Vancouver Fashion Week: 2014 Beauty Trends

The hottest beauty trends from Vancouver Fashion Week 2014

Designers come to fashion week with very strong ideas of what they want in terms of hair and beauty – and the trends that emerge are just as important and trendsetting as the fashions themselves, giving us a first glimpse into what beauty looks are to come next season.

Vancouver Fashion Week makeup director Yasmin Morchedian and hair director Chris Funk worked with every designer in the weeks leading up to Vancouver Fashion Week (VFW) to finalise their beauty looks. And even though VFW designers were coming in from around the world, there were still similar themes trending with many of the beauty looks, transcending borders and style genres.

Read on for seven trendsetting beauty and hair looks that emerged from this season’s Vancouver Fashion Week, along with tips on how to interpret them for everyday wear.

This year, VFW was sponsored by beauty giants Cover Girl, Olay and Pantene.

Skin: Natural and Flawless

With the recent release of so many new foundations that are extraordinarily lightweight and comfortable while providing excellent coverage, it’s no wonder that the focus has been on skin. But faces weren’t mask-like or opaque, but rather luminous and natural. Models – both men and women – wore foundation that gave their skin a flawless yet approachable look.

Everyday tip: Pick a foundation that matches the back of your jawline and stay away from anything too pink. Always apply foundation in thin, sheer layers, adding more only to areas that need it.

Lips: Red, Bright and Bold

Lips were red, bright and bold. But these lips weren’t the heavily defined, blotted pouts from the ’80s. In fact, there wasn’t a single lipliner in sight. Lips were bold, yet relaxed with a soft edge.

Everyday tip: Pick a red lipstick that suits your complexion and either apply it in a thin layer with a lip brush or simply use the bullet to blot directly onto the lips in a soft tapping motion to impart a natural red stain.

Hair: Messy Buns with Volume and Texture

Chris was producing some amazing, gravity-defying updos for the show – women had messy buns with plenty of volume. He also incorporated a lot of braids, either wrapped around the crown or left to hang down, giving balance to the overall look. Even men were sporting extremely volumised pompadours.

Everyday tip: Give your hair some texture by using a curling wand before attempting an updo. The extra volume will help hold your bun in shape and give any falling tendrils a nice wave to frame your face. Once your bun is secure, lightly loosen a few sections to create a perfectly imperfect bun.

Eyes: Soft, Grunge-y Haze

The smoky eye is out, the soft grunge-y haze is in. Instead of the darker, more intense look of the classic smoky eye, Yasmin gave the models a haze of colour all around the eyes. This look is not about precision, but effect. Yasmin stressed that this is a relaxed, grunge-y look, anchored by black kohl liner that’s been broken down and smudged out.

Everyday tip: Line the eyes with a kohl liner (black for drama, brown or grey for a softer look) and use a smudge brush dipped in eyeshadow to blend out the liner. As you keep blending, move the colour away from the eye to create a soft and subtle haze.

Brows: Defined and Natural

Brows were defined and well-groomed, but not overly arched or dramatically darker. Yasmin explained that it goes hand in hand with the emphasis on more natural skin. If you take the effort to create a flawless foundation, eyebrows are naturally going to become a featured asset. But if you overfill them or use the wrong colour, everything suddenly goes out of balance.

Everyday tip: Whether you choose a powder or pencil, make sure the colour is right. Eyebrows can be very tricky to match, so experiment with colours you might already have in the form of eyeshadows. When in doubt, lean towards cooler, greyer tones. Browns can easily bring out unflattering red and auburn tones.

Highlighter: Ethereal and Glowing

Highlighter was used dramatically to create a luminous, ethereal effect. Models looked other-worldly especially when combined with theatrical hairstyles. When used effectively, nothing can transform a makeup look faster than really good highlighter.

Everyday tip: Avoid too much highlighter, which can look ashy and completely artificial if it’s everywhere. Yasmin suggested toning down the shimmer by mixing highlighter with a bit of moisturizer to create a more wearable subtle and natural glow. Then use it judiciously, only the high points of your face: the tops of your cheekbones, brow bones, centre of the forehead and the cupid’s bow. 

Contour: Softly Chiseled Features

There was very little cheek colour used throughout the shows, with designers and Yasmin opting instead for a well-contoured look. Just the right amount of shading gave all the models extremely well-sculpted and softly chiseled features. Contour was used mainly under the cheekbones but also brought up lightly onto foreheads and down along the jawline.

Everyday tip: Choose a contour product that’s matte (no shimmer) and without a hint of orange. For a foolproof colour, simply use a foundation (liquid or powder) that’s several shades darker than your own skin tone.