Black Liner: The Beauty Product That Transcends All Barriers

Just in time for the weekend, Versace and Giamba provided the world with two very different ways to wear classic black liner—perhaps one more geared toward girls with a wild side, and the other for the bona fide bombshell.

Giambattista Valli told Style.com’s Tim Blanks that he wanted to “inspire” his younger clientele this season, and he certainly delivered with face tattoos freehanded by makeup artist Val Garland. The pro had her team scour the Internet for traditional symbols (such as the ankh) and some less mainstream options (like Cara Delevingne’s “Bacon” ink). “We are thinking cult Cara Delevingne: It’s about young girls that are fresh, cool, and want to have fun,” said Garland. “They’re a little rebellious, so they may have a tattoo. Why not?” No needles were employed backstage; instead, the face painter used a skinny brush and MAC’s Acrylic Paint in red, black, and silver to temporarily adorn models’ complexions and hands with crescent moons, dots, arrows, and graphic starbursts that were more saucy than saccharine. (We think a liquid liner pen would also work in a pinch.) In addition to these “little, fun gestures” reminiscent of rule-breakers like Marianne Faithfull and Kate Moss, there was lots of “mucky” mascara, and black pencil rimmed inside the eye, plus a touch of peach blush for sweetness. Paul Hanlon completed the Coachella-worthy look with randomly placed bitty braids and a slightly larger plait pulled to one side.

Later in the day, Donatella’s high-octane woman reigned with black kohl wrapped around the inner waterline—a beauty trick that gives you a “tough, sharper look and brings out the color of your eyes,” explained maquillage maestro Pat McGrath. “It’s a very daring and powerful woman—fearless Versace.” To lend a “natural depth” to eyes, lids were left foundation-free, allowing the color to poke through a thin layer of Elizabeth Arden Eight Hour Cream. “Donatella liked that the black bled a little bit so it’s not so perfect,” she added. We imagine a Fortune 500 executive letting down her hair, wielding a liner pencil, and adding a few additional coats of mascara at the office before taking her power suit and stilettos out on the town.

But even if you don’t have the budget of someone who leads in the boardroom, capitalizing on the current beauty trends still can be in the cards (as you likely have a black pencil or liquid liner in your arsenal). Perhaps Valli said it best: “They may not be able to afford the clothes, but they can go and do the look, with the layered leggings and the face tattoos.” This is true, but we wouldn’t say no to a cutout dress or a lace shift topped by a naughty black harness.

—Amber Kallor, Style.com