The Oscars brought us a stunning night of really great hair and makeup! Most looks did not disappoint.
Best brows
The Oscar for best brows goes to Penelope Cruz, no question. Shaped but natural looking brows are in, and to get the look, fill groomed brows in with brow powder rather than a pencil. Powder gives a softer feathery appearance while a pencil can make the brow line appear sharper and very defined, says makeup artist Kimara Ahnert, owner of the Kimara Ahnert Makeup & Skincare Studio on the Upper East Side in New York City.
Oscar-worthy skin
Meryl Streep has the most gorgeous complexion — it looks like milk. Kimara says to get the look: Use a face primer for underneath foundation to even out complexion (We love Revlon), followed by a foundation for evening out skin tone. Choose a shade that matches skin tone. If shiny, set with a setting powder to set without making skin tone go darker (MAC blotting powder).
Red lips
Many of Hollywood’s hottest stars went with this classic glam look… Emma Stone, Natalie Portman, Angelina Jolie, but the best use of the red lip? Emma Stone. She got the red look right with lips and dress. She chose a red lipstick that was not too blue (blood red) but went with a fire engine red. This made her complexion glow.
Kimara says to get the look, break out the lip liner in a color that matches the lip color. For perfect even application of lip color, apply with a brush. Blot lips with a tissue and reapply another application of lip color. To set lip line, use the edge of a sponge with powder and apply along the the edge of lip line. This gives you perfect definition of lips and protects from bleeding lip color.
Sultry eye
Milla Jovovich and Sarah Hyland were among the many stars that opted for a sultry, heavily lined eye that made their peepers pop.
Says Gocha Hawkins, a celebrity makeup artist, “You will always see sexy, smoky eyes on the red carpet, as it is a classic go-to for most stars. The key is to create the perfect sultry look without going overboard and having a makeup meltdown throughout the night. I suggest using neutral tones to blend the right color for you, from browns to darker black. The best smoky eye is one that radiates warmth and goes well with the individual’s skin tone. If your skin is cool, go with grays to blacks; if it is warm, use browns to darker browns. Heavily line the top of the eye with black liner and do a small line underneath, setting with eye shadow. Add a couple coats of mascara for more of an impact. Keep other makeup minimal so that your eye will really stand out.”
Baring it all
While the bold lip and eye were stunning at the Oscars, there were a few stars that went with the minimalist look, like Jessica Chastain and Judy Greer.
As Gocha points out, “Stars really embraced their natural beauty last night, and I am always a big proponent of allowing your own stunning features to shine. The key is to create a face that looks fresh while still using makeup staples to make sure that the finish is flawless. It’s very important to moisturize with this look, as well as find a foundation that is perfect for your skin tone. Next, find a dual blush and lip product that works for you by choosing a color that is very close to your natural flush and lip color. Then, swipe some mascara over your eyelashes, and finish with a touch of liner if needed. You want to fool the world into thinking you barely needed any makeup to make yourself camera-ready.”
Hair happenings
Missi Pyle had a beautiful updo. It was soft and perfect for her face shape. “I love how the curls accentuate the dimension in her blonde,” says Ashley Stone of Beauty Entourage. Tip: When doing a curled style or updo, adding in highlights is ideal because it adds more to the style and texture.
Milla Jovovich also had a nice soft updo. The wave to the side added a hint of vintage — a very popular look this season. Melissa McCarthy also went with a soft updo but with less success. The style was meant to look tousled but fell flat. The volume wasn’t consistent.
“Michelle Williams cannot go wrong. I have always loved her and the way she dazzles on the red carpet, even with a simple pixie cut, is simply amazing,” comments Cristophe, a celebrity hair stylist.
Down styles and soft curls are always popular. This look was done beautifully by SNL‘s Kristen Wiig. Her color was stunning as well. I love a rich brown and with softer lighter pieces framing the face. “Glenn Close looked gorgeous! I love the shorter bob with the waves on her! Bobs are a hot haircut this season and is great for every age!” says Ashley Stone.
Bangs
There were a lot on the red carpet! Rooney Mara wore a classic blunt bang and a strong red lip which looked stunning and perfect for her. “Another beautiful cut and style combining the blunt bang and bob was Rose Byrne. She nailed this trend and looked beautiful in her dress,” Stone says.
More Oscar style
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Get the look: Kristen Wiig’s 2012 Oscars hair/makeup
Academy Awards: Best and worst dressed at the Oscars
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