Beauty Highlights From London Fashion Week: Five Trends You Need To Know

Posted: 22/02/12

Katie Jones

Follow: Autumnwinter 2012, Beauty, London Fashion Week

After getting the lowdown on all the latest hair and makeup trends backstage at London Fashion Week, we've condensed all the biggest looks into five, bite-sized portions.

brows-london-fashion-week Brows go big on the London catwalks. Photo: Getty Images

From big brows to the low-ponytail that was seen everywhere, take a look below for the top five beauty trends you need to know to stay ahead for Autumn/Winter 2012.

Autumn/Winter 2012 beauty from London Fashion Week

Go big with brows
 Brows are often a main focus for Autumn/Winter, but if there's one tip we picked up for the 2012 season, it's this: go big. To keep them looking groomed, the Mac team told us to brush brows up for a fuller, yet defined look (and fill in with the appropriate tone if needed). See <a href="http://www.mydaily.co.uk/tag/Holly+Fulton/" target="_self">Holly Fulton</a>, <a href="http://www.mydaily.co.uk/tag/vivienne%20westwood/" target="_blank">Vivienne Westwood</a> and <a href="http://www.mydaily.co.uk/2012/02/20/antonio-berardi-autumn-winter-2012-beauty/" target="_blank">Antonio Berardi</a> for a lesson in how to work the new brow style.
Get arty with eyeliner
 Eyeliner was everywhere in New York and the trend translated across the pond to London, where architectural lines were seen at <a href="http://www.mydaily.co.uk/2012/02/20/erdem-autumn-winter-2012-beauty/" target="_blank">Erdem</a>, <a href="http://www.mydaily.co.uk/2012/02/21/mary-katrantzou-autumn-winter-2012-beauty/" target="_blank">Mary Katrantzou</a> and <a href="http://www.mydaily.co.uk/2012/02/18/aquascutum-autumn-winter-2012-beauty/" target="_blank">Aquascutum</a>. Val Garland described the look she created for Katrantzou's show as the "double step bolt", with a thick black line adding structure all around the eye, while the makeup was literally all about the tips drawn on the side of the lids at Erdem. It's time to get practising the art of the flick before next season gets underway.
The new smoky eye
 While tired eyes are usually the first thing we want to cover up makeup wise, the blurred, smoky eye was a big hit at the Autumn/Winter shows. Sleepy Hollow-inspired eyeshadow was haunting on the <a href="http://www.mydaily.co.uk/2012/02/20/giles-autumn-winter-2012-beauty/" target="_blank">Giles</a> catwalk, while <a href="http://www.mydaily.co.uk/2012/02/20/burberry-autumn-winter-2012-beauty/" target="_blank">Burberry</a>'s Wendy Rowe created a "velvety" texture with similar rich, plum tones. At Todd Lynn, metallic greens were worked into the eye lids which added a dramatic, mysterious element to the final look.
Last but not least...
 <a href="http://www.mydaily.co.uk/2012/02/21/meadham-kirchoff-autumn-winter-2012-beauty/" target="_blank">Meadham Kirchoff</a> took crazy beauty to another level this season, with Crayola-coloured hair and full-on facepaint to accompany the collection. Add glitter and backcombed wigs into the look and you've got the most head-turning look to hit the catwalk in London. Perhaps not one to try at home...
The hairstyle of the season
 The classic ponytail is one of the most versatile styles around, so it's no surprise that it was chosen at a whole host of shows in London this season. However, Autumn/Winter's ponytail isn't as groomed as we've seen in previous years. This time it's glossy, yet roughed up and worn low, at the nape of the head, as seen backstage at <a href="http://www.mydaily.co.uk/2012/02/18/henry-holland-autumn-winter-2012-beauty/" target="_blank">House of Holland</a> and <a href="http://www.mydaily.co.uk/2012/02/20/giles-autumn-winter-2012-beauty/" target="_blank">Giles</a>. Over at Henry Holland, Adam Reed was inspired by Felicity Kendal's "countryside hair" from The Good Life, while Toni & Guy's International Artistic Director, Indira Schauwecker, described the Giles look as "pure and simplistic", where low ponytails were tied up loosely with Giles' burnt-out ribbons.