The Beauty Moments You Can’t Miss From Australian Fashion Week

The beauty at Afterpay Australian Fashion Week is absolutely giving… us a snapshot of what’s currently trending and what’s to come. We’re keeping our eyes firmly fixed on the runway (or, backstage more specifically where we get a close-up) as well as the street style scene. So, what will set the beauty trend for the next season? Will bushy brows be in? Or will we be bleaching them?

Fortunately, we’re here to answer all that, plus more, with a round-up of the best beauty moments from AAFW Resort 24. From the models flaunting makeup-free, glowy skin at Maggie Marilyn, to the wet hair look at, well, everywhere, these are the beauty looks to get on board with from this year’s runways.

Laid Edges

Laid edges, when baby hairs along the hairline are styled, were seen again and again at the Youkhana show on Monday. Creative Director for evo, Nicole Kae, responsible for the looks, said she aimed for cohesion with the fashion.

“I wanted to mimic the braiding in the garments, but have it unravelled so you get a cool ‘just been plaited’ vibe,” she said. “Each model had curvature details and edging on their hairlines, and it was important that each was slightly different because people aren’t the same and it was more about suitability.”  

She used evo’s Gangsta Grip to create the wet hair look and evo Shebang-a-bang for a ‘balayage’ effect of product application moving from wet at the root to appear darker, to lighter at the ends where dry.

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Barefaced

Models went barefaced, without a lick of makeup at Maggie Marilyn’s presentation. The only thing on their faces? Skincare by sustainable brand Emma Lewisham.

Emma Lewisham’s Skin Director Molly Warkentin said she created the looks aiming for ‘lit from within’ skin. “Using the brand’s range of luxurious, backed by science products, the skin was massaged to stimulate blood flow, restore hydration and impart a luminous, sun-kissed, fresh ocean swim glow.”

Maggie Hewitt, the fashion brand’s founder and designer, said she chose to partner with Emma Lewisham as its founder is a fellow Kiwi female on a mission to affect positive change in their industry. “I’m so inspired by the work Emma and her team are doing in the beauty space to set a new benchmark where circularity and treading lightly on the planet are foundational to their business model,” she said.

Wet Hair

As mentioned, wet hair was everywhere. We saw it at AJE (pictured), which showed at Sydney Modern on Tuesday, and at Youkhana, at Carriageworks on Monday. To get the look, start with damp hair, and using hair gel, comb your locks in the direction you want them to go. To finish, spritz on a glossing finishing spray and then hair spray.

Baby Pink Makeup

Pink was all over the runways, fashion-wise, but it was also incorporated into the beauty looks. More specifically, with baby pink featured on lips, cheeks and eyelids, as shown on a model at BONDI BORN.

Spiky Bun

No stranger to fashion weeks around the world, the spiky bun was again featured at AAFW ’23 at Yousek Akbar. GHD Hair Director Mary Alamine is responsible for the style, which she says starts with damp hair and a volumising foam (she uses ghd body goals).

After blow drying, she made three ponytails. The first ponytail starts in front of the ears, on top of the head. The second sits in the middle, on the crown. And the third is at the back.

Then, wrap each ponytail around its base to form a knot, leaving the ends of the hair out. Secure with hair pins. For the dramatic spiky style, spray the hair that’s out with hair spray (she uses ghd perfect ending).

Blue Eyeshadow

Looks like Avatar and Euphoria have influenced our runways, with blue eyeshadow spotted at a few shows, including Bec + Bridge.

“For Bec + Bridge, our models are channelling the goddess of the sea: the dolphin,” said makeup director for the show, Isabella Schimid. “An effortless natural skin base using NARS and Charlotte Tilbury is complemented by hints of pastel blues and citrus hues, thanks to MECCA MAX on the eyes.”

The looks were based with slinky dresses adorned with seascape-inspired hardware and crystal embellishment that sparkled like water. “The [makeup] look we created was a subtle nod to the ‘80s, with a contemporary use of products that included soft, dewy and natural skin with a pop of dolphin eyeshadow blue,” said the brand’s founders and designers Bec Cooper and Bridge Yorston.

No Makeup Makeup

The ‘no makeup makeup’ trend is all about showcasing skin health, says Priscilla Hajiantoni, founder of Bangn Body. “For the runway, it is also perfect to have models channel their inner beauty and show off their own glow,” she says.

To achieve a natural, but glowy look, try the Bangn Body Illuminating Firming Lotion on the skin for a slight sheen, Naked Sundays glow balm for a blush of colours to the cheeks and The Complete Brow Brow Sculpt to give brows a fluffy look.

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