The best New York Fashion Week backstage beauty tips

As fashion month moves on to Milan and Paris, we’re taking a look back at New York Fashion Week’s biggest beauty secrets.

While the beauty looks that make their way down the runway can sometimes seem more aspirational than achievable, the professional hairstylists, makeup artists and nail artists backstage are always full of insider tips.

Whether you’re struggling to perfect your winged liner or you’re looking for your next DIY mani inspo, these are the best bits of beauty advice we heard backstage during the Fall/Winter 2020 NYFW shows.

Good makeup starts with good skin care

Yes, you’ve heard this one before, but it holds even truer when you’re juggling a busy schedule (think long work hours or international flights, like the models backstage). To counteract fatigued skin backstage at Rebecca Minkoff, celebrity facialist Joanna Vargas “used a blend of lymphatic drainage techniques and high-performing ingredients."

Focusing on hydrating the skin, Vargas applied her Bright Eye Hydrating Mask on the models to also help tone and firm the skin. To brighten skin and tone pores, she then applied her Daily Serum, followed by the Rejuvenating Serum to create a smooth canvas for makeup. Then, it was the Revitalizing Eye Cream that depuffed and brightened around the eyes for an instantly refreshed complexion.

Perfecting a crisp cat eye

At Monse, there was a punk-inspired edge to the clothes that had an “undone” quality, according to Mary Kay global beauty ambassador, Luis Casco. But the makeup looks (there were four in total) were sharp in contrast - particularly when it came to the jet black cat eye option.

Whether you prefer the straighter, “Cleopatra-punk” cat eye Casco created or a more dramatic wing, sharp liner with zero smudging is always the goal. “We started tracing with a black pencil liner to create the shape, and then I used the liquid liner over it to set the line and give that sharpness,” Casco said. If you’ve made any errors with your starting pencil line, Casco recommended keeping a Q-Tip on hand to clean it up before perfecting with the liquid liner.

A red lip is always a good idea

Makeup trends will come and go, but a red lip is forever. At least according to makeup artist Pat McGrath, which is honestly all the validation we need. “Red lipstick is timeless,” she said at Marc Jacobs, where she alternated between three red shades of Marc Jacobs Beauty Le Marc Lip Crème Lipstick - Oh Miley, Goddess and Miss Scarlet.

But McGrath and Marc Jacobs weren’t the only makeup artist/designer duo to go for red. We also saw various takes on the classic color from true red to a more orange-based hue at shows like Libertine, Jason Wu, Carolina Herrera and Oscar de la Renta.

For longer staying power, line and fill lips with a pencil first. And for more precision, instead of applying your lipstick straight from the bullet, use a lip brush to layer the color on.

Line the eyes first, then conceal

For Libertine, models were given a very dramatic, very Twiggy-inspired look that included thick liner along the top and lower lashlines. Working with Maybelline, makeup artist Grace Lee advised applying your eyeliner before your concealer.

“If you make mistakes, get a pointed Q-Tip and dip it in makeup remover to clean up the edges,” she said, confirming Casco’s method of using a pencil or gel liner to perfect a winged look before applying a liquid liner (Lee used Maybelline TattooStudio Eyeliner Pencil in Deep Onyx, followed by Hyper Easy Liquid Eyeliner in Pitch Black).

“Don’t put foundation or concealer on first,” Lee added. “Put the eyeliner on first, so that if you do need to clean it up, you don’t have to clean up and reapply concealer after.”

Your sleekest ponytail yet

To get a super-sleek ponytail that’s free from any flyaways, hairstylist Justine Marjan used Tresemmé Extra Hold Gel. “Use a toothbrush or a small detailing brush at the hairline to slick the hair back,” Marjan said of working the gel through the hair. For extra hold, Marjan sprayed the Micro Mist Hairspray Hold Level 4, topped with the Smooth Dry Oil Spray for a silky, frizz-free finish.

The secret to perfect undone waves

Undone texture was the goal at Tadashi Shoji, whether hair was naturally curly or straight, thick or thin. To get the effortlessly cool look, Oribe stylist Kevin Ryan started with the ultimate multi-tasking product: Oribe Maximista Thickening Spray. Not only does it smell like a dream, but it works like magic to plump up hair and add hold while protecting it from heat styling (and also the sun).

For the waves, Ryan used the R Session Tidal Waver, "which creates bends and movement in the hair while still looking natural," thanks its dual barrels. If your hair requires more volume or staying power, layer in some of Ryan's other favorites like the Dry Texturizing Spray (all over hair) and the Flash Form Finishing Spray Wax (from the mid-shaft to ends).

Nail art that’s nearly impossible to mess up

At Christian Siriano’s Harley Quinn-inspired show, nail artist Julie Kandalec worked with Essie to create a manicure that was “edgy and elegant” - and also easy to DIY. Using two coats of Essie’s jet black Licorice Nail Polish, Kandalec added a touch of glitter with Set In Stones dotted in a crescent shape across the nails.

“You don’t need any special tools,” Kandalec said backstage, explaining, “Take the regular brush out of the bottle and blot some of the clear base on a paper towel so that you’re left with more silver.”

Once you’ve dotted it across the nails (you can go back and build up the gemstone effect if you need), allow the polish to dry. Then, lock it in place with a top coat.