Backstage Beauty at Sable & Minx 2009

A model has her makeup applied backstage at Sable & Minx. Photo / Nicole Saunders

When the collection is inspired by the street scenes of the groovy quarter of Marais - Sable & Minx's Theresa Brady called it Bonjour Bon Chic - then it is no wonder the face and hair has a street-with-pretty air.

Hair is massively - painfully even- backcombed in the style of the poet-girlfriends assembled in some smoky bar to discuss philosophy and politics.

The longer hair is heavily teased at the back, smoothed around the face and tied in a messy bun high or low at the crown. The classic bob is roughened and given volume, and even the short hair has energy: big, loose and romantic.

The make-up is a lesson in the romance of purple, from smoky amethyst to glowing purple.

And a lesson in playing with only one focal point of the face highlighted by the hair.

Thus, the girls with the longer hair buns have all the colour in their lips, those with short hair have colour on the eyes, the bobs on the cheeks. Clever.

The colours on both lips and cheeks is a mix of M.A.C Pro French Violet paintstick with a Madly Magenta cream colour base - rich, shimmery, and fabulous with green eyes.

The eyes are pure romance in the powdery violet pigment. Even the nails are a custom-mix of the same violet pigment in a nude nail base.

Faces are dewy, not powdery, using water based Face and Body Foundation to create a gorgeous soft sheen.

Take home tip

Play with strong colour on one focal point on the faces, it doesn't always have to be the smoky-eye-nude-lip combo. Gold bold with violet, you'll love what it does to your eyes.