Fresh off the catwalk: from Victoria Beckham to Rihanna, it was all about the skin at New York Fashion Week

The world of backstage beauty can be a daunting place.

Obviously it doesn’t help that the looks are created on some of the most beautiful people on the planet. But even aside from that, catwalks are often the preserve of unattainable standards of beauty - super-straight hair that hasn’t seen a breath of wind or drop of rain; glitter-coated lips which wouldn’t cope well with a bowl of Pret soup; bleached brows, which may look ace on a 5 ft 9in glamazonian with cheekbones that could cut cheese but which might be a bit extreme for Barbara from accounts.

But at New York Fashion Week last week, a dose of reality inspired the best beauty on show.

During recent seasons, no make-up - the idea that you can look infuriatingly perfect without a scrap of slap on - has taken the fashion world by storm. Which is all well and good when you’re a 16-year-old catwalk model with the skin of an angel but for mere mortals who feel naked leaving the house without mascara on, the hyper-natural look can be as scary a proposition IRL as rocking jewel-encrusted eyelashes.

This month, Victoria Beckham had the solution for those who want a make-up look that fits in with their life. “This season’s show beauty look is all about keeping it groomed and easy,” says Beckham.

“Just like the clothes, it celebrates the complexities of femininity and what it means to be a woman - it’s soft, yet also strong. Simple yet full of confidence. There’s a refreshing honesty about it.”

For this, Beckham’s backstage was awash with glossy eyelids, a natural smudge of colour on lips and a wiggle of mascara for a youthful flutter. But it was the “spa-fresh skin” which was as covetable as the glittering “Harper” shoes on the catwalk.

Using the signature core of her own make-up collection, created in collaboration with Estée Lauder, Beckham’s perfect complexions were created using her Morning Aura Illuminating Crème - a part-moisturiser, part-brightening primer, otherwise known as a great night’s sleep in a bottle - together with a dab of Double Wear Light Makeup and a swipe of her Aura Gloss on cheekbones to give that lit-from-within glow.

It was proof that you don’t need to bother with eyeliner or lipstick when your complexion is the star of the show.

Skin was also in the spotlight for Amy Smilovic, whose 20th-anniversary show for Tibi was inspired by New York City street style.

To this end, wearable was the buzzword - both in the clothes and the make-up - with sportswear-meets-suiting paired with healthy skin by Bobbi Brown and effortless messy-polished street hair by Aveda, while Raf Simons’s American dream for Calvin Klein was topped off with a girl-next- door complexion courtesy of Pat MaGrath.

Even Rihanna - a girl who’s never been associated with the term “low-key” - made the base the ace of her debut Fenty Beauty line.

Seeking to ensure hers is one of the most inclusive cosmetic ranges on the market, RiRi launched her Pro Filt’r Soft Matte Longwear Foundation in 40 skin-matched shades. “Fenty Beauty was created for everyone: for women of all shades, personalities, attitudes, cultures and races,” Rihanna wrote on her make-up line’s website.

Accordingly, her fashion show in New York on Sunday night featured a string of models of the moment, including Slick Woods and Adwoa Aboah, while the make-up on show offered proof that skin doesn’t have to be a blank canvas.

“Make-up is there for you to have fun with,” Rihanna added. “It should never feel like pressure. It should never feel like a uniform. Feel free to take changes and take risks, and dare to do something new or different.”

Created by the Fenty Beauty artistry team, led by James Kaliardos, the focus fell on layering different shades of her Killawatt highlighters and Shimmer Skinsticks (left) to create a multi-dimensional finish which was unique to each girl and her skin tone.

Warmer tones, such as her Ginger Binge/Moscow Mule duo, were applied first, followed by a dusting of lighter hues (Lightning Dust/Fire Crystal and Trophy Wife) to the cheekbones and above the brows to create a sunset glow which adapts in different lights. Or, in RiRi’s words, shines bright like a diamond.