The Academy Awards red carpet, the last of a big season for Hollywood is always one to watch for total fashion and beauty inspiration.
While many of us may not be able to re-create those fabulous gowns due to the hefty price tags, we are very capable of styling up some of those fab beauty looks.
Bold lips, golden/bronze eyes and soft waves were all a hit and no, I’m not talking about Halle Berry’s huge hair!
Looks were all easy to replicate into our daily lives with no major out-there moments, but instead very realistic skin, with lived in smokey eyes, topped with that polished Hollywood look we all love and aspire to.
The Oscars this year may have ended controversially, but it started fabulously!
Here is my top 3 Beauty Looks of the night:
1. Emma Stone: The Lower Metallic Lashline Smoke
WHAT: I love everything about this look. The Tones all marry together beautifully, there is a great balance between Matte Vs Sheen and the lip is such a focus, but doesn’t take away from the eyes, which are applied perfectly.
WHY: The smokey eye is nothing new and we know now that you don’t have to only use granite and charcoal shades, as any shades work, it’s the smokey blend that needs to be perfect, no start and finish points, just a perfect fade of dark to light.
We think so much about our upper mobile eyelids and socket area with smoke eyes, but the lower lash line can be just as important and such a feature when the upper lid is more matte for sculpting and the lower a slightly brighter colour, or when a metallic shade is used.
HOW: Use a matte base tone (in this case a bronzer would be perfect) over the mobile eyelid and lower lash lines – almost a stencil to show the final shape.
Use your depth choices on upper lash line and keep more matte on the outer eye.
Then to change it up, use a similar shade in a metallic on lower lash line, don’t be afraid to apply a little thicker than normal and smudged it in – This is great for puffy under eyes as by shading the lower lash line, it cuts away and recedes the puff.
Try Charlotte Tilbury Colour Chameleon Eye Pencil in Amber Haze on your lash line for this look. RRP $37
2. Nicole Kidman: The Hollywood Red Lip
WHAT: Nicole has that famous porcelain skin, beautiful, yet so many shades would not work for her. Being so fair and with a pale gown, her face still has colour and life to really lift the entire look.
WHY: Traditionally the blue-based red that Nicole is sporting is very Hollywood, known as a true red. If someone though has a lot of natural redness in their skin, this shade can throw off more redness within their akin and a warmer red is suggested.
Here though, with Nicole’s amazing skin, it is the perfect shade to pop the light colour palette, which could of looked quite flat if a less bold shade had of been chosen.
HOW: When wearing red lipstick, always choose based on what your skin is telling you. If you have a natural flush or redness within your skin tone, always choose a summery/warm red, if not, or if your skin tone needs lifting, go the traditional blue base red.
Red lipstick is best worn with neutral shades of fashion like golds, silvers, blacks and eye makeup doesn’t need to be as defined or a feature, otherwise it will cause an in-balance. Always have one focus on the face!
Try the Rimmel The Only 1 Matte Lipstick in shade Take The Stage!
3. Janelle Monae: Highlight and Shade
WHAT: I love the use of highlight and shade with Janelle’s look.
It has been used in all areas of the face and gives such glam, but all using natural tones, so she doesn’t appear overly made up, just very sculpted giving great lift.
WHY: Remember that Highlight and shade can be used with any and every shade decision you make on the face, from cheek colour, to lips, eyes and of course the famous contoured cheekbones.
Any shade deep in colour, and/or matte can be classed as a shade tone which will recede and cut away areas of the face, creating hollows.
A Highlight shade is something brighter and/or lighter than your skin or the shade tone used, and also could be metallic. Its main purpose is to reflect light to bring an area forward, making it a feature.
HOW: In this case we have a deeper skin tone, so the main focus is to add light on the facial areas to create light pop points.
Add light on top of your cheekbones, light on the centre of the bottom lip, crest if the top lip, middle of mobile eyelid and through the centre of the nose, up to between the brows.
Try the M.A.C QuickTrik Sticks for natural and blend-able highlight and shade in these areas- perfect for eyes, lips and skin. RRP $54
Follow Michael Brown: Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram
