Days and weeks before editors pile high backstage to get a first glimpse of a designer's collection, an intimate group gathers at the designer's showroom to test how the beauty look works with the collection. This meeting, called a model test, includes the designer, key makeup artist, key hairstylist, a model and a stylist. And this season, Beauty Blitz. Here's an intimate look at how the Carmen Marc Valvo fall 2013 look was born.

Carmen's team reviews test shots of models for the show. The collection, inspired by Edgar Allan Poe, features patent leather paillettes reminiscent of piano keys, laser-cut leather and sequins. Oh, and some pink fur. (#swoon)

James Boehmer, the show's key makeup artist and Director of Global Artistry for NARS, unpacks a gigantic suitcase filled with products, palettes and tools. From this colorful display, he culls inspiration and selects the show's textures, finishes and hues.

"The skin is very luminous. Slightly haunted, but in a pretty way," James says, while prepping model Taylor Foster-Allen's face. He smoothes a mixture of NARS Skin Aqua Gel Luminous Face Moisturizer and NARS Skin Luminous Moisture Cream onto her skin. The combo gives her face James' desired balace of luminosity for the runway.

James uses his fingers as a tool for most things. He swipes Multiple in Copacabana and Maldives over Taylor's lids. Then he rims her eyes with a combination of pencils and smudges a bit of Black Valley Eye Paint (available in September 2013) along the lashine. "We don't want it to look too perfect." Then he dusts a combination of neutral hues onto her lids (Alhambra, at left, contains a metallic rose and golden beige). By pulling up on Taylor's brow, James gets better access to the socket and can apply mascara (Larger Than Life Volumizing Mascara) close to the base of her lashes without poking her in the eye. He gives lids a glossy wetness by smearing on a dab of Smith Rosebud Salve.

James adds sheen to the face by patting, smoothing and blending NARS The Multiple in Copacabana and Maldives on the high points (nose bridge, cheekbones, browbone).

The saturated red lip is a combination of NARS Belle du Jour Velvet Matte Lip Pencil (beigey nude),Salsa Lip Liner Pencil (plum brown), Madère Pure Matte Lipstick and Lumxembourg Satin Lip Pencil (new vivid magenta shade debuting in March).

Hairstylist Ted Gibson and his senior stylist Devin Toth of the Ted Gibson Beauty decide to create a "Baroque Punk" look to jive with Carmen's collection. They gel Taylor's hair back using a combination of Ted Gibson Tame It Shine Lotion and Fix It Gel to create a textured, rock'n'roll vibe. Carmen watches the process while sipping a glass of wine. "This is so mesmerizing, I feel like I just had a massage," he says. 

Moment of beauty suspense! Carmen thinks the hair needs a little extra something. Ted takes a secret stash of hair color chalk out of his kit and (in a completely unplanned move), rubs fuchsia tint onto the bottom of a weft of Taylor's ginger mane. The crowd goes wild.

"How are you going to prevent getting it on the clothes," I ask Ted. "I don't know yet," he answers. (Side note: How much do you love this man?).On the day of the show, the Ted Gibson hair team seals in hair chalk with Ted Gibson Beautiful Hold Hairspray.

Now that the beauty look is approved, Taylor tries on a dress from Carmen's collection and walks up and down the hallway to show how the fabric moves, how the light hits her hair and makeup, how it all flows together like a composition. Everyone nods approvingly. But wait, one thing.

Now that there's a t ouch of hot pink in the hair, the lip hue looks a bit severe. James stokes on a rich magenta hue (Luxembourg Satin Lip Pencil, available in March), to enliven the lips. Carmen and James discuss how the lip hue will read under bright lights of the runway.

"These are like an updated Mary Jane," said Carmen's stylist. "The bow on the back makes it a little bit Baroque." The NARS team finalizes a face chart that will be referenced by the backstage makeup team and beauty editors.

It's show time!

Bravo!

This, kids, is how beauty and fashion history are made.