The relaxing, calm and soothing vibe in the backstage area at Chloé. Ahhhh. Photo: Vanessa Craft

The backstage tents for the Chloe show may have been a swarming hot mess, but the beauty look for fall was sophisticated, controlled and didn’t involve a single person elbowing you in the kidneys. High five.

The beauty look for Chloé Fall 2013.

Hair stylist Anthony Turner created low slung, simple pony tails with side parts. While getting jostled by camera crews and international media, he told me he felt the beauty focus was a slight departure for the design house. “It’s a little bit different to what I think of as the ideal Chloe woman, which to me is this soft, very natural feeling,” he said. “This season she’s a bit stronger. Words like androgyny, strength, power — that’s where we were heading.” Turner used Tigi Root Boost to prep hair and then finished with old school Black & White hair pomade. “It’s boyish hair on a girl,” he said, admitting he enjoyed the idea of using men’s products to create the sleek style.

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 The ethereal beauty look at Rick Owens Fall 2013. All photos by: ImaxTree.

I’m absolutely awestruck by this look. In person, the hair was souffle-light, floating separate strand by separate strand through the air. I’ve never seen anything like this before. Here’s what the pros told me about the look backstage:

Luigi Murenu on hair: “At Rick Owens, it’s a always a dream, a fairytale story. This is about lightness. If you look at the clothes against the structure of the hair, it was important to give this feeling of lightness. It’s going to be foggy and windy out on the runway – so we need wind to move through hair.”

Key Product: Crimping irons. Lots and lots of crimping irons.

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Backstage at Mugler Fall 2013. Image by: ImaxTree.

The look at Mugler is simply A+. It’s got all of my favourite beauty things: a coral lip (seriously, get with this ladies, it’s really a flattering colour on everyone), matte skin, thick brows, a structured hair shape and a glossy eye.

I know. The glossy eye. We editors in the biz love a glossy eye because, well, it just looks so cool. In real life, if you’ve ever tried to sport one you end up looking like someone wacked you in the face with a piece of fried chicken. Not so covetable. Not so fashion.

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The beauty look at Gareth Pugh. Photo by: Nicole Comeau.

British designer Gareth Pugh’s fashion and beauty direction is always a head trip in the best possible way. Basically, you need to suspend any preconceived notion of what “wearable” or even “trendy” means, because you’re simply not going to see anything else like it ever again. It’s enough to just come away feeling completely transported and moved.

Here’s six things I learned backstage at Gareth Pugh:

1. Your hair can be worn as a scarf. Both warm and cost effective.

Photo by: Vanessa Craft

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The look at Anthony Vaccarello. Image by ImaxTree.

Welcome to Paris! The weather forecast this week is rainy and cold and grey, but I have high hopes that the beauty looks backstage will be considerably brighter (and more inspiring.) If not, there’s always the catering stations.

Anthony Vaccarello – “The morning after the night before”
On arrival at Anthony Vaccarello, I found an unusual scene: a room full of hair and makeup artists relaxing at their various stations with nary a model in sight. “As usual, they’re late. Always late,” said the languidly, ever-chill Tom Pecheux, Estée Lauder’s makeup magician.

Using a face chart in absence of a human, Pecheux talked me through the monochromatic look for the show. The lip was created with two layers of lipstick (Pure Color Long Lasting Lipstick in Plum Couture and Pure Color Vivid Shine Lipstick in Hot Lava) with a layer of translucent powder in between to dampen down the shine a little. “You have the contrast of the metallics from the lipstick without a creamy shine,” Pecheux said, adding that they had not used any mascara or liner on the eyes, just a burgundy wine frame of colour. “We wanted the girls to be very strong, very powerful – the clothes are black or white and there is an element of roughness – it’s not romantic.”

This element of roughness came through in the hair as well. Brit stylist Anthony Turner told his crew that he alone wanted to finish every single messy knot on every single model before they went out the door. His team could, he allowed, prep the girls by running products through hair and rough drying– but after that, the buns belonged to him. It was an attention to detail he wanted to control as the look was very specific.

Anthony Turner works on hair. Yes, he’s a cutie, thanks for noticing.

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Although Maybelline’s fantastic new volumizing and lengthening mascara gives good lash with just one quick coat, my credo on mascara is similar to that of cheese on a pizza or diamonds on a finger — you can never pile on enough.

Maybelline Rocket Volum’ Express Mascara ($10) at www.maybelline.com

This is one of those no-brainers, people.

1. It’s the perfect size travel bag for toiletries and makeup.

2. It’s decorated with gold hardware, a magenta lining and the inner pouch is embossed with Holts lettering. Aka, your bathroom counter is keeping it classy.

3. It includes sample size products from some of my favourite beauty brands, Clinique, Oribe, Laura Mercier and Sisley, and a coupon for 10% off your next beauty purchase at the store.

In other words, grab a bunch of ‘em and consider every lady on your gift list covered.

Holt Renfrew Holiday Beauty Bag ($35) holtrenfrew.com

The Trichologist Philip Kingsley is, in my opinion, the master of the hair domain.

I had the pleasure of meeting the spritely Brit earlier this year in London and was blown away by his knowledge when it comes to hair and scalp health. (Watch for a major feature in one of our Spring 2013 issues!) His clinics in London and New York are the place to go if you are looking for advice on hair loss and a holistic treatment approach, he’s been in the business for over 50 years and his award-winning product line is one of the most comprehensive, high-performing on the market. Someone needs to put this guy on a stamp already.

Don’t head into autumn without trying the hero product in the Philip Kingsley line—the Elasticizer. A pre-treatment that you apply before shampooing, it delivers a mega dose of moisture inside the hair cuticle while also smoothing the outside of the hair shaft. It’s most impressive when used on damaged, over-processed hair as the difference is nearly instantaneous. Calling this a deep conditioner- or even a mask -is insulting. Consider it a hair re-builder.

Kingsley developed it for Audrey Hepburn who wanted something to help her hair look great while withstanding the frequent styling and colouring she endured as an actress. If it’s good enough for Audrey…

Philip Kingsley Elasticizer, $45 at www.philipkingsley.com

The natural look at DVF. Image via Phyto.

I’m still reflecting on the primary beauty message that came across at the New York Fashion Week Spring 2013 shows. It would seem that OTT nails and bold bright lips, are going the way of the dodo.

Read more of Vanessa’s NYFW dispatch…

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This refreshing, cooling and comforting eye gel is the only thing that got me through Fashion Week.

(Okay, there may have been a hip flash containing very strong coffee vodka too.)

La Prairie Cellular Revitalizing Eye Gel, $150, La Prairie.com