Backstage Beauty: Sportmax Autumn/Winter 2012

Backstage Beauty: Sportmax Autumn/Winter 2012
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"All about the brows" at Sportmax. Photo:Getty

"Today we're creating what I like to call 'urban sports knots'," said hairstylist Paul Hanlon backstage at Sportmax.

With Sportmax having requested for the heads to be 'small' and 'minimal' so as not to detract from the high-necklines, Paul and his team set about creating a compact updo - but one which reflected the youthful, effortless attitude of the Sportmax girl (she is after all, MaxMara's younger, slightly more fun sister.)

So instead of slick ballerina buns or chic chignons, we had dishevelled none-too-perfect twists with the ends slightly fanning out, slick and wet-look at the front, dried and spiky at the back. "I want it to look as though the girls could have done it themselves," he added. "Like maybe they've just come from the gym and just thrown their hair up quickly, but it's still a bit wet."

And the products? The look was created using Tigi Bedhead curling mousse which was run through the hair with fingers (no brushes used at all) for texture, followed by Bumble & Bumble Styling Spray to slick down the front, and L'Oreal Elnett hairspray to set.

For the beauty look, Charlotte Tilbury was heavily inspired by Peter Lindberg. "It's a very masculine beauty," she explained. "It's all about the brows - they are after all, the pillars of the face."

Gelled up, thickened boyish eyebrows were combined with minimal skin, contouring under the cheekbones and a gloss-texture cream over the eyelids - no mascara - all topped off with a strong "naughty red lip". (Which FYI, was Mac Lipstick in Brave red - a colour we're now rushing off to buy.)

More from the Sportmax collection below: