There had been rumours swirling about it for months, and now it’s official: Prada Beauty is here. The Italian fashion house has become the latest luxury brand to make a foray into the world of makeup, while also reviving their skincare line. And there’s no need to wait to get your hands on the range, as it launches in Harrods and Selfridges today. Here’s everything you need to know about this summer’s hottest new beauty launch.Â
Created by Global Creative Makeup Artist Lynsey Alexander, Prada Beauty has launched with a sizeable collection, guaranteed to appeal to a wide range of beauty fans. There are 26 Monochrome lipsticks to choose from, six Dimensions eyeshadow palettes, 33 shades of Reveal foundation and a lip balm in Prada’s signature mint green hue, as well as an edit of ten brushes and tools, each of which has been given the Miuccia Prada seal of approval. As for the beautifully designed, sci fi-inspired chrome packaging, most of it is refillable, in keeping with the range’s eco-conscious approach.
As you might expect from Prada, the element that stands out most in the makeup range is the bold use of colour, particularly in the eyeshadow palettes, which were all inspired by classic Prada prints from the archives. Each palette is made up of four colours – three relatively neutral shades and one rebelliously bright hue, such as canary yellow, fire engine red or vivid purple. The combination perfectly encapsulates Miuccia Prada’s famous ‘ugly-chic’ ethos, taking something inherently beautiful and subverting it with something deemed ugly.
In a somewhat unusual choice for a beauty brand, every single one of the lipsticks in the range is matte. Alexander has said this decision was grounded in practicality, as it was important to her and the team that the lipsticks stayed put for as long as possible. They do, however, come in two different formats: hyper matte and a slightly more subtle soft matte. For maximum vibrancy each colour was formulated using only three pigments, while most lipsticks usually blend more than ten.
The forward-thinking Prada Beauty range has been designed to fuse the worlds of creativity and technology, with a digital approach that sets it apart from other brands on the market. Alexander developed the makeup line in collaboration with renowned digital artist Ines Alpha, who combines the real and the virtual to build a new future within the beauty space.Â
Alpha created Prada avatars in a wide variety of different skin tones, which Alexander would then road test various shades on. The duo were granted access to Prada’s vault of 27,000 fabrics and prints, which they used to inspire the colours used in the range and to make sure the brand’s beauty and fashion offerings were aligned. “Everything was sent to me in terms of Saffiano leather textures, nylon swatches of fabric, archive prints,” Alexander said of the creation process. “I basically turned my house into a sort of Prada catalogue.” With Alpha working with pixels and Alexander with pigments, they were able to create something truly unique.
The skincare offering, meanwhile, is just as cutting-edge. Made up of a cream, a serum and a cleanser, the Prada Skin range uses eco-conscious formulations and the brand’s signature ‘Adapto.gn Smart Technology’ to help skin adapt to the ever-changing environment. Formulated using a variety of adaptogens, each of the formulas is made from a family of 15 rare plants that have existed for over 400 million years, chosen for their ability to withstand extreme conditions.Â
The brand’s patented ‘Smart Technology’ is then combined with active ingredients like proxylane, hyaluronic acid, vitamin C and ceramides to help enhance and reinforce the skin barrier. You’ll find skincare elements in the makeup range too, with IRL(In-Real-Life)-micro-filter™ technology used to diffuse light and improve radiance, and Smart Tech-Xtures™ incorporated to ensure eyeshadows and lipsticks are blendable, breathable and durable.
With such a cutting-edge range, it’s hardly surprising that sustainability also plays a key factor in the collection. The refillable packaging has been specifically created to be kinder to the environment, with the design on the Augmented Skin Cream allowing for 86% less packaging use, compared to repurchasing a full new product. That’s not to say there aren’t still plenty of luxury touches here though, with Saffiano leather-inspired finishes on the lipstick cases and pastel green lid interiors adding that undeniable Prada finesse. If this is the future of beauty, we’re very much here for it.Â
Prada Beauty is available in Harrods and Selfridges now
