As Paris gears up for an onslaught of IRL runways for haute couture week, the mood was refreshingly relaxed at Armani Privé – at least, in the hair and makeup chair. The sumptuous gowns and evening attire were high glamour, but the makeup and hair felt equal parts beautiful and simple.
Rather than the masterful, OTT looks we’ve come to expect from beauty teams post-pandemic (hey, there’s a lot of pent-up creative energy just waiting to be released), each element felt soft and subtle, like a welcome hangover to months spent bare-faced and top knotted in global lockdowns.
While some might argue that a gradual release from COVID-related restrictions denotes a return to unbridled glamour, the beauty looks at Armani Privé felt like a comfortable halfway point – joyful, beautiful but easy and relatable enough to actually inspire us after leaving our curling wands and palettes to gather dust for 18 months or more.
The makeup was a gentle entrée into the other side of isolation, with a near-nude complexion framed by neatly groomed brows, natural lips and creamy pink cheeks. A subtle glow highlights the high points of the face, but where the fun really begins is at the edge of the eyes – an unfussy wash of blue or purple pastel eyeshadows.
