Backstage at Andy & Debb For Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week F/W 2010: It's All About The Shiny And The Glossy, Glossy

Yesterday, I spent some time backstage as the models were being prepped to strut down the catwalk for the showing of the Andy & Debb F/W 2010 collection. My interviews with the hair, nail, and makeup teams revealed a proclivity towards the "glossy" look to complement the vestments.

A breakdown of each category:

Hair: The hair for the show was done by David Cruz (lead stylist) and his team using PHYTO hair care products. The desired look, according to David, was a "simple, beautiful blow out." Sleek and shiny hair that gave the overall effect of the "little girl's look" was achieved by using an assortment of PHYTO products, including a mix of Phytovolume Actif, a volumizing spray with keratin amino acids, with Phyto 7, a daily hydrating cream with seven plant extracts, as well as Phyto Glossing Cream.

Lead Stylist, David Cruz

Makeup: Sarah from the Sephora Pro team gave me the rundown of the beauty look for the show. The makeup was intended to reflect a "no makeup" look, with a clean, light palette. The products used all helped to create a soft, bright face. One of the main focuses of the look was on the skin. Mister Light by Givenchy was used to highlight and give the complexion a beautiful glow. The eyes were all about the neutral tones, soft browns without heavy eyeliner. Diorshow mascara coated the lashes. The cheeks were a played up feature, and creams, rather than powders, were employed for a softer, more dewy look. Stila Covertible Colors were used to that end (wonderful as they can be used to color both the cheeks and the lips!) In addition, Secret Finish by Laura Mercier helped to further create a glowing face. This product applies thinly and goes in to highlight after makeup application. The idea for the skin was to ensure that it appeared hydrated, with a glossy forehead, keeping any HD qualities from building up too much. Finally, the lips were left soft and relatively undefined. Custom lip colors were favored by smudging out liner towards the center of the lip and topped with a balm.

Nails: The nails were simply done with a buff manicure. The finish was clear, glossy, and shiny, and set to last for a few weeks. The manicurists were part of the Dashing Diva team.

For products used, see www.sephora.com and www.phyto-usa.com.