The Top 5 Beauty Looks From The Oscars
We haven't been too impressed by the hair and makeup looks throughout this awards show season (especially the overplayed rumpled-updo-with-one-lank-piece-drooping-over-the-shoulder). But some of our favorite stars finally redeemed themselves at the ultimate ceremony last night, the Academy Awards. Many A-listers avoided the trendy traps and simply played up their best assets and looked stunning. Here are our picks for the top 5 beauty looks from the Oscars.
1. Carey Mulligan. Finally, a starlet who doesn't cover up her youthful radiance! Unlike many of her peers who age themselves with heavy makeup and strict hair, 24-year old Mulligan embraces her natural, graceful beauty. Her fresh new platinum hair color enhances her skin, and her makeup is right in tune with her age: fluttery lashes, pale pink blush, and a sheer, slightly shimmery lipcolor. With such a keen sense of what works and what doesn't, it's no wonder she's the newest darling of the fashion world.
2. Kate Winslet. Yes, she played it safe, but wow! We love her with her hair down, and the loose finger waves accentuate her glamour. The understated eye makeup with rosy cheeks and lips could have been a little too understated for the Oscars, but the addition of strong, defined brows bumps everything up a notch.
Related: The Top 9 Big-Screen Beauty Moments of the Year
3. Nicole Richie. Not many young stars can pull off '60s hair and makeup. But Richie, with her big saucer eyes, nails the Audrey Hepburn combo of a wide, high chignon and dramatic winged eye makeup. The reason it works: She keeps things balanced with a natural lip color and just a hint of blush, and her beaded, backless Reem Acra gown covers nearly every inch of skin in the front. The overall look is refined, not flashy.
4. Jennifer Lopez. By J. Lo standards, her hair and makeup is rather tame. But with such a statement-making Armani Privé dress, she didn't need to go all out. We love the ethereal peachy-pink cheeks and lips and soft smoky eye makeup, highlighted by those distinct lashes. And this is how you do a messy updo the right way-keep the shape neat and contained, but the finish wispy.
5. Charlize Theron. A gorgeous example of how to balance all the elements. Her red lips are bright, not vampy, and the rest of her makeup is clean and luminous. Even her simple updo with a deep side part manages to look sexy, by keeping the texture of her hair soft.
Photo Credit: WWD
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