When you’re talking about the eye-watering extravagance of haute couture, it could be easy for the beauty to be overshadowed. So for the shows, the world’s greatest make-up artists push themselves to create truly memorable, often theatrical looks.

This is their chance to push the boundaries of their medium, using every powder, paint and jewel they can lay their hands on and delving deep into their imaginations to give the models the most exquisitely decorated eyes, lips, skin and hair possible. 

The most over-the-top make-up has always been found on the Dior catwalk – during John Galliano’s time models sported increasingly outlandish painted faces and teetering confections of hair with references to everything from Kabuki theatre to clowns. Raf Simons and his team have taken things in a new direction and the make-up has been simpler, but no less dramatic.

Pat McGrath encrusted lips with sparkling Swarovski crystals and gave models’ brows a dusting of gold powder for Spring 2013, while Raf’s debut couture show featured lime green eyes and fluorescent pink lips. This week we saw metallic mouths and delicately frosted eyes for Autumn/Winter 2013.

Jean Paul Gaultier has always shown creative make-up (who could forget his controversial 2012 tribute to Amy Winehouse?), and you never know what you’re going to get at Chanel either – last season Cara and co. sported feathery black mesh lashes and frosted pink lips. 

Click through the gallery to see the most iconic beauty looks from the haute couture shows