blowdrying it straight, Beenders created a center part and loosely braided the two sides. She sprayed the braids with Air Control Hair Spray, then pressed each one with a flat iron, starting at the top and applying gentle pressure all the way down. Beenders lightly separated the braids and then carefully brushed them out to create a soft, flat wave. She finished the look with a misting of Control Force Firm Hold Hair Spray. "The style is very organic and natural to complement the glamorous evening gowns," Beenders said.
Polly Osmond led the M.A.C team in creating "really really simple" makeup. She kept the skin very clean, only adding foundation or concealer if needed to cover blemishes. She filled in the brows and brushed them up for a Brooke Shields look, then added a little gloss to the eyelids and and cheekbones for a highlighting effect. She coated the top and bottom lashes with a layer of mascara and dabbed a bit of Til Tomorrow, a mauve-pink lipstick, on the lips to lightly stain them. "The look is both beautiful and wearable," Osmond said. "The simple hair and makeup really let the clothes take center stage."