Hair for Narciso Rodriguez’s fall 2011 collection was causing a stir backstage with a much tougher, more rugged look than what we usually see from the designer. According to Eugene Souleiman, global creative director for Wella Professionals, the look was inspired by women who are “not pretty in an obvious way, and admired for her character and tough nature.” To achieve it, Souleiman added that “you need to do it with an attitude, or the attitude won’t be there.” He started off by spraying Ocean Spritz at the roots on dry hair to add dullness and texture before blow drying for volume. Next, he grabbed the hair and made a tight ponytail one inch below the crown and secured it with an elastic. Taking the tail, he tied it into a knot and secured it with pins. To finish, he rubbed Texture Touch on the hair around the face to form a square shape with a dirty, matte look. A spritz of Shimmer Delight at the hairline completed the look with glossiness that was made to resemble the light sweating of a hard-working woman.
For the makeup, Dick Page for Shiseido created a “leftover makeup” look with muted colors on everything except the eyes. “This look doesn’t undo each girl’s beauty because it’s not a graphic look,” Page explained. For the eyes he smudged Purple Dawn shimmering Cream Eye Color on the upper and lower lash line and layered Caviar on top for depth. To keep the look believable, he didn’t use mascara or blush and just finished with a light coat of Shimmering Rouge in Alabaster on the lips contoured with concealer to diffuse the color.
Deborah Lippmann customized a creamy, grey nail color with no shimmers (so new the name is TBD) to match the strong yet minimal clothing line. “It’s not as dark as charcoal, but it’s strong and has an edge,” Lippmann said. —Clarissa Nebuya