In the scenographic surroundings of St John's in Hyde Park, Fashions Finest's editorial team had a privileged sight on current trends and next Spring/Summer beauty forecast.

Nail art by Julie Bryan & team. Images by V. Chirico

Fashions Finest followed the makeup, hair styling and nail art teams during its LFW showcase to explore this season's most buzzed beauty trends. We had a look at what we should expect for next season, all in the making of the show.

A good old flick through popular magazines would be enough to stay up-to-date with the latest trends. What if you could have a close encounter with the style-makers and learn from the experts? Fashions Finest followed the teams led by Michelle Strain, Julie Bryan, and Amy Tasker on this mission. We popped behind the scenes during Fashions Finest's London Fashion Week event for a preview of next Spring/Summer trends and steal the best for your autumnal look straight from the catwalk.

SS22: a 20s' touch with finger waves. Amy Tasker & team.

The warmer season will see sweet hairstyles doing their come back. 'I would expect to see volumised bouffants with textured raw hair keeping the hair feeling and looking natural, sleek wet hair with styled baby hair on the forehead giving a fresh youthful appearance and finger waves to create the 1920s' glamorous timeless appeal' says Amy Tasker, lead hairstylist.

Streetstyle and low-maintenance updos are totally in these autumn and winter months, helping us to be ready in a snap. In fact, 'the 70's shaggy look is back with the grown out middle-parted bangs and invisible layers. Box braids are really popular right now as well as random plaits throughout the hair', continues Amy.

If you feel it is time to make a change with a new hair colour, pick yours from the warm palette of the moment. 'The seasons most anticipated colours are Caramel, Honey and Gold adding more warmth into the hair. For brunettes, it's definitely Espresso and Chocolate creating more of richer look and image.' This is the expert's advice.

Whether is autumn or springtime, the very essential for your makeup look is within you: 'I think always - for every season - is just a really good skin', international makeup artist from AOFM London Michelle Strain recommends. 

SS22 makeup: bright colours. Makeup by Michelle Strain & AOFM team

The makeup seems to reflect the natural colour surrounding us, as Michelle continues: 'I think we are definitely going to get more, richer colours like very bright lips with deeper tones.'

In Spring/Summer 22, the inspiration for your makeup is just outside the window with 'pastels, beautiful pretty blossom type of colours, because this is obviously what comes through with the clothing. Nice pastel pinks, peachies, blues for the eyes. Just really nice, pretty colours.'
If the next season's colour scheme comes from Mother Nature and our refreshed wardrobe, you need to know that 'definitely just a nice, glow, fresh healthy skin is always the way forward'.'

In winter/autumn nails tinge in sobriety. Julie Bryan, celebrities nail technician notices that 'people wear a lot of black in the autumn and winter. So I think the colour scheme, what we've done here today, will match autumn/winter and spring/summer. So we've got nudes: nude is going to be big as well. Loads of nudes.' As the days brighten up, so your nails do with 'a lot of neons again. They started to creep back in just as we went into lockdown. Lots of bright colours, which will be showcased in all fashion week.'

The models were sporting a rainbow of neons paired with gemstones applied as finger jewels. Without glue and rhinestones, this nail art is the idea to steal if you have some spare time for it! 'We've done the nails on the trend, so you have different neons on each end of the nail, painstakingly done', proudly points out Julie.

Every season has its colour but also its shapes too! This Autumn/Winter sees a drastic - very welcomed - change: 'coffins - some people call it coffins, some people call it 'ballerina' - that sort had its day, the nail trend that a lot of celebrities is going for is coming away from the acrylics and going more for the natural nail look.'

The beauty of nail art is in its everchanging nature, like the weather in the UK: 'the trend with nail art changes monthly, basically, so we had the mirror nails come and go, the chrome nails come and go. So it's using your own knowledge and your artistry... Just go with the flow! Don't make it too hard.'

Go with the flow, embrace natural shades and an effortless approach to hairstyling. Could you believe the catwalk was radiating so much naturalness?

More from our LFW behind the scenes? Follow Fashions Finest on Instagram.

Make-up artist Erika La’Pearl has revealed her secrets to getting Cardi B’s latest signature make-up look using ICONIC London!

We love this beauty shoot!

Directed and shot by Joanna Mitroi Photography, these photographs are simple, yet elegant.

The photographer has used clever lighting, and plain backgrounds to capture and highlight the great skin and stunning features of model Magda Swider.

Here we can see Joanna has explored the diversity of one model, by capturing differing poses and angles.

From sightly unruly - wispy and wild hair, to a tamed ethnic braid style. Joanna has cleverly focussed attention to Magda's lips and eyes, to draw out her unique features.

