Burberry Makeup Artistic Consultant Wendy Rowe talks to us about how to take the gorgeous AW15 look from runway to reality, her beauty rituals and her favourite ways to de-stress
When it comes to London Fashion Week, there are few shows more eagerly anticipated than Burberry Prorsum. With a portfolio of beauty looks that have never failed to provide us with a multitude of makeup ideas, the AW15 show certainly didn’t disappoint when it came to new season inspiration.
Developed by Burberry Makeup Artistic Consultant Wendy Rowe , under the creative direction of Chief Creative and Chief Executive Officer Christopher Bailey, the focus was on a smokey eye inspired by natural earthy tones, matched with matte nude lips and warm matte skin for the perfect balance. A look we can’t wait to recreate, we caught up with Wendy to talk about how to recreate the look, her top beauty tips, her hectic schedule and her favourite ways to unwind and stay fit.
GTG: The Burberry AW15 show was one of our favourite beauty moments from London Fashion Week. Could you talk us through your inspiration and how to recreate the look?
WR: The inspiration for the collection was patchwork, prints and patterns so we decided to build lots of different textures into the makeup using the new Eye Colour Cream eyeshadows (available from July) that are super light and easy to use.
We wanted to create a light, wearable smokey eye using a veil of colour - it was quite translucent but had depth. We took it under the eye and smudged in eyeliner in between the lashes. We used Burberry Effortless Kohl Eyeliner in Storm Green (available from August) in the water line which is really great for any eye colour as it picks out the white in the eye. We applied the Eye Colour Cream in Charcoal up to the socket line and under the eye too to create a worn-in veil of colour, dusting Eye Colour Cream in Mink over the eye socket to create a slight iridescence.
We kept the skin quite cashmere in texture and used the new Burberry Kisses Lipstick in Nude Beige No.1 (available from August) on the lips. We used one layer to allow the natural colour of the lips to come through in a slightly matte way.
GTG: On set and backstage, how do you keep a calm head when things get particularly stressful?
WR: It’s really weird because when I’m doing makeup, I kind of zone out. It’s a bit like when you’re painting or gardening or exercising - you just forget everything else. It’s a creative process I suppose and nothing else gets in the way unless someone distracts you and kills your flow! When I’m in my zone, I don’t really hear much around me and my focus is aimed solely on my subject rather than what’s going on in the background. Everything else becomes a bit of a blur.
GTG: How do you give your day the best possible start?
WR: I wake up with a coconut water in the mornings. It’s great for rehydration and flushing out your system. When I’m in New York, I go to Organic Avenue and when I’m in London, my favourite is Roots and Bulbs which is really well-priced too.
I also drink Skinade , a collagen drink containing vitamins for your skin. As you age, you produce less collagen and it’s a great way to put it back in and help maintain its elasticity. It tastes like mango juice and comes in travel packs too which is handy for when I’m travelling. Just make sure you have something to eat first because vitamins on an empty stomach aren’t the best and can sometimes make you feel queasy.
GTG: What are your morning beauty rituals?
WR: I just wash my face with water, use toner and moisturise. I then apply Burberry Fresh Glow BB Cream , £30 which is so easy and quick and makes my skin just look really healthy, like I haven’t done anything. I then use a bit of Burberry Sheer Concealer , £26 on the parts of my face where I need a bit more coverage. Then I just curl my eyelashes - I’m a bit lazy when it comes to me!
GTG: What are the most important things that you do for yourself during the day? How do you prioritise time for yourself?
WR: I like to have everything in my head and my agent and my assistant are great at telling me what I’m doing and manage my time well. If I have the day off, I normally go to a class like yoga or Gyrotonic, or if I’m in New York, Body By Simone . I love that class - it’s one of the reasons why I like being in New York so much! It’s a dance class that makes you feel really good. Anything cardiovascular is great for the skin and mental attitude too.
I try to workout out in the mornings, that’s a necessity because after I’ve been to work I don’t have the energy to do it. I get up, get myself together and head out. Even if it’s really hard, I feel so much better afterwards and it’s only an hour out of the day.
I also try to meditate for half an hour each day. Sometimes it doesn’t happen despite my best intentions, but when I do, I feel really positive. It’s good for me in order to feel clear and positive about the next day.
GTG: What are your tricks for turning a bad day good?
WR: Music. If I’m feeling down or having a rubbish day, I’ll listen to music that is quite up, quite cheesy and quite fun! There are certain songs that make me feel really lively and cause me to start singing along too. I think it’s good for soul.
GTG: What are your favourites to listen to?
WR: I go through different moments. I like Rather Be for summer by Clean Bandit and just before Christmas, I was listening to Taylor Swift Shake It Off a lot. At the moment, I’ve been listening to Uptown Funk but it could be anything that makes me feel up - old school Michael Jackson, something that I can’t sit down to.
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GTG: Do you have any guilty pleasures?
WR: Pizza. I always say, “No I won’t have it or if I do, I’ll put lots of rocket on it!” But pizza, definitely. I do like sponge cakes and a cup of tea too. It’s an afternoon English thing. At Burberry HQ, they now have biscuits and tea - that combination is always quite comforting to me.
Wendy Rowe
GTG: What are your night time beauty rituals?
WR: I always cleanse and take off all my makeup no matter how tired I am. I cleanse using a cream cleanser, apply a mild toner and sometimes use a night cream or an oil.
My favourite cream cleanser is by Joelle Ciocco. I use all of their skin products on me as I know they work and change them depending on where I am environmentally to match the different climates I'm in.
GTG: How do you switch off at the end of a busy day? What are your favourite ways to unwind?
WR: Normally, watching TV. I like anything to do with property or programmes like Big Brother to see how people react to certain things.
I like watching Grand Designs and Location, Location, Location in particular. Other than that though, I like to watch a lot of crap TV too! Something you don’t have to think about, or a film. Whiplash was really good, as was Map To The Stars, The Theory Of Everything and American Sniper for something a little bit different.
I’m also a big fan of Dinner Date and Come Dine With Me!
New limited edition shades have been introduced to the Burberry Nail Polish collection, inspired by the Autumn/Winter 2015 runway accessories and ready-to-wear. A three-piece nail polish set , £45 featuring hues of Cadet Green, Khaki Green and Poppy Black is available to purchase from Burberry.com until the 9th of March.
Also keep an eye out for the urban chic Burberry limited edition Shadow Palette which is out in August - it’s a collector’s makeup must-have.
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