Beauty is ALWAYS celebrated at The Blonds during NYFW, and the F/W 2020 was no exception. Moroccanoil Artistic Director Kevin Hughes, along with over the top creative nails, designed by CND, and flawless makeup by Kabuki (for MAC) added that special “icing to the cake” from head to toe. With a theme of Rococo Angels, the key beauty artists delivered.

“The show is centered around an over-the-top spectacle, where goddesses, muses and icons meet,” Kevin Hughes says. “We wanted to create looks that radiate opulence and abundance while complementing the textures of feathers, chains, snakeskin and crystals.”

“The story is beautiful as always,” CND co-founder Jan Arnold adds. "The nails that the CND Design Lab team create always blow me away - and this year is one of my favorites! The Blonds FW20 show illustrates a vivid journey from ethereal, heavenly light to a dramatic, dark fantasy. The nails help to tell the story, starting with innocent soft, pastel hues that move into powerful femininity, personified with clarity and glamorous gold accents. Then the clothes, and the nails, take a dark twisted turn with a finale of snake skin patterns, charcoal-rubbed rhinestones, and “blood” suspended in a crystal clear nail. As usual, the whole production is a jaw-dropping spectacle!”

“The feeling is ethereal and radiant,” Kabuki says who winged out the eyes with chestnut pencil in the crease and under the lower lash line. Gold glitter eye shadow was layered over the pencil and a highlight of gold powder was applied in the center of the nude eyelid on top of a colorless eye primer. Interestingly, the lashes were left bare for an airy, light innocence for what Kabuki describes as a “straight from heaven” look.

Here Kevin Hughes shares the details for the fingerwaves, the most intricate of the looks:

GET THE LOOK—FINGER WAVES:

• Create either a deep side part or middle part on dry hair. Apply Moroccanoil Strong Styling Hold Gel very generously to the part line.

• Take the Moroccanoil Tail Comb and create a C shaping along the parting, the gel will act as a holding agent to keep the shape once you have worked along the entire part with the C shaping you are then going to place your middle finger on the C shaping direct the hair in the opposite direction with your fine tooth comb and pinch that ridge between your two fingers.

• Continue this moving your way down the head going in opposing directions while using a generous amount of MoroccanoilStrong Hold Gel throughout.

• Then, sculpt baby hair curls along the hair line using with Moroccanoil Strong Hold Gel and Moroccanoil Luminous Hairspray Strong into swirls and curls.

• Once all the hair is waved, apply Moroccanoil Luminous Hairspray Strong and use the Moroccanoil Professional Ceramic Blow Dryer with the diffuser attachment to dry and set the hair in place.

• PRO TIP: For added shine, use Moroccanoil Glimmer Shine at the very end for a sleek look.

FOR THE CENTER PART:

• On damp hair, use a dime size amount of Moroccanoil Treatment –or Moroccanoil Treatment Light for finer tones—to provide the perfect foundation for styling.

• Apply Moroccanoil Smoothing Lotion throughout the hair to nourish and prep strands before blow drying.

• Next, blow dry hair using the Moroccanoil Professional Tourmaline Ceramic Dryer and Moroccanoil Ceramic 55 MM Round Brush.

• Create a deep side part or center part, and spray Moroccanoil Perfect Defense throughout to protect hair before flat ironing the entire head with Moroccanoil Professional Series Titanium Iron.

• Gather all the hair into a low ponytail and secure using an elastic cord.

• Then, sculpt baby hair curls using the Moroccanoil Strong Hold Gel along the hair line into swirls and curls.

• Finish the look using Moroccanoil Luminous Hairspray Strong.

Jan Arnold chats about the nail look and her own fashion (always a highlight!):

CND's Roxanne Valinoti chats about how to turn these intricate looks into something a bit more consumer friendly:

Photo Credit: Caroline Fiss