JOSSELIN DOES BACKSTAGE FASHION WEEK LONDON

– Sniffing around at Preen –

Backstage visits are always fun. It's where you always see the first looks, have time to examine everything in detail, and you can just pull the models and make-up artist right away to ask them about the dress, in this case, the Preen dress. So I was with M.A.C Cosmetics backstage at Preen in London, which wasn't too bad. That I had to leave my bed at a quarter to six for that wasn't either.

Okay, I admit; there was some sleep in my eyes and I had a bit of trouble rolling out of bed after the concert of bestie Ellie and the accompanying cocktails, but when you stand next to London Bridge at half past six in the morning with a matching morning sun, you know you're in the right place. And when the models trickle in with still some sleep in their eyes, everything is perfectly balanced.

Were it not that they get a little make-up on their pretty faces and I still hadn't magically gotten rid of the bags under my eyes after 17 Touche Éclats.

All good. Backstage it was all quite relaxed. No stress, no fuss, just beauty. I ran into Dutch glory Julia van Os with her slender figure, and she was also doing great at Preen. Of course, I was curious about the looks at the shows, so I mostly sniffed around the make-up artists of Preen. Val Garland was the backstage beauty queen of M.A.C Cosmetics and she wanted to create an incredibly nice and flawless look.

Nothing exciting, but it had to have a very natural effect. Very light, but a well-done version. Now you should know that a natural look is the hardest to create, it's basically just art, and so ultra-thin foundations and good brow pencils from M.A.C Cosmetics are essential. For this look, Val used Mineralize Charged Water and Face + Body Foundation, the Penultimate Brow Maker, and on the cheeks a mix of two lipstick colors. On the lips, just a prep and a prime balm for a nice shine. So it was definitely natural, and the girls looked like they had just rolled out of the gym, they looked so happy and healthy. And since they were already a bit warmed up, they were ready for the rehearsal that I just got to catch a glimpse of.

Curious? Take a look at the video below. It feels like you've been in my pocket and experienced all of this up close. And remember the look. You really don't have to get out of bed at seven to go for a run, you can achieve that healthy glow just in front of the mirror.