For seasons now, backstage make-up artists have been skipping mascara. Occurring in tandem with the ‘skinny hair’ trend, there’s something about a chunky lash that now seems rather gauche. The naked lash by contrast, is the antidote to fake lashes, fake hair extensions and general beauty falsehood. The pared-back, fragility of mascara-free eyes has come to denote something cool, modern and innately chic.

So how have we real women responded? Well, by large we've ignored the mascara free trend. Because going out without mascara makes most (non model) civilian women look like their eyes have gone missing without leave. Without the immediate perking ability of fat, black lashes, we just look plain knackered.

But there is hope. Because Milan fashion week has seen a schism on the mascara debate. The make-up powers have decreed that either we must follow their Autumn/Winter 2014 tricks to letting our lashes go naked, or we must layer. Layer and layer our mascara until our lashes are so thick and heavy, keeping our eyes open feels like an exercise in weightlifting. All or nothing – it's your choice.

Cloggy, clumpy and fully-loaded
‘The more mascara the better’. This is the mantra Ports 1961, Gucci, Prada and Versace are following hook, line and sinker this season. The eyelash aesthetics that have been cleverly crafted backstage really are a sight to behold. Gucci even took to doubling up on false lashes - one set on the top and another on the bottom. How very Twiggy-esque.

Prada’s dancers on the other hand celebrated cloggy, black lashes - thanks to the skilful hands of make-up supremo Pat McGrath and her magical MAC mascara wand.

Then came the turn of Versace last night. A true double whammy by Pat McGrath, who delicately applied two (yes, two) sets of lashes to each and every model. 

The naked camp
As vulnerable and breakable as dragonfly wings, the lashes at Blumarine, Moschino and Roberto Cavalli ventured forth without the armour-like protection of mascara. Each offered a nifty means to make the look work – without looking like you’ve spent a lifetime suffering from chronic insomnia.

At this morning’s Roberto Cavalli show, Diane Kendal made mascara-less living wearable by layering MAC Coffee Pencil and Chromagraphic Pencil in Black Black then smudging it out in a square-ish shape that ‘felt more modern than a feline flick’. She skipped mascara – yet the Autumn/Winter 14 Cavalli woman still retained her characteristic sex appeal.

Tom Pecheux listened to the designers’ desire for a no-make-up, make-up look at Blumarine. Then appeased them by skipping mascara – but sneaking in an ultra skinny eyeliner, top and bottom, to bring eyes out of their sleepless shell.

Lucia Pieroni’s tomboy faces at Moschino adopted shine on the eyelid via a swipe of MAC’s Pearl Cream Colour Base to give a hint of ‘something’ when there was no mascara to speak of. But frankly, when your kitten heels look like MacDonald’s chip buckets, no one will care whether your eyes are present are not.