The first of MAC’s Spring/Summer 2012 Trends is Ath-Elite – an athletic yet chic look. It’s a near to naked but not raw look. “This is a beautiful, glowing, no make-up look with a more sporty and real feel to it than we’ve seen in the past: there’s definitely nothing relevant about a full coverage base this season ,” confirms Diane Kendal, doyenne of an “apparently effortless” nude look. “Take a heavy foundation and add all these wet highlights and it all goes into ‘alien’ territory,” agrees Sam Bryant. “You want base to look perfect but still very sheer and youthful.”

How to achieve it? “It’s all about what you put underneath or on top of a foundation now,” explains Terry Barber. “Priming it, spritzing it, buffing it, moisturizing it, massaging it to give it a super hydrated feel.”

Highlights and gloss are back in a big way too. “We’re quasi not powdering at all this season….or if we are, the effect is still utterly about sporty, plump skin,” says Lyne Desnoyers.

These are some Ath-elite Trend looks which have been created by make-up artists who need no introduction for the Spring/Summer 2012 Fashion Shows in New York/London/Paris/Milan using MAC Cosmetics.

Designer : Alberta Ferretti

Makeup Artist : Diane Kendal

Eye

Blacktrack Fluidline – a thin. delicate line is drawn above curled upper lashes

Silver Dusk Iridiscent Powder/Loose – highlights the inner corner of the eyes

Brows are shaded with a masculine touch, straight with natural edges

Lip

Double Spin Lipstick – blended over the entire lip

Face

Studio Finish SPF 35 Concealer – applied as needed over hydrated skin for a very natural finish

M.A.C PRO Sculpt Sculpting Powder PRO Palette – blended under cheekbones for a soft contour

Immortal Flower Powder Blush (Tres Cheek Collection available April) – lightly blended over cheekbones and temples

Lovecloud  Powder Blush  (Tres Cheek Collection available April) – blended over the apples of cheeks

Silver Dusk Iridiscent Powder/Loose – applied over the apples of cheeks, down bridge of nose and bow of lip to highlight

 

Designer : Altuzarra

Makeup Artist : Tom Pecheux

 

Eye

Smolder Eye Kohl and Carbon Small Eye Shadow – layered and used with 266 brush to shaper and define a very strong and feminine eyebrow

M.A.C PRO Gloss Texture Story – lightly applied with 252 Large Shader Brush over the eyelids for a dewy finish

Lip

Hydrated and natural

Face

Select Cover-Up Concealer – applied to even skintone and create a flawless effect

Select Sheer/Loose Powder – pressed into skin with 150 Brush to set and provide a clean, matte finish

Designer : Chloé

Makeup Artist : Lucia Pieroni

 

Eye

Groundwork (for blondes) and Constructivist (for brunettes) Paint Pot – used to create a shadow around eyes. Intensified through the lashline and blended outwards to disappear into skin

Lofty Brown Zoom Lash (for blondes) and Plushblack (for brunettes)

Plush Lash Mascara – lightly defines both upper and lower lashes

Lip

Fresh Brew, Myth and M.A.C Store/Pro Patisserie Lipstick – mixed together and blended over lips for a healthy, nude lip

Face

Face and Body Foundation – applied over the entire face as a sheer veil for a natural finish to skin

Fusion Gold Metal-X Cream Eye Shadow – blended over the temples, upper cheekbones, bridge of nose and Cupid’s bow with fingers for a sheer, glowing highlight

Medium Deep Mineralize Skinfinish/Natural – lightly buffed over cheeks

Designer : Damir Doma

Makeup Artist : Carole Colombani

Eye

M.A.C PRO Shine Mixing Medium – blended over eyelids. Lashes are curled

Lip

Lip Conditioner SPF 15 – conditions and perfects lip with a natural finish

Face

Complete Comfort Creme – massaged into skin to hydrate and prepare

Select Moisturecover – applied only where needed for a natural finish

Pearl Cream Colour Base – buffed over cheekbones with fingertips and 224 Tapered Blending Brush

M.A.C PRO Shine Mixing Medium – applied over Pearl Cream Colour Base for a dewy effect

Prep + Prime Transparent Finishing Powder – applied only where needed through the centre of the face

 

Designer : Kanye West

Makeup Artist : Val Garland

Eye

M.A.C PRO Black Creme Liner – applied above lashes and smudged through with 219 Pencil Brush. Then once again re-applied to deifne the eye with a ‘flick,’ dramatically lifting lashes upwards to lift and elongate

33 Lash – applied on the outer corners of the upper lashes

Coal Black PRO Lash – defines the lashes

Shell Cream Colour Base – applied through the inner corners of eyes to highlight

Lip

Myth Lipstick – blended over the entire lip for a pale nude

Woo Me Kissable Lipcolour (from Shop MAC Cook MAC Collection) – layered over Myth to finish the lips

Face

Studio Moisture Cream – hydrates and prepares skin

Srudio Sculpt SPF 15 Foundation – buffed into skin using 188 Small Duo Fibre Face Brush to perfect

Prep + Prime Transparent Finishing Powder – to set and polish

Mineralize Skinfinish/Natural – blended under cheekbones to contour with 168 Large Angled Contour Brush

Shell Cream Colour Base – blended above cheeks to highlight

Note : All images provided by MAC Malaysia PR and information regarding the trends and looks have been derived from MAC’s Spring/Summer 2012 Trends Book.