With Mercedez Benz Fashion Week Australia resort 2020 upon us, we look to local designers for the new wave of runway beauty inspiration. Brimming with cool-girl appeal โ think Phoebe Tonkin and Bambi Northwood-Blyth โ the Sydney shows can always be counted on to deliver a slew of edgy trends. From super dewy skin at P.E Nation to glossy cheeks at Aje and an updated take on sleek hair at Michael LโSordo.
To bridge the gap between runway and reality, we caught up with the make-up artist and hair stylists behind the looks. Herewith, useful insider beauty knowledge โ from eye makeup thatโs still cool to โbeach hairโ tips that actually work.
Ace your base
Neutrogena collaborated with P.E. Nation as the official skincare partner for the unveiling of the new collection at fashion week. Ahead of the show, make-up artist Ashlea Penfold ensured the modelsโ had all their bases covered with a rejuvenating cleanse.
โPrepping the skin is the most important part of makeup for me. If you donโt have a good base, the make-up can look flat and dull,โ explains Ashlee. To get a model-worthy glow at home, Ashlee reveals the thirty-second complexion hack she uses to create a natural glow. โAlways cleanse using circular motions to really stimulate and wake up the skin.
โFor the beautiful models at the P.E Nation show, I use light pressure to circulate blood flow to give the skin a post-workout glow prior to foundation.โ
Make it pop
Who doesnโt love a multi-tasking beauty product? This behind-the-scenes trick might sound unconventional at first but trust us โ the final result packs a punch.
MAC Cosmetics Make-Up Artist Carol Mackie used the same creamy lip hue to add luminosity to modelsโ lips and eyelids. Taking MAC Cosmetics Strip Down Lipstick in Smoked Almond, Carol applied the burnt orange shade revealing that blurred edges and an overall โless perfectโ effect is the goal.
โWeโre using it as a stain and weโre washing it around the eye, allowing it to have movement โ itโs all about movement and freedom,โ Carol told BeautyCrew backstage.

Bright hues are having a moment. Case in point? At Bec & Bridge, where models wore bold eye looks in all colours of the rainbow.

For those who arenโt brave enough for colour, eyes were popping backstage at Alice McCall with heavy-handed eyeliner applications.

Turn up the shine
The Aje collection was inspired by the โland and the seaโ to compliment the overall aesthetic the modelโs make-up was effortless and fresh. Lancome make-up artist Lara Srokowski created a custom base by mixing foundation with Advanced Gรฉnifique serum.
โItโs all about skin so weโre using Advanced Gรฉnifique serum underneath to hydrate the skin and then creating that glow with no so much a shimmer highlight but a wet highlight,โ Lara told us backstage.
โWeโve mixed a lipgloss with the Lancome Custom Glow Drops drops and applied that to the cheeks and the lips.โ
The new beachy hair
Weโre calling it: beachy waves are out and sleek hair is in. As seen at Michael LโSordo, Tigerlilly, and Aje. Backstage at Michael LโSordo ghd Creative Director Richard Kavanagh said he was inspired โto create a look that showcased the effortless glamour of Michael LโSordo collection.
โWe wanted to make it feel like the girls are in Saint Tropez โ gone for a swim at night โ combed their hair, put on a beautiful gown and off they go.โ To recreate this โsuper simple, yet luxurious and elegant lookโ Richard used the ghd Air Hairdryer and Soft Bristle brush to directionally blowdry the hair back and away from the face. The trick to looking chic rather than sweaty? Keep the ends polished and hydrated.

This article originally appeared on InStyle.