EDITORS’ PICKS: BACKSTAGE BEAUTY

It's been nine days, one blizzard, and too many shows to count—but that doesn't mean New York Fashion Week was a blur. In fact, there are a few shows in particular whose beauty looks stood out to us. So we gathered our digital and beauty editors, pored over our backstage notes and behind-the-scenes photos, and came up with our five favorite faces from all of New York Fashion Week. Consider these heads and shoulders above the rest:

Editor: Katie Dickens, beauty director

Show She Loved: Derek Lam fall '13

Why She Loved It: The crimped hair paired with the berry lip is slightly edgy but also totally wearable. It's laid back but polished at the same time.

How They Did It: Rather than use a crimper, Orlando Pita got the look by creating eight small braids, going over them with a flat iron, then taking them out and brushing the hair. To get the "beet root" colored stain-like finish on the lips, Estee Lauder's Tom Pecheux dabbed Estee Lauder's Pure Color Vivid Shine Lipstick in Burnished Bronze and Electric Wine, both launching in August, with his finger. Then, to make eyes look as if they were highlighted by a ray of light, he used his fingers to blend Estee Lauder's Pure Color Instant Intense EyeShadow Trio in Smoked Chrome (also out this summer) across the entire lid, then added Steel Lilacs and Sterling Plums--from the same palette--to give it a golden glow down the center of the lid.

How She'd Wear It In Real Life: To get the look, I would follow the lead of the pros. It's pretty easy to do even if you're not particularly skilled at doing your hair and makeup!

Editor: Rebecca Willa Davis, executive web editor

Show She Loved: Marc by Marc Jacobs fall '13

Why She Loved It: You could hear the collective gasp the moment the first model walked out at the Marc by Marc Jacobs fall '13--not because of the retro 9 To 5 clothes, but because of the hair. It was a big, bold, Grace Coddington-style halo of frizz-tinged curls, and it is how I wish I looked when I rolled out of bed every day.

How They Did It: Redken's Guido Palau gave models a deep side-part before prepping locks with Redken Guts 10 Volume Spray Foam. Their hair was then heated with a curling iron before brushing it out to make it not-so-perfect. The final touch? A bobby pin to keep hair from falling over the models' faces.

How She'd Wear It: I've got curly hair, so I would go through my usual styling routine, and then do the brush-through like Palau. Easy. I'd also pair it with the same red lip Shiseido's Dick Page used for the show, which was created by combining the brand's Lacquer Rouge in Sanguine and Drama.

Editor: Jade Taylor, beauty assistant

Show She Loved: The Blonds fall '13

Why She Loved It: Let's be real--this season has been totally dull, but I knew walking in backstage at The Blonds fall '13 show that I could count on them to read my mind and freak me out (in the best way possible). They completely exceeded my expectations: The hair, makeup, and nail look can only be described as half-creepy and half-dazzling, inspired by their over-exaggerated ideal of the "heroine" found in quintessential horror films (Hitchcock, Kubrick) and dramatized with major wigs and the coolest nails I've seen this season. Over 8,000 Swarovski crystals were embellished on some of the nails--racking one complete set up to about $3,000.

How They Did It: MAC's lead makeup artist Kabuki used the brand's Pro Basic Red Acrylic Paint "drawn over the eyelid in a '50s/'60s-inspired graphic cat-eye shape, winged outwards to elongate and lift eyes," followed by their Feline Kohl Power Eye Pencil along the lower lashline for added definition. For the lips, Kabuki went with Please Me and Pretty Please lipsticks, "mixed together and applied over the entire lip for a sexy pink pout." CND created the nails, with CND Shellac shades like Black Pool, Sugared Spice, Wildfire, Cream Puff, Silver Chrome, Decadence, Red Baroness, and Iced Cappuccino.

How She'd Wear It In Real Life: I'd probably skip the wig part (ain't nobody got time for that) and try and recreate the "1950s roller set gone wrong" look myself. But truthfully, I would wear the makeup and nails 100-percent authentically, because—duh.

Editor: Ray Siegel, senior web editor

Show She Loved: Proenza Schouler

Why She Loved It: I'd describe my own look as being natural to the extreme, which is why I appreciate Proenza's take on beauty season after season.

How They Did The Look: Frederic Fekkai's lead stylist, Paul Hanlon, wanted to let the hair be. He wet each model's hair and let it dry naturally--the bent and dented pieces stayed. For models with thicker hair, he braided it in corn rows underneath to create a thinned out look (brilliant). MAC makeup artist Diane Kendal perfected the skin, brushed up the eyebrows, and used black cream liner close to the lash line. She used her fingers to apply red lipstick to the apples of the cheeks--which gave them totally natural-looking color. The lips got no color whatsoever--only lip conditioner.

How She'd Do The Look In Real Life: Exactly like that! It doesn't get more bare bones, which is totally unorthodox for a fashion show but exactly how I'd do my makeup any day of the week. I'd use MAC eyeliner, brow powder, Diorshow mascara that doesn't clump up ever, and Decleor Hydra Floral Flower Petals Eye and Lip Moisturizing Mask on my lips to soften them. After I shower, I put my hair in a bun and put on my beanie to avoid frizz. Right before it's fully dry, I let my hair down completely and leave it as is for the rest of the day. To me, there's nothing more pretty than looking completely undone.

Editor: Ali Hoffman, web editor

Show She Loved: 3.1 by Phillip Lim

Why She Loved It: While I loved Paul Hanlon's disheveled, city-girl wavy hair, the makeup at this show really stole my heart. From lightly wind-swept pink cheekbone to the camel nude eye, and above all, the crimson-bronze lip which looked almost identical to the red hue left on your lips after a glass of red wine, the whole look perfectly complemented the cool leather miniskirts and amazing moto jackets. Plus, any look that allows me to skip out on mascara in the winter gets some serious extra credit.

How They Did The Look: NARS cosmetics lead makeup artist Francelle Daly, who described the inspiration as "uptown girls with downtown boyfriends," first moisturized the models by applying a dab of Luminous Moisture Cream, and then highlighted the cheekbone with Miss Liberty Highlighting Blush. For the brown toned lip, he outlined the lips using the Mambo Eyeliner Pencil (meant for eyes, but safe and amazing on the lip), and then shaded the inner parts of the lip with a Kenya Lip Liner Pencil.

How She'd Do The Look In Real Life: To achieve this I may just have to drink a glass of merlot--but if isn't an appropriate hour, I'm going to stick to Daly's plan.

Rebecca's Pick: Marc by Marc Jacobs fall '13

Ali's Pick: 3.1 Phillip Lim fall '13

Ray's Pick: Proenza Schouler fall '13

Jade's Pick: The Blonds fall '13

Katie's Pick: Derek Lam fall '13