Alice + Olivia Spring 2011: Real-Life Runway Beauty

In order to achieve the beauty looks seen on the runway, it's often more about how you apply a product, than which brand of product you use. As a professional makeup artist working in fashion, my goal is to teach you how to achieve wearable runway looks at home, using any cosmetic brand that you happen to have lying around at home.

The look we’ll be doing this week is Alice + Olivia Spring 2011 Ready-to-Wear. Created by MAC Senior Artist, Romero Jennings, I chose this look because it’s a great New Year’s Eve party look that will brighten up any face. “The power is in the mouth, the eyes are really soft, and the skin is neutral," Jennings said to StyleList.com of this look. The products used were all MAC Cosmetics; most importantly, Gold Pigment on the eyes, and Acid Orange Neon Pigment on the lips, but the point is to improvise with what you have at home!

Product List:

1. Facial Moisturizer - Mario Badescu Control Moisturizer
2. Lip Moisturizer - Korres Wild Rose Lip Butter
3. Natural Coverage Foundation - MAKE UP FOR EVER Face and Body Liquid Foundation
4. Translucent Powder - MAC Cosmetics Select Sheer Loose Powder in NC20 
5. Gold Shadow - MAKE UP FOR EVER Aqua Cream #11
6. Black Mascara - STILA Lash Visor
7. Bright Coral Cheek - MAC Cosmetics Beauty Powder in Pearl Sunshine 
8. Orange Lip - MAKE UP FOR EVER Aqua Cream #10 
9. Hint: If you don’t have a bold enough lip color, you can always use a wet shadow and some lip balm!

Tools Needed:

1. Lash Curler - MAC Cosmetic’s Full Lash Curler
2. Sponge - Beauty Blender Makeup Sponge
3. Soft Eyeliner Brush - STILA’s #28 Smudge and Line Brush. Powder, Blush, & Contour brushes, as well!

Before I began this tutorial, I moisturized my lips and face, curled my lashes, applied foundation with my beauty blender, set my face with powder, and contoured using cheek color and a medium-sized powder brush. 

Step 1 - EYES

Use soft liner or  a smudge brush to create a thick, soft line of gold shadow on your upper eyelid only. If you are using a dry shadow, I recommend wetting your brush slightly. Follow your lash line and do not “wing out” (don’t extend past lash line). Blend the edge of the line lightly with your fingertip.  Add a few coats of mascara to the top and bottom of your top lashes only. This look relies on long, beautifully separated lashes, so be sure to comb out any clumping. 

Step 2 - LIPS

Apply lip color using your fingers. Perfect your lip line with the eye liner brush you used earlier, but don’t clean off the gold - mix it in with your orange lip color instead!  

Stella Kae is a freelance makeup artist and hairstylist working in fashion, advertising, and entertainment. Her work has appeared in Vanity Fair Italy, WWD, POP, People, InStyle, Hint Mag, and Fashion Week Daily. If you have beauty questions or a runway look you’d like to see a tutorial on, please email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .