Spring beauty 2015: The top trends and must-have products of the season

BRAIDS

Braids are still a thing, woven in a range of styles and shapes this season—from loose and dishevelled to tight and tidy.

At Jeremy Scott, tiny braids were woven throughout models’ natural hair texture, while the braid was most definitely the main event at Suno, which saw models donning massive waterfall-fishtail hybrids.

Thom Browne

Giorgio Armani

Giamba

Donna Karan

Michael Kors

Jeremy Scott

Jeremy Scott

Jeremy Scott

Jeremy Scott

Suno

Suno

Vera Wang

DKNY

Erdem

Peter Som

DEWY SKIN

Realness and individuality were major beauty messages this season, giving traction to a literal no-makeup makeup movement. “We only applied moisturizer. That is it. Period,” explains François Nars of the completely bare faces at Marc Jacobs.

Elsewhere, concealer and correcting primers were MVPs, while makeup palettes sat idle and artists were left wondering what to do with their leisure time. For the low-maintenance look at Rag and Bone, “Everyone’s like ‘That’s it? We’re done?’” says Gucci Westman.

Even so, back at Marc Jacobs, Nars wasn’t quite ready to put his feet up. “I’m still checking to make sure they have enough moisturizer.”

Hair and skin glistened this season. Complexions were made dewy with the help of brightening serums and highlighters, but clear gloss was the sheen maker of choice. Applied everywhere from eyelids to cheekbones, it was also brushed through brows at Thakoon, where models were meant to look like they had just taken a dip in the pool.

Blumarine

Marc Jacobs

Christopher Kane

Donna Karan

Lanvin

3.1 Phillip Lim

Marc by Marc Jacobs

Peter Pilotto

Rag & Bone

Jil Sander

Thakoon

STATEMENT EYEBROWS

To bleach, or not to bleach? That used to be the eyebrow debate backstage. But James Kaliardos inspired a new question this season: Are they real or fake? “Some girls are really getting pierced,” he deadpans about the row of faux brow rings at Rodarte. “We’re using a strong anaesthetic, and they’re going to be a bit high while they’re walking [the runway].” At Badgley Mischka, arches were tinted pastel. (Light bulb: Hairstylist Kevin Murphy needs to make a Color Bug for brows.)

Historically on team bleach, Pat McGrath penciled on severe brows at Miu Miu, while at Prada, she created a sharp line that hovered above them, which was meant to have a hallucinogenic effect.

Badgley Mischka

Haider Ackermann

Givenchy

Loewe

Miu Miu

Rodarte

Thakoon

Alexander Wang

Vivienne Westwood

UNDONE HAIR

In line with the minimal makeup message, curling irons and styling products sat the season out, for the most part. Instead, hairstylists gravitated toward air-dried hair, respecting the models’ natural texture.

“We’re doing something real. It’s something everyone can do at home for once,” says Odile Gilbert of the product-free, finger-dried hair at Rodarte. Even Karl was on board with the blowout backlash, charging Sam McKnight with giving each Chanel model her own natural look to march in the designer’s mock protest.

Blumarine

Chanel

Chloe

Diane von Furstenburg

Etro

Alberta Ferretti

Hermes

Christopher Kane

Dries Van Noten

Vera Wang

FACE EMBELLISHMENTS

It’s well-documented that Peter Philips loves a good arts and crafts project, but he wasn’t the only makeup artist stockpiling adhesive glue this season. Cellophane flakes decorated eyes at Monique L’Huiller; Tommy Hilfiger did temporary facial tattoos; and Tom Pecheux embellished models earlobes with liquid liner and glitter at Anthony Vaccarello. Still, Philips wins this round: The sky blue leather strips he fashioned as eyeliner at Fendi, laser-cut satin swooshes at Dior and painted lip rings at Dries Van Noten were best in show.

Dior

Fendi

Tommy Hilfiger

Dries Van Noten

Anna Sui

Vivienne Westwood

Vivienne Westwood

RED LIPS

Makeup may have been minimal this season, but red lips still felt right. They ranged from low maintenance (at Topshop Unique, colour was diffused with fingertips to look kissed off) to high glamour (at Antonio Berardi the lacquered lips were inspired by Saran-wrapped flowers).

