Backstage with Bangstyle and MAC NYFW

This past weekend I had the pleasure of going backstage for Nolan Bellavance's NYFW show to check out the hair and makeup looks that were created for his Fall 2013 collection. 

The make up was done by MAC cosmetics. It was very modern with clean skin that held strong against a "dangerous red". 

No eyeshadow, no eyeliner, mascara, bronzer/contour, or blush. The skin was kept fresh and minimalistic with no foundation, just light concealer purposefully placed around the face, and a bit of translucent powder. The brows were also kept very natural looking by combing them up and adding a touch of brow set in beguile. 

The lips were the main focus of the look. Using a mix of just a bite lipstick and burgundy lip mix and defined by beet lip pencil, the makeup artists created a dimensional ombre deep red lip that stood out against the pale skin. 

To finish off the look and for my favorite part of the whole process, they used shine mixing medium on the cheekbones, eyelids and just above the lips to impart a beautiful glossy sheen to the skin. This completely transformed the face, and made the skin look gorgeous and youthful. 

The hair was done by stylist Wesley O'Meara and his team with Bangstyle hair care products. Bangstyle is an indie hair care line inspired by the urban arts movement. Their website really reflects their artistic style with funky, retro mini-ads for their products and a place where people can share and browse inspiration for different hairstyles. 

First, Wesley sprayed some of the light sea salt mist into the models' dry hair to give it some natural texture. 

To give a sporty, model-off-duty look, Wesley applied a liberal amount of the smoothing lotion mixed with some thickening fibre gel at the front of the hair and combed it back. This mixture helped balance out the textures of the two products creating a slicked back look that didn't get crunchy or hard, but maintained its hold. 

And because we are not all runway models, for a more laid back look, Wesley showed me that if you just brushed the hair back slightly over the slicked back portions, it actually made for a chic, casual hairstyle. Think hair in a headband - without the headband (it looks better than it sounds). 

I'm so glad I had the experience to see the stylists and makeup artists in full action at NYFW. I had a really great time. And because the looks weren't so avant-garde, maybe you'll try out some of these runway looks yourself! 

~Vida