Makeup and hair: Kitty Noofan

Model: Magda Swider

Photographer & shoot director: Joanna Mitroi Photography

Pixels.com

Minimal makeup has become a huge trend recently. Was it ever really gone? Of course, bare face with nothing on it is not the same thing. The point of minimal makeup is to enhance your strengths and hide the things you are not too happy about, such as redness, pigmentation or spots. But how do you achieve the perfect look that can deceive somebody into thinking you really have nothing on?

Pixels.com

Take Care of Your Skin at All Times

This should go without saying, but we’ll say it anyway because how you wash your face is important. Especially if you have an event coming up and you’ll like to do minimal makeup – there’s a lot of space for mistakes. So use a gentle soap or a wash and a flannel cloth. You don’t want to use an exfoliant at this point, as it can bring out the redness in your complexion. Other times? Yes, but don’t overdo it, as physical exfoliation can damage your skin.

Moisturise

For the minimal makeup, you want to make sure your skin is soft, supple and hydrated. So there’s a step you don’t want to miss: moisturizing. Apply just a pea-sized amount of moisturizer all over your face. Apart from feeding your skin, this step will ensure that your makeup sits right there, but it won’t make your face look greasy. Just what we need!

Use a Foundation Made For You

Okay, maybe you don’t have access to a whole team making shades for a major makeup company, but you do have access to all the shades... so all you have to do is choose the right one. This is a crucial step but so many people are missing it and end up using the wrong colour, which ends up looking funny on their faces, to say the least. Invest some time into choosing the right foundation, and not only when it comes to color but texture as well. What do you want from a foundation, perfect coverage or just a little help, glowing or matte finish? When you do end up choosing the foundation – and remember, the colour of your skin also changes from winter to summer – remember to blend well. You’re not going for the clown look, but the minimal one!

Pixels.com

Use Little Tricks for the Eyes

We understand if you’re a mascara lover who cannot get enough of coats, endless mascara coats! But minimal makeup is all about being... well, minimal. What you can do, though, to draw attention to your eyes, is curling your eyelashes. This can really do much more than just applying mascara, no matter how good it is. If you’re not too sure about your curling skills, or just don’t want to be doing it every morning, try looking into eyelash extension deals, as there are some really good ones that won’t take last pounds out of your wallet. By having eyelash extension, you get to keep perfect eyelashes for a long time, with no effort. Worth considering.

Conceal if Needed

If there are any problem areas after you’ve put on your foundation, reach for a good concealer. Sometimes there are no problem areas, but since the colour of our skin is not even in all the areas of the face, you might want to use it anyway. If you have any dark under-eye circles, swipe the brush under your eyes, where you’ve already applied the concealer, then pat with your finger to blend.

Pixels.com

Don’t Use Bronzer

This might come as a surprise to bronzer-loving girls, but even though it can look extraordinarily beautiful, you will want to skip it when trying to achieve a minimal look. Minimal makeup is all about trying to work with what you’ve got already; you don’t want to mess with the natural colours of your face, just work with them to bring out the best.

But You Can Use Blush

A lot of girls have memories of their grandmothers telling them they look amazing when they blush a little, be it from embarrassment or running. So blush is allowed in the minimal makeup (minus the sweat from working out, or the overall feeling when you feel awkward!). but try making it as soft and close to your natural blush as possible. Cream blushes work best for the soft look you are trying to achieve. Apply the blush to the apples of your cheeks – so exactly where you would blush naturally – and blend until you have a colour that’s very subtle, but still noticeable.

Pixels.com

Play with the Colour of Your Lips

Luckily, there is an abundance of shades that can work amazingly with the natural, minimal makeup. And a decade ago we thought nude is just one colour! You can use any nude shade you like, but you can also apply a little cream blush you just used on your cheeks to your lips – this will enhance their natural pigment, thus making them super lovely.

And Don’t Forget Your Eyebrows

Eyebrows can make it or break it – and by “it”, we mean your complete look. You don’t want them to have a very strong line. Actually, you want them to be natural, but with little help. So if your natural eyebrows are very light, blend a colour to give them a little shape. Bonus trick: use eyeshadow instead of a brow pencil. This gives you a much softer, more natural look.

Pixels.com

And there you have it – a natural makeup look that looks almost as if you have nothing on your face, but so much different from an actual bare face, and so much better. Enjoy the look and the compliments you will be getting!

This season's accessories and beauty trends are to die for. As we explore the adventures of being a non- conformist. This editorial captures the very essence of being bold and free while baring all that lies beneath.

Photo Credit: Photography- Shola Ajisegbede | @sholaajisegbede for Sniper Ajix Photography | @sniper_ajix

Model- Blessing Obila | @mz_basilia

MakeUp- Temitope | @adella_makeup

HairStylist- Tony Aigbogun | @beautyace7

Styleing & accessorries - Maryanne Alabi | @mayreejay

Location- The Range, Lagos Nigeria

Written by Maryanne Alabi 

There’s nothing better, than finding something you have a natural flair and passion for – and then in turn, have the potential to turn that gift, into a lucrative career.

