NYFW Beauty: The Good, The Bad, The Wackadoodle Crazy

The one thing you can always count on at New York Fashion Week: Spectacle. No matter what you're expecting, there's always some designer to take a big risk with crazy accessories or totally unique hair and makeup. Sometimes it's an awesome addition to a show, sometimes it's distracting and maybe not the best choice. But it's always interesting.

So I thought I'd do a little recap of some of the trends I saw, from the ones that I'm excited to try out, to the ones that aren't for me, to the ones that some of you braver readers might be interested in. :-)

Good: Luminous Makeup

Candela is always one of my favorite shows (it's hard to believe they were a new discovery to me just a few seasons ago) and this year, they knocked it out of the park with their models' gorgeous hair and makeup. EVerything was flawless, from the rosy cheeky to the dewy skin: to me, this makeup is perfect.

Good: Minimal Makeup

The clothes were so fierce at Matthieu Mirano that I almost didn't notice at first that the models were hardly wearing any makeup! I love the juxtaposition of tough-girl clothes (black leather bralets, wow) with a completely natural face, so this one was a home run for me. Things to remember when you're recreating this natural look: you can still use foundation to add contour and definition to your features, just keep it light and natural. And always start out with a clean and moisturized face (I recommend Simple Skincare's Hydrating Light Moisturizer with SPF) so your skin can take center stage!

Good: Bold Blush

Pale skin with bold blush is Just. So. Pretty. I snapped this quick pic of one of the models backstage at Peter Som and just totally fell in love. It's a good reminder to venture beyond my normal pale-pink/golden-bronze cheek colors, because a swipe of bold blush is such a beautiful, fashion-foward look!

Not So Good: Dark Under-Eye Liner

I loved the clothes and the presentation generally, but to me, this makeup was a miss. Putting such heavy black liner under the eyes did nothing for the models' pretty features, and the room was so hot that you could see them sweating. (If only they had Simple Skincare Radiance Wipes!)

Good: Messy Updos

Usually I'm not the biggest fan of updos generally, but this season, there were some gorgeous messy updo looks. I loved the hand-twisted knot at Peter Som and this crimped bun at Tracy Reese. The techniques were totally different -- at Peter Som, the texture was created using Wella's Ocean Spritz and then blow-drying upwards from the roots, and at Tracy Reese, the stylists created texture by crimping the models' hair before styling the bun. Both are cool techniques that I can't wait to try out!

Wackadoodle: Two-Tone Bobs

First, I have to set your mind at ease: these are wigs. I wasn't sure at first, but every single model came out with the exact same style, so at that point I felt reasonably confident that they hadn't chopped and dyed the hair of a dozen or so runway models. But what do you guys think of the two-tone bob? I thought it was pretty cool and worked with the clothes, but it isn't exactly a look I'm going to replicate anytime soon.

Wackadoodle: Body Tattoos

Only at Fashion Week, huh? Truth be told, I kind of loved this full arm tattoo when I spotted it backstage at Tracy Reese. I'm a big fan of temporary tattoos, and sometimes wear them on the weekends -- so I'm kind of digging that the fashion world is embracing them! What do you guys think -- would you ever try this out?