The Melbourne Cup Carnival is just around the corner and as the clouds lift and skies turn blue for Spring, we wait in anticipation for the festivities to begin. One such event that has us all envious of festivities beginning early, was the Victoria Racing Club’s Flemington Spring Fashion Lunch celebration to mark the beginning of Melbourne’s Spring Racing Carnival! Showcasing stunning race-wear from Myer’s new season fashion collection, Couturing were privileged to be invited backstage to see the Yves Saint Laurent makeup ambassador Natasha Severino and KEVIN.MURPHY StyleMaster James Nicholson at work and ask what the ‘look’ is for this Spring Racing Carnival.
FOR MORE SPRING RACING, CHECK OUT COUTURING’S POST COVERING BACKSTAGE AT MYER’S ANNIVERSARY OF 50 YEAR’S OF FASHION ON THE FIELDS
The makeup – provided exclusively by Yves Saint Laurent – was exactly what modern Spring makeup should be: fresh, youthful and modern. Yves Saint Laurent makeup ambassador Natasha Severino explained that with the number of accessories that women wear to the races, makeup should be understated with a focus on one feature. For the models at the Flemington Spring Fashion Lunch, the focus was on lips. Each model walked the catwalk with a delicious deep rose-coloured pout, offsetting the rest of the makeup, which was gorgeous, bronzed and natural. The lip colour was customised using a mixture of Yves Saint Laurent’s newly released 4 Autumn lipstick shades. Numbers 201, 202 and 203 ($50 each) were blended to create the perfect shade according to each model’s skin tone. The lip was kept matte and using a dabbing technique, the colour acted like a stain making lips soft and romantic, yet bold in colour. Natasha describes the rest of the look as “fresh, with a soft contour and flush”.
Skin was prepped with Beauty Sleep Balm ($99) mixed with Dare to Glow Skin Illuminator no. 3 ($65), a gorgeous rose gold shade. This provided skin with a beautiful dewy glow before using the fabulous Le Teint Touche Eclat foundation ($78). Makeup artists contoured cheeks with matt bronzing powder Terre Saharienne in no. 3 Sable Dore’ ($85) and highlighted with Palette Couture ($90), a three tone powder highlighter in a soft beige, mocha and burgundy which was gently applied to the cheek bones. The eye was kept natural with a swipe of creme eyeliner in no. 1 Noir Profond ($59) and the brow was penciled in and brushed up. Nails were a uniform deep wine colour.
KEVIN.MURPHY Style Master James Nicholson created a classic style using classic blow-drying techniques to keep the look soft. The hair was prepared with KEVIN.MURPHY’s Staying Alive ($33), and Anti Gravity Spray ($33.95) that helps hair look and feel soft whilst retaining bounce and life. KEVIN.MURPHY rollers created soft waves from the mid-section down. Hair was full and voluminous without height in the roots which, according to James, creates a suitable base for any hair piece.
When it comes to attending race days, one of the most important questions is how to maintain your look over the course of the day. For makeup, Natasha believes that application is key. If the makeup is worked well into the skin in the morning using a brush or sponge then set in place with powder, the makeup should last all day. That, and limiting the amount of champagnes you might consume! The iconic Touché Éclat highlighter pen ($55) is also perfect for mid-day touch-ups and great for brightening your face when you may be starting to feel a little weary. Natasha also mentions how the matte lip is perfect for longevity as it is dabbed on with the fingertip, staining the lip, whereas a gloss or shine lipstick will definitely come off on that winning ticket.
When attending to your locks, Style Master James recommends KEVIN.MURPHY’s Session Spray ($35) to protect hair from humidity and keep frizz at bay, whilst leaving hair soft and moveable. If hair is particularly unruly, a sleek ponytail is another recommendation. It keeps hair tamed and off the face, and if well secured will hold in place all day. Another race-day tip is to always trial your hairstyle with your fascinator before the day to avoid any unwelcome last-minute surprises. Further, ensure that your headwear is well-secured and keep some spare pins in your clutch; after all, rogue fascinators do not make for a fabulous race day. With all these tips in hand, there are no excuses for not looking great on race day!
To see our favourite YSL and Kevin Murphy masters at work click here to read more.
Special thanks to Victoria Racing Club, YSL, Kevin Murphy and Myer
Images by Amanda Wong, Gallery Images courtesy of SDP Media and the VRC
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