If you are getting married this year we have some great beauty tips you need to know.

With summer close by, it is no wonder we are already spending our time, looking for unique looks to try.

We are 16 days into the new year and now there is no more turning back, 2017 is officially in full swing. The excitement of a new year is the new things it brings and we are jumping for joy for all the new beauty trends this year will bring.

Here is our quick guide on what’s hot for 2017 and how to get the look.

Minimal Madame

The barely there, makeup look continues its reign of popularity. Keep your face fresh and dewy with minimal colour and product. Embryolisse Lait Crème Concentre £20, is the one product makeup artists swear by. Use it as a makeup base to moisturise and transform your skin in an instant. Giving you a dewy and youthful finish. It also doubles up as a repairing mask and primer too. Natural and untouched looking brows, are key to this look, achieve this with the Lord & Berry’s Must Have £14, a brow mascara that locks stray hairs into place whilst also adding a subtle tint.

Finish off the look with a soft and subtle touch of nude lipstick- to recreate an English rose shade with the Lord & Berry’s 20100 Lip Crayon in Charme £12, giving a subtle hint of pink, its creamy texture adding moisture to your lips.

Colour Chic

Bright bold popping colour is key for 2017. A bold lip such as PPQ’s Lilac theme is a must this year. As seen on the catwalk, models were sporting the Lord & Berry’s Lip Crayon in La Fiesta, £14. Highly pigmented with a creamy texture, this lip colour will show that you are fearless, so embrace it. However, if bright bold and fearless is too much for the office try the Lord & Berry’s Timeless Kiss-proof in Bold Red £15 to make a subtle statement. A liquid lipstick that dries matte, is long lasting and smudge proof, perfect for all those Valentines kisses.

Glow me baby

Another trend that is here to stay so highlight and shimmer away for healthy youthful glowing skin. To achieve this look, apply a highlighter such as the Lord & Berry’s Luminizer stick £14 on the bridge of your nose, cheekbones and on your cupids-bow this will give the illusion of a smaller nose, higher defined cheekbones and fuller lips.

For an all over dewy glow to your face, perfect for summer, apply the Transformulas 23 Carat Hydration Gold £41.95. This crème instantly illuminate and adds a hint of 23 carat gold shimmer to the skin. As and added boots is it contains hyaluronic acid that hydrate the skin, help promote collagen and keeps your complexion youthful.

Blush me up

Lastly, another trend that will hit us in 2017 will be the return of the blush-woo! Spotted on the 2016 catwalk in 2017 we will see this trend evolve with blusher now being used across the temples and eyes-adding a stronger and more daring edge.

To achieve this look, apply a blusher such as Lord & Berry’s blush in Lotus, £18 along the cheekbones in a sweeping motion with a brush such as Brushworks Blush Brush £6.99, giving you a soft and subtle rosy glow ready for the day ahead.

Smokey eyes, dewy skin, and nude glossy lips were the trend during this seasons Fashions Finest S/S17 London Fashion Week event.

It's a sultry glam look that's dramatic enough for the catwalk and perfect for a night out. While the dark smokey eye may not be suitable for everyone, this makeup trend is much requested and here to stay.

There are many ways to achieve a smokey eye, and adaptable ways to wear it to enhance your features.

Here are some tips to find your best smokey eye:

Start by applying an eyeshadow primer first. This will allow even blending, prevent creasing, and keep your shadow staying in place.

2: Find the right shape to apply eyeshadow and accentuate your eyes.

It could be that crisp-angled-edges and using tape when applying eyeshadow looks great on you. Or an eyeshadow that's applied to look more "oval (less geometric)" and is blended out to the temple, works best for your face.

However, heavily packed on basic black shadow tends to make the eyes look smaller. The idea is to "open up" your face.

3: Pairing gold or silver eyeshadow (if you're a warm or cool tone) with your black smokey eye is a great way to make your eye color "pop" and add glamour to your look.

Add a bit of shimmer to the inner corner of your eye to make your eyes appear larger and more spaced. You can also add glitter to the center of your lid for dimension.

4: Do use a pencil liner on your upper and lower lids and blend it out. You can also apply eyeshadow close to your lash line (on top of the liner) for added effect.









Photographer Ioana Mitroi

Designers @UsfashionSource

The makeup on runway models during London Fashion Week S/S17 for Fashions Finest was provided by sponsors at Academy Of Freelance Makeup AOFM ( www.aofmakeup.com) and led by Key Makeup Artist Ann-Marie Lawson (ww.LawsonMakeup.com )

Written by @dinahraphaelle www.DinahRaphaelle.com