S/S 2014 New York catwalk; beauty analysis

Make-up

1. Eyes

- Blue hues

Continuing on from one of last season’s hot make-up trends, blue shadow and liner re-appeared on the New York catwalk. Brands such as Anna Sui, Marc by Marc Jacobs and Zang Toi  showcased a soft airbrushed look with opaque colour, whereas models at Marc Jacobs and Ostwald Helgason wore a subtle line of blue.

- Chalky white

Eyes were drawn with kohl pencils and matte shadows applied all the way up the lid. The finish was dry and chalky.

- Rusted bronze

A continuing favourite every year a rusted bronze shade saw shadows applied all over the lid and under eye. This look was paired with minimal mascara and bold brows.

- Subtle tropical brights

Replacing spring-like pastels were subtle tropical brights in green and pink. Shades were chalky and matte and mainly applied subtly to the lid and outer corners. The look was matched with paired down un-blushed skin and a light gloss on the lips.

- Alien silver

This was all about a retro-futuristic eye look. Silver eyeshadow, glitter and gem stones were applied on the inner eye.

- Gram-grunge kohl

Seen last season, the grungy under-eye kohl was updated with a more glamorous look for spring/summer 2014. Eyes were bejewelled with black rhinestones at Libertine and black kohl was softly feathered out and paired with a hot pink lip at Cynthia Rowley.

2. Brows

- Spiked brows

Spiked brows were seen on natural make-up looks, set with wax or clear brow gel.

3. Lips

- Matte marigold

Marigold orange is a key lip colour for spring/summer. Colour on the runway was matte and bold and paired with soft eyes and a natural base.

- Red violet

Spring/summer 14 got gothic with key berry shades of red violet. Colour was imperfect and smudged, with colour bled around the sides. Brands favoured a balmy finish.

- Skin blended lips

The biggest lip trend was skin-tone lips. Natural and flawless bases were paired with this statement lip camouflage.

- Pretty blushed pink

Hues of pink were seen in purple tone lipsticks and sugary pink balms.

- Two-tone

Two-tone lips reappeared. Ostwald Helgason and Chadwick Bell paired matte red and orange. Models at Naeem Khan and Monique Lhuillier displayed multi-tonal lips with a darker shade in the centre and lighter edges.

4. Skin

- Iridescent highlight

Skin took on a glow in New York, with  iridescent highlight on the tops of cheeks, forehead and brow bone.

- Beached

A summer glow was accented with bronzer to create a warm healthy complexion. This look was paired with subtle eyes and lips.

- End of day glow

Skin was shiny, gritty and unprimed, finished with minimal make-up.

- Perfect velvet

Another favoured skin texture was flawless velvet-like. Skin had a semi-matte and smooth texture.

Hair

- Braided updos

Frida Kahlo-inspired and traditional Austrian braided updos featured on the runways. Hair had a rough texture with two plaits haloing the head. Also seen at Mara Hoffman was a Mexican print inspired hair wrap.

- Back plaits

A fun yet formal look on the runway, French and fishtail plaits remained popular. Braids fell down the nape of the neck at Tocca and Diesel Black Gold, while at Oscar de la Renta hair ends were tucked into a low chignon.

- Matted updo

Updos were backcombed and teased with a dry, matte texture. Partings were messy and disjointed.

- Parted fringe

An un-perfected style hair was messily swept across the head to create a sweeping fringe with gaps.

- Tucked behind the ear

A key trend on the runway, brands showcased a non-fuss style with loose hair tucked behind the ears. Hair was natural and often greased down to the head with a middle or off-centre parting.

-  Greased

Wet look hair texture was seen again on the spring/summer 14 runway. Hair appeared un-washed, and loaded with product to create a greasy texture. 

- Soft and sleek

A sleek style with hair straightened for a healthy-looking finish. Hair was brushed out and treated with a conditioning product for smooth lengths.

- Natural air dryer

One of the biggest trends on the New York runway was this air dried texture look. Hair was left to its own devices with minimal products and heat styling. The finish was matte with kinks, curls and flyways for a natural finish.

- Retro crimps

Retro 70s and 80s crimps were seen at a few shows. Models at Anna Sui displayed Woodstock inspired kinks with a glossy and rounded texture, while models at Reem Acra and Betsey Johnson showed afro-like crimps with a dry finish.

- Pretty accessories

Delicate floral accessories were used at  Honor, Zac Posen and Jenny Packham chose. Marchesa, Anna Sui and Y-3 used feathers as decoration. Marchesa match their ethereal gothic make-up with black feathers framing the face.

- Hairbands

Hairbands made a comeback with Vera Wang and Victoria Beckham choosing ballerina style soft jersey bands paired with low slung ponytails. Nicholas K, Helmut Lang and Joanna Mastroianni opted for an Asian influence with bands of fabric wrapped around the hair.

Nails

- Glass nails

Glass nails featured translucent layers of grey and white polish. Finishes varied with frosted popular at Tadashi Shoji, Thakoon, Tess Giberson and high shine looks at Honor and Zac Posen.

- Floating nail art

Extravagant nail art took a backseat this season, with designers opting for a more simplistic approach to decoration. Half-moons, French tips and lines were popular in metallic painted on a natural nail.

- White nails

Complementing the apparel colour palette of spring/summer 14 in New York white polish was the colour of the season seen mostly on short nails.

- Dark nails

Spring/summer also took a dark turn in polishes with darkest blacks and navy’s being most popular. Glitters and rhinestones were applied to create a glamorous look.