My fave beauty look from MBFWA Four: We Are Handsome by M.A.C

“A sexy cross between a 1940s style pin-up and 90’s Gwen Stefani…”

So read the brief for We Are Handsome’s MBFWA 12 show, which took place on site at The Theatre to a crowd that roared. The models looked seriously babelicious, and certainly did the super cool swimwear that was draped on their bods justice.

Their bronzed Bondi Beauty tans were applied by St Tropez’s Abbi Hollins, using the brand’s fast drying Wash Off Instant Glow Mousse. The natural-look matte tan was polished - using M.A.C.’s Mineralise Skin Finish - only on shoulders and accent points, to provide the perfect base for the swimwear.

Skin was “not so fresh and glow-y this time around,” M.A.C. Senior Artist Nicole Thompson told me, “as we wanted a satin finish and more of a ‘mannequin’-type look for the girls. We used Sculpt foundation (my personal fave) and some Face + Body with a little Pearl, Luna and Hush Cream Color Base patted on where needed.” The key was to create a flattering shine with minimal glow, and a little contouring with Root Cream Color Base thrown in for good measure. “It just disappears into the skin really well,” she explained, “rather than a bronzer, which would have looked too much like ‘makeup’ on the skin.”

Eyes were kept reasonably minimal but with definition on the top lashes, and a high brow arch was very much in evidence to lend a true 1940’s vibe. “We kept the brows feathery though, so things were still modern.”

Nicole delivered a double dose of colour to finish in the form of dual-tone lips. Frosty Fruit Orange on top and bubble gum pink on bottom lips were created using a combination of M.A.C. Chromaline (A PRO product) in Genuine Orange and Magenta. A mix of M.A.C. pigments and lipsticks in Cream Colour Base, including Virgin Isle and Pink Shock were then applied. The key to maintaining a this bold pop of perfect colour, without having to use multiple products? “Layer, layer, layer. The more layers on the lip the longer it takes to come off,” Thompson told me, “it was exactly like painting a wall!”