Among the good, the bad and the not-in-a-million-years, there’s some absolutely excellent inspiration to be taken and replicated. To mark the launch of our AW19 print magazine, starring Victoria Beckham, going on sale, We tested out the beauty looks that we would actually wear to work if we wanted to look infinitely chic (or at the very least, push our comfort zone).
And we’ve scored them 1 (definitely wouldn’t) to 5 (definitely would) on whether they’d really make the cut.
We love fashion week – the celeb-watching on the front row, the cray cray dresses and, most importantly, the backstage beauty.
But, while sequin lips (like the ones at Ashish) and Troll Doll hair (like the look at Angel Chen) look MAJOR on the catwalk, they’re perhaps a little impractical for the office. That said, fashion month is a veritable smorgasbord of inspiration, and the main time of the year where the cream of the crop in the beauty industry gather to show off their skills.
LOOK 1: Tin foil eyes
Trialed by:
Kiran, online features and beauty assistant.
Inspiration:
Bora Aksu AW19, London. Created by Janeen Witherspoon.
How to create at home:
Using GOSH’s Metal Eyes Eyeliner in Silver Stone(£6. 99), I started from the inner corner of my eye and drew a fine streak of silver across my top lash line ending at the outer corner. I drew a fine line through my bottom lashes, just under the waterline. Going back to the upper lids, I then added the double liner (a second line, following the shape of my crease), a small distance apart from my top lash line.
The verdict:
Surprisingly, this shade works really well on my skin tone. I received a lot of compliments. I think this silver liner would work wonders for a night out look. Day to day though, I would wear a more toned down version – less double liner, more a single flick. That way it would wear really nicely as a day look. Depending on how heavy you go, it could work for both a day and night look, although I’m personally more inclined to wear it at night.
Rating: 3. 5/5
LOOK 2: Pretty ponytail
Trialed by:
Elle, deputy beauty editor.
Inspiration:
Oscar De La Renta AW19, New York. Created by Odile Gilbert.
How to create at home:
This one was so easy. I just pulled my hair into a low ponytail (neatening it up with a brush) and fastened with a thin hair band. Then, I tied a black ribbon I had leftover from a gift into my hair. It may not be exactly the same as the red velvet version used in the show, but it still made my hair look 10 times more expensive and schmancy with very little effort indeed. My kind of look.
The verdict:
Loved it. Would happily wear to work.
Rating: 5/5
LOOK 3: Amped-up blusher
Trialed by:
Kiran.
Inspiration:
Aigner AW19, Milan.
How to create at home:
Using a blusher brush, I applied Bare Minerals Bounce Blur Blush in Coral Cloud (£23), in upwards motions across my temples, cheeks and across my eyelids.
The verdict:
This is very wearable. The blush is slightly stronger than I’d usually go for, but if you were to apply less blush, this would be a great natural no-makeup-makeup-look and I like that it’s multipurpose, since it also works as an eyeshadow really well.
Rating: 5/5
LOOK 4: Glitter lids
Trialed by:
Elle.
Inspiration:
Dries Van Noten AW19, Paris. Created by Peter Philips.
How to create at home:
This is not so easy. In fact, it’s very messy. I started off by running the Lottie Glitter Fix Balm (£4. 95), across my eyelids up to the brow bone and under my lower lashes. Next, I applied a mixture of MUA’s Ultra Sparkle glitter in Explosive (£5) and Barry M’s Pick ‘N’ Glitz in Goals (£4. 99), using a brush and eventually by pressing it into the balm with my fingers.
The verdict:
I’d say that four times as much glitter ended up on the table and in my lap as on my eyelids. And, truth be told, it’s not all that comfortable (especially the specks that ended up in the crease of my eyelids). On the model it looked minimal and chic, but on me it just looked messy. Perhaps it might be an option on the days I have absolutely whopper eye bags after a late night (the glitter does a sterling job of covering them), realistically though, it’s a pass from me.
Rating: 2/5
LOOK 5: Embellished headband
Trialed by:
Kiran.
Inspiration:
Stella Jean AW19, Milan.
How to create at home:
Probably the simplest look to achieve of the bunch, the hardest part is finding a headband that you like, but this Satin and Pearl number (£17. 99) from Zara, fits the bill perfectly. I’d advise roughly sectioning your hair into a centre parting, then sliding the Alice band on. You can pull out small sections next to your ears to make it look less prim (like in the model picture above), or you can pull your fringe forward, like I’ve done below.
The verdict:
This is very wearable. The satin black base gives a casual feel to the overall look and the pearl detailing isn’t too overwhelming, so it suits everyday use. This is a smart casual headband which can be worn for a plethora of occasions. From work, if your dress code permits this, to getting lunch or coffee with a friend.
Rating: 4/5
LOOK 6: Iced lashes and stained lips
Trialed by:
Elle.
Inspiration:
Stella Jean AW19, Milan.
How to create at home:
Applying white mascara is actually more tricky than it looks. It didn’t pack on as heavily or as clearly as I’d like which meant that my lashes looked slightly anaemic rather than deliberately icy. After a few coats, I decided, instead of combing the formula through, to blot the colour on with the end of the wand where there was a bigger build-up of product which did a better job of achieving the thicker, clumpy affect I was after. For the lips, I simply dabbed a slick of Huda Beauty’s Power Bullet Matte Lipstick in Spring Break (£22), into the centre of my lips before using my fingers to blend it out to the edges.
The verdict:
Is it just me, or is there something about this look that’s a little bit rebellious and a little bit sultry? Slightly clumpy lashes are the makeup equivalent of bed hair and it almost never fails to look rock ‘n’ roll. Despite painting them white, surprisingly my lashes still looked just as defined. Overall, I loved the look and I’d definitely wear this into the office. That said, I work in a creative industry where it went down well with my (very supportive) colleagues. If I were somewhere more corporate, I’d probably think twice. As for the blurred lips, I like that they’re less precise and a bit more devil-may-care since I always end up smudging mine anyway.
Rating: 4/5
