High Hair on Natural Beauties Backstage at Carolina Herrera - NYFW Fall 2012

(Photos: Mat Szwajkos for Beauty Blitz)

It was a pretty surreal scene backstage at Carolina Herrera, where a dozen or so sleepy models sat in a ring while Orlando Pita’s team of hairstylists teased the girls’ hair to gravity-defying heights. “Dramatic,” was how Orlando described the look he created using Moroccanoil products, blow drying the hair with the brand’s Hydrating Styling Cream before teasing and teasing (and teasing some more), all the while spraying with Luminous Hairspray. Once the hair was a foot or so high, he brushed it down and added a custom-made leather headband stapled together by the team (“At the fitting I sewed them but there’s no time to do 36 of them,” Orlando explained) and on some girls, a bow at the ends.

In the makeup tent, Diane Kendal for MAC was busy “enhancing the girls’ natural beauty.” This translated to a light application of Face and Body Foundation and powder for a matte complexion, Powder Blush in Tenderling on cheeks, Lip Pencil in Spice on the lips and a thin black line on the top lids with taupe shadow in the crease of the eye and along the lower lashes. The key to the natural look, according to Diane? “It’s always important to sculpt, to use the shading and highlight - that’s an important feature for this makeup.” She used highlighter on the cheekbones, bridge of the nose and chin to accentuate the features.

On nails, Ana Maria for Essie used Not Just a Pretty Face - a pale pink with a lavender hue - to create “sophisticated” manicures.