Antonio Berardi

Burberry

Burberry

Dolce & Gabbana

Andrew Gn

Carolina Hererra

Missoni

Zac Posen

HAIR ACCESSORIES

Leather crocodile tails, seashell-studded tiaras and Spanish roses were just a few of the accessories tucked into hair this season. Hair may be heat tool-free and natural, but that doesn’t mean that you can’t accessorize your locks.

Balenciaga

Bottega Veneta

Dolce & Gabbana

Dolce & Gabbana

Dolce & Gabbana

Fendi

Lanvin

Missoni

MSGN

Valentino

GRAPHIC EYELINER

When a cat-eye just wouldn’t cut it, makeup artists reimagined the classic flick, opting to paint unconventional shapes and employing a mash-up of pencil, liquid and cream liners to achieve the desired results.

At Narciso Rodriguez, Dick Page used all three to make a “chunky wedge” that was Debbie Harry-inspired. “It’s not respecting the eye shape at all. It’s just scribbled on there,” he says. At Ann Demeulemeester, carbon smears were drawn on lids to make models look carefree and Coachella bound. While at Louis Vuitton, Pat McGrath used liner for cartoonish lashes.

Celine

Ann Demeulemeester

Ann Demeulemeester

Givenchy

Just Cavalli

Saint Laurent

Marchesa

MaxMara

Prada

Narciso Rodriguez

Peter Som

Louis Vuitton

PONYTAILS

Hairstylists always find new ways to reinvent ponytails. Take Eugene Souleiman: He crimped hair before tying it back to transform it from typical to tweetable. At Jason Wu, Lauren Bacall inspired the wavy tails. And at Gucci, Orlando Pita skipped products and brushes, using his own two hands to pull hair into a ponytail you’d see IRL.

Diesel Black Gold

Fendi

Salvatore Ferragamo

Giles

Gucci

Prabal Gurung

Joseph

Stella McCartney

Prada

Rochas

Giambattista Valli

Vionnet

DOLL-LIKE MAKEUP

At Altuzarra and Rochas, Tom Pecheux and Lucia Pieroni referenced dolls that were more creepy than Cabbage Patch. Pecheux snipped false lashes and fastened a tuft in the middle of the upper lash line, while Pieroni made lashes clumpy and drew dots under the eyes. The world’s most popular doll served as inspiration at Moschino, where Pieroni mixed three different pigments for a custom pink Malibu Barbie would kill for.

Altuzarra

Antonio Berardi

Thom Browne

DSquared

Moschino

Rochas

Suno

Vivienne Westwood

MUST-HAVE PRODUCTS

DEWY SKIN

Elizabeth Arden 8 Hour Cream Skin Protectant ($25, thebay.com)

Lancôme City Miracle CC Cream SPF 50 ($46, thebay.com)

Shiseido Makeup Glow Enhancing Primer ($30, sephora.com)

Smashbox Photo Finish Primer Water ($37, sephora.com)

Urban Decay Naked Skin Weightless Complete Coverage Concealer in “Medium Neutral” ($34, sephora.com)

Nars Skin Luminous Moisture Cream ($72, sephora.com)

GRAPHIC EYELINER

Lancôme Liner Plume in “Noir” ($38, sephora.com)

Cynthia Rowley Eyeliner in “Black” ($34, birchbox.ca)

L’Oreal Paris Infallible Smokissime Powder Eyeliner Pen ($13, at drugstores)

Tarte Tarteist Clay Paint Liner ($29, sephora.com)

RED LIPS

Laura Mercier Rouge Nouveau Weightless Lip Colour in “Moi” ($30, sephora.com)

Almay Smart Shade Butter Kiss Lipstick in “Red-Medium” ($9, at drugstores)

Estée Lauder Pure Color Envy Sculpting Lipstick in “Empowered” ($34, sephora.com)

Revlon Ultra HD Lip Lacquer in HD-Fire Opal” ($11, at drugstores)

DOLL-LIKE MAKEUP

Dior Cheek & Lip Glow ($39, sephora.com)

Clé de Peau Perfect Lash mascara in “1” ($66, nordstrom.com)

Illamasqua False Eyelashes ($26, asos.com)