"EMOTIONAL, corrupted make-up... Make-up that's been somewhere and done something - lived!" is how make-up artist Alex Box described the look at Veronique Leroy at Paris Fashion Week.
And it's an aesthetic that reverberated around the SS17 shows, where pristine lips and precise eyeliner were abandoned, in favour of messy daubs of colour and smudged kohl.
There are three key components to the 'real' beauty look, and the good news is you can combine as many as you like. Because when the vibe is this undone, there's no risk of looking overdone...
1. BARELY-THERE SKIN
To achieve a glowy, almost sweaty base, you want it to appear that you've got no foundation on at all.
How? By simply dabbing concealer in the places you need it most, using a glowy tinted moisturiser, or mixing a few drops of foundation with your moisturiser.
Finish with a dusting of a cool-toned highlighter across your cheekbones.
:: Laura Mercier Candleglow Concealer & Highlighter, £25, Space NK (www.spacenk.com)
:: Clinique BIY Blend It Yourself Pigment Drops, £25 (www.clinique.co.uk)
:: Too Faced 'Love Lights' Highlighter in Blinded By The Light, £25, Debenhams (www.debenhams.com)
2. LAST NIGHT'S EYELINER
To get that 'slept-in' eyeliner look, there's no need to actually wear it overnight (unless you really want to).
Instead, roughly line your eyes with black kohl pencil then smudge with your finger or a small beauty blender until it's sufficiently smoked out.
For a more glossy finish, add a little Mixing Medium or Vaseline.
:: Lottie London AM to PM Kohl Eyeliner in Smoke, £3.95, Superdrug (www.superdrug.com)
:: MAC Mixing Medium in Shine, £16.50 (www.maccosmetics.co.uk)
3. STAINED LIPS
Forget sharp lip liners and carefully filled-in lips; the undone vibe means lipstick that looks like it's done battle with several rounds of Pinot Grigio.
The shade is up to you, but a bright, highly-pigmented formula is essential – smear it on the centre of your lips and blend outwards for a beautifully blurred feel.
:: MAC Lipstick in Flamingo, £16.50 (www.maccosmetics.co.uk)
:: Nars Charlotte Gainsbourg Lip Tint in Double Decker, £22 (www.narscosmetics.co.uk)
:: Buxom 'Wildly Whipped' Lightweight Liquid Lipstick in Exhibitionist, £15, Debenhams (www.debenhams.com)
TRIED AND TESTED
:: Going blonde can really take it out of your hair, but Schwarzkopf's new colour range promises to condition as it colours. Katie Wright heads a salon to try it out...
Naturally a dark mousy-blonde, I've been platinum for 10 years now, and during that time my hair has ranged from mildly dry (on a good day) to outright straw-like, so I love the idea of bleach that actually mends my hair while stripping out the pigment. BlondMe uses the same technique as any colouring process, but the lightener contains an Advanced Bonding System (similar to the Kardashian-approved Olaplex treatment), which strengthens hair fibres from the inside. After leaving the lightener on for 40 minutes, my colourist rinses and applies a toner, which results in a gorgeously bright, grey-blonde. The difference in condition is immediately noticeable, and several weeks later my hair still feels super-soft and there's no sign of breakage – a real rarity for me – plus the colour-preserving products I took home have helped to maintain that platinum brightness. Dazzling colour with no damage? This blonde is sold."
:: Schwarkopf BlondMe is available at salons with prices starting from around £65. To find your nearest salon, visit www.blondme.co.uk/salonfinder
BUY IT NOW
MAC has collaborated with 10 global beauty 'influencers', allowing each to design their own lipstick shade. Repping for the Brits, YouTuber Fleur de Force has created a gorgeous rosy nude that's got just the right hint of shine, making it a day-to-night winner.
:: MAC X Fleur de Force Cool Nude Lipstick, £16.50, Selfridges (available May 10; www.selfridges.com)
BEAUTY BULLETIN
:: ARE WE SUFFERING A COSMETIC CRISIS?
UK women are suffering a crisis of beauty confidence, if the results of a recent survey are anything to go by. The poll by LookFantastic found just 1 per cent of women say they feel confident with all aspects of their appearance, and 80 per cent feel less confident without make-up. When they do wear make-up, 90 per cent said they aren't comfortable with their beauty regime, while 92 per cent admit to applying cosmetics in a rush. In response, LookFantastic has launched the #IAMFANTASTIC campaign, which aims to educate and empower women to feel confident about their beauty choices. Find out more about the campaign and its five ambassadors at LookFantastic.com
STEAL OF THE WEEK
It's buy-one-get-one-free on the Korres Wild Rose skincare range at Marks and Spencer between now and June 7, which includes the fantastic new Brightening & Nourishing Face Oil, £30 (cheapest product is free; www.marksandspencer.com).
