The 8 Biggest Beauty Trends For Spring 2016

The Shows: Monique Lhuillier, Jill Stuart, Karen Walker, 3.1 Phillip Lim, Hugo Boss, Diane Von Furstenberg, Marc Jacobs

The Breakdown: "Bolts" of cobalt slashed across lash lines at Monique Lhuillier and Hugo Boss made a graphic statement on the runway, while sheer washes of powder blue at Jill Stuart and Karen Walker provided a subtler, pastel take on the trend—proving that there are many different ways to wear the color. For those who desire a full-on effect, look no further than Pat McGrath's flashy, Studio 54–inspired lids, reminiscent of "butterfly wings," at DVF. Take a more strategic approach by placing an imperfect swoosh of pigment along the inner corners like François Nars did at Marc Jacobs, or create "negative space" by extending a band of turquoise from the center of the top lash line out and adding a short stripe just below the tear duct as seen at 3.1 Phillip Lim. "It's really about accentuating the eye and giving it a fun kick of color without thinking too hard," said Daly.

The Key to Getting the Look: Try NARS Eye Paint in Solomon Islands, $25.

The Shows: Jason Wu, Givenchy, DKNY, Marchesa, Cushnie et Ochs, Anna Sui, Oscar de la Renta, Creatures of the Wind, Badgley Mischka, Victoria Beckham

The Breakdown: Let your lips do all the talking in vibrant shades of crimson, pink, orange, and oxblood. The key to keeping it fresh and young is to pair a perfect pout with "scrubbed skin," said backstage pro Yadim, who skipped a full face of foundation in favor of concealer to cover any blemishes at both Jason Wu and DKNY. A brushed-up, "boyish" brow completes the look no matter what color you slick on.

The Key to Getting the Look: Try Maybelline New York Lip Studio Color Blur, $9.

The Shows: Givenchy, Marc Jacobs, Creatures of the Wind, Delpozo, Baja East, Tadashi Shoji, Sally LaPointe, Naeem Khan

The Breakdown: Oversized paillettes, jewels, lace, crocodile skin, and pearls were painstakingly applied to models' faces hours in advance of Givenchy's show. "It's more romantic, organic, and angelic, but obviously with that Givenchy twist," said Pat McGrath, who designed the mind-blowing masks three days in advance until "nearly three in the morning." Behind the scenes at Baja East, a relatively quick smatter of sparkles was applied across eyes and the bridge of the nose, and at Sally LaPointe, brows were made even bolder by bedazzling the tail ends of arches with silver sequins. For a quick fix, dust lids with loose glitter as artists did at Delpozo and Marc Jacobs, or reach for a twinkling lacquer to add instant flash to fingertips. Jin Soon Choi employed three layers of glitter-flecked polish and three layers of top coat to achieve a "super glossy" result. The toughest part: getting it off. Choi suggests saturating a cotton ball in acetone, placing it over each nail for 10 to 15 seconds, then "swipe"—don't rub—to eliminate pigment and particles. "It's almost like removing gel polish," she added. No chisel required.

The Key to Getting the Look: Try M.A.C Glitter, $22, or Marc Jacobs Beauty Enamore Hi-Shine Lacquer in Glinda, $18.

The Shows: Public School and Proenza Schouler

The Breakdown: There are many effortless hair ideas to come off the catwalks (think: breezy waves, undone buns, and basic ponytails), but plaits aren't typically one of them. This season, however, hair novices were thrown a bone in the form of easy-to-replicate twists. Public School sent a simple, two-strand version down its runway, while Anthony Turner devised a Havana-meets-NYC plait at Proenza Schouler. For a sleek—not romantic—finish, secure a pony near the nape of the neck, divide the tail into three equal sections, and lacquer each with hairspray before braiding to eliminate any fuzz or flyaways.

The Key to Getting the Look: Try Bumble and Bumble Classic Hairspray, $26.

The Shows: Cushnie et Ochs, Monique Lhuillier, Tome, Jonathan Simkhai, Tibi, Francesca Liberatore, and Veronica Beard

The Breakdown: "I know some of you are like, 'Oh, a French manicure?'" said polish pro Gina Edwards backstage at Monique Lhuillier. "Yes. It's happening, girls." And happen it did—from "seductive yet tough" angular, oxblood tips (reminiscent of the plunging necklines on view Cushnie et Ochs) to classic white smile lines made modern by leaving a sliver of negative space at the center (as seen at Tibi). Crocodile green, silver, orange, and orange crescents also provided the '80s design with a necessary punch of color.

