Fashion Week: BBJ Backstage at Lela Rose

Just as Brodie of Mallrats fame "love[s] the smell of commerce in the morning," I love the smell of Fashion Week in the morning. It's the only thing that gets me out of bed before 8am on a Sunday. I headed to the tents at the ripe hour of 8:45 to interview the hair and makeup artists behind Lela Rose's phenom look.

Behold, a model rocks out on her iPod whilst being made up.
Check the elongated, waternymph-esque eye.

My first stop was Tina Turnbow for Beauty.com/Stila Cosmetics. The inspiration was quite unexpected: The shell of a beetle mixed in with a rain forest motif. Tina used a graduation of color of dark into light to achieve the look. Greens with undertones of yellow and honey abounded. Tina elongated the eye to look much like that of an insect itself.

Remember studying insects in Science class? Along with learning about their exoskeletons and thoraxes, I always remember learning about their disproportionate ENORMOUS eyes and how they're actually compound eyes. They consist of tiny, lens-capped optical units known as ommatidia. But I digress.

Tina worked Stila Sheer Color tinted Moisturizer SPF 15 into the models' complexions along with Stila Perfecting Concealer and Pressed Powder dusted on. Eyeshadows used were the Stila Princess Pearl Palette's gold and green shades. Constellation and Venus shadows were also swept on as finishing touches over brows and cheekbones. Venus is a beigey shimmer which actually manages to look wet, like dew on leaves. "Very rainforest," Tina joked. Stila Kajal Eye Liner in Emerald was used for definition, along with Stila Smudge Pot in Jade, a shimmering green touched onto the lashes. Lashes were natural, simply swept with mascara. Lips were glossed with Stila Praline Glaze, a neutral honeyed nude. To work this look into real life, Tina recommends imparting shine on one area of the face, as opposed to lips, eyes and cheeks.

The magical Ted Gibson headed up the hair team. I LOVE this look. It's one of my faves I've seen thus far. Ted wanted to "create a really beautiful texture." Ted loves beetles and wanted to channel what a beetle would look like in human form. He created a youthful ponytail with volume at the crown with a center part. Ted KNOWS from volume, let me tell you. He then twisted the ponytail and set it with a blow dryer (see pic below). Ted used Ted Gibson products (for volume) and Build It and Tame It Shine Lotion for smoothness.

A stylists roughs up the texture with a blow dryer.

A slightly off-kilter pony! Love.


Ted does some serious back-combing to get super voluminous roots.




Nails were painted with a fairy-esque light green polish from Butter LONDON. Very sprightly for Fall!

Image credit: Beauty Blogging Junkie
#NYFW