Toronto Fashion Week Fall 2013 backstage beauty: Smoky eyes and Samurai-inspired hair at Jean Pierre Braganza

Date March 14, 2013

Jean Pierre Braganza fall 2013 backstage beauty — Photography by Jeffrey Chan

See all the backstage pictures from Jean Pierre Braganza Fall 2013 »

The makeup: “It’s a very structured eye. We’ve applied a black shimmery shadow over black liner and blended it out. There are two graphic lines [that almost merge near the inner corner of the eyes] creating a downturned feline-esque look. It’s very lioness and a little bit sixties.” — Greg Wencel, Cover Girl makeup pro

To achieve what Wencel deemed the designer’s signature eye (“[Jean Pierre] likes graphic shapes and contrast”), he dragged a black eyeliner pencil along the upper lash line all the way to the inner corner of the eye, splitting it into two lines. He used white liner along the water line and in between the two noir streaks to highlight the space between them. He blended the black liner up into the lids, layering a black shimmery shadow on top and blending it out “to diffuse the colour.” Wencel also brushed two coats of black mascara through both top and bottom lashes, and used a clear mascara to make brows look “clean and tapered.” On cheeks, “we created a soft sculpted look,” he says, applying blush really close to the hairline and contouring cheekbones. For a dewy complexion, he blended a highlighting serum into skin with a flat synthetic brush targeting the chin, the bridge of the nose and the cupid’s bow. The mouth was kept simple with just a swipe of a flesh-toned glossy lip pencil.

The hair: “We started by flat ironing the hair to make it super sleek,” said Justin German, Pantene Pro-V consulting stylist. He then parted the hair in the centre, sectioning off a triangular shape at the crown and securing in a ponytail before creating a Samurai-style knot.

In addition to giving his flatiron a workout, German used a sculpting wax to “get rid of all the baby flyaway hairs.” Before creating the loop and fastening it with bobby pins, he doused the tail in hairspray to make it more “lacquered and stiff and super clean.” While waiting for last nine models to arrive (they were walking in the Comrags show), he lamented the quick turnaround required to undo the matte, textured updos he had created for the designers. “I have a game plan: I’m going [apply] Pantene Aqua Light Weightless Conditioning Hair Shake and blow dry it to bring that slip and shine back to the hair. Another timesaver for the stylist: “Thankfully three have short hair!”

Products used:

Face:
Cover Girl + Olay Simply Ageless Serum Primer ($18, well.ca)
Cover Girl + Olay Concealer Balm ($10, well.ca)
Cover Girl Cheekers Blush in Cinnamon Toast ($7, well.ca)

Eyes:
Cover Girl Eye Enhancers 1-Kit Shadow in “Tapestry Taupe,” “Shimmering Onyx” and “Snow Blossom” ($5 each, well.ca)
Cover Girl Smoky ShadowBlast in “Onyx Smoke” ($10, well.ca)
Cover Girl LiquilineBlast Eye Liner in “Black Fire” ($11, well.ca)
Cover Girl LashBlast Clump Crusher Mascara ($11, well.ca)

Brow:
Cover Girl Professional Natural Lash ($6, well.ca)

Lips:
Cover Girl Jumbo Gloss Balm in “Toffee Twist” ($10, at drugstores)

Hair:
Pantene Pro-V Stylers Flexible Hold Hairspray ($6, well.ca)
Pantene Pro-V Aqua Light Weightless Conditioning Shake ($6, well.ca)
Pantene Pro-V Stylers Texturizing Sculpting Wax ($6, well.ca)