The Key to Getting the Look: Try Sally Hansen I Heart Nail Art Pen, $5.50.

The Shows: Adam Selman, Rodarte, Tommy Hilfiger, 3.1 Phillip Lim, Marc Jacobs, Michael Kors, Cushnie et Ochs, Givenchy, Suno, Oscar de la Renta

The Breakdown: From basic black bands (Suno) and scraps of fabric (Adam Selman) to ornate combs (Marc Jacobs) and gilded floral barrettes (Rodarte), accessories ran the gamut this season. The thread that tied them all together: the ease with which these adornments were slipped into strands. Orlando Pita haphazardly twisted lengths around an amber-colored hairpin at Michael Kors for a fresh-from-a-convertible feel, while Guido Palau nestled jeweled combs into "punky" and "raw" updos doused with mousse for more grip. "It's not perfected at all, but it has a lot of attitude," he explained. "It's like a grungy girl doing her hair in a '40s way, but without much thought." The same advice rang true at Oscar de la Renta, where Palau polished off low ponytails by tying grosgrain ribbon loosely around the base for an unfussy-yet-glamorous finish.

The Key to Getting the Look: Try Redken Guts 10 Volume Spray Foam, $18.

The Shows: Alexander Wang, Proenza Schouler, Thakoon, Tommy Hilfiger

The Breakdown: Fringe, freshly shaved sides, cropped curls, shags—we saw runway rookies (like Peyton Knight and Agnes Sokolowska) and regulars (Kasia Struss and Irina Kravchenko) alike go under the scissors backstage. "The point of this show is individualism," said Guido Palau, the man responsible for many of the model transformations at Alexander Wang. "We're in a time in fashion where we have lots of different faces—there's not one singular idea of beauty anymore, which is great and liberating." Elsewhere, natural textures that were once blown-out were embraced on girls like Lineisy Montero, Imaan Hammam, Shelby Hayes, and Frederikke Sofie. "Everything we were told was wrong is right now," added Palau. "There's no hard and fast rule; it's about bringing out your personality."

At Wang, the designer's army was banished for a cast of unique characters in honor of his tenth anniversary. "I feel so different," said Kravchenko of her freshly shorn baby bangs. "It took maybe seven or eight minutes—they didn't brush it and I don't have any product in it!" Isabella Emmack went under the buzzer on both sides of her head, an update her family back home in Kansas City described as "interesting." "We're from the country, so there's not as much understanding of the creative world," she laughed. Sokolowska went through several phases to achieve to her final look, starting with a "middle length and bangs" and lopping off a few more inches for a chin-grazing cut just before showtime. "To be honest, I was almost crying—I hope nobody saw that my eyes were already wet," she said. After collecting herself in the bathroom, she reemerged with a new attitude to match her major makeover: "Shit, this is Alexander Wang, I can't cry—I have to be rock 'n' roll!" As they say, there's no crying in backstage beauty.

The Key to Getting the Look: A pair of scissors and serious confidence.

The Shows: Opening Ceremony, Edun, Proenza Schouler, Marc Jacobs

The Breakdown: "He likes the idea that they've been out all night sweating," said François Nars of Marc Jacobs' East Village muse. To mimic the shine you'd achieve after dancing for hours on end at an epic after-party, the pro skipped foundation and patted a thin layer of Vaseline over cheekbones and lids, and under eyes. Models stomping through a "Frank Lloyd Wright jungle" at Opening Ceremony received the "hothouse flower effect" care of clear lip gloss expertly patted over lids and cheekbones by makeup artist James Boehmer. "My favorite part is painting one little drop above the lip—like the perfect little bead of sweat," he said. "It's like controlled perspiration; if you could emerge from a sauna, the beach, or greenhouse, this would be the ideal way to do it." And Proenza Schouler's strong, Cuban woman received a light layer of M.A.C's forthcoming Climax Pro Sculpting Crème and Pro Mixing Medium Shine on lids for a dewy, tropical sheen.

The Key to Getting the Look: Try NARS Lip Gloss in Triple X, $26