Runway Beauty D.I.Y.: Prada

It is so easy for me to get in a hair/makeup rut, defaulting to the same safe brown eyeshadow and loosely curled hair.  I was happy to find some fresh inspiration on the Milan runways!  The beauty look at Prada was striking and extreme, begging for a real world interpretation.  When toned down, the look could be perfect for New Year's Eve, or even just a night out on the town.  It had three fairly straightforward elements: 30s style finger waves, a heavy silver eyelid, and a strong brow.  Everything else was simple--a clean face, bare lips, and bare eyelashes.

I took a stab at recreating the look, aiming to make it less severe and more wearable.  I began with the hair, applying a generous amount of gel and creating a hard side part.  The finger wave technique is foreign to me, so I kind of fumbled my way through using a comb and clips to hold the waves in place until the gel was set.  Next, I applied liquid foundation and concealer to create an even base, then dusted translucent powder over my whole face.  For the eyes, I applied an eye primer, then swept a silver eye shadow all over my lids.  Instead of bringing the silver all the way up to the brow a la Prada, I gradually blended outwards using a pearly white shadow.  Next, I filled in my brows with pencil, adding thickness and length to the shape.  Finally, I applied a hint of clear gloss on my lips and mascara on my upper lashes, just to feminize the look a bit.

Et voila!  Prada done my way.