Ah, the Oscar night: an institution of beauty, a game-changer of fashion at its highest definition.
If you’re lucky enough to be on THE red carpet (and most likely either low-keyed judged or envied by the rest of the world) and to sport some amazing dress, you’ve also a good chance of making it to history of fashion — and of women empowerment, as the TimesUp Movement recalls us every day with a fierce and strong voice that fills us with pride.
But for now, let’s scratch merely the surface of what means to be a woman on the red carpet: you’re already an icon but, in that moment, you can really be remembered for the years to come.
Take Grace Kelly and Audrey Hepburn, Angelina Jolie and Jennifer Lawrence: all their happy (who wouldn’t be, at the Dolby Theatre?) and famous selves have served as aces in the ever-changing game of fashion and beauty.
However, ça va sans dire, a jaw-dropping gown is nothing without an equally jaw-dropping, or at least balanced, makeup look.
But preparing the divas (and the divos as well, as Fenty Beauty x Daniel Kaluuya reminds us) for the spotlight is no easy thing, and the very best ones are called to perform this difficult task.
Who’s beyond that magic, created with powders, cream, makeup brushes and falsies to spare? And what are the steps that created some of the faces that we oh so loved at the Dolby Theatre on the 4th of March?
We got a little insight of what took to prepare a few celebs for the big night: from the Glossier new eyeshadows to a cooling and meticulous skincare routine, here’s a bunch of things you should be prepared for if you intend to step on the Oscar’s Red Carpet anytime soon.
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Oscars 2018 Beauty
FIONA STILES – TWO AMAZING LOOKS
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As all the beauty addicts know, Fiona Stiles is a huge name in the industry.
For the Vanity Fair Oscars Party she created not one, but two amazing looks, teaming up with the widely known technology-oriented Cover FX, which just launched a brand new foundation that worked as key of the look, for actress Gabrielle Union-Wade and Lady Bird’s Odeya Rush.
Gabrielle Union Wade Look
In the center of the face, Fiona applied the new Cover FX Power Play Foundation in N80 and shade P125 to contour and followed dabbing Cream Concealer under the eyes. She says the foundation is perfect for a long night of celebrating and being photographed, thanks to its staying power and a beautiful blurring effect.
Gabrielle had an incredible skin at the Vanity Fair Oscars Party: flawless, gloriously glowing but never shiny. For Blush and highlight, Fiona used respectively Enhance Click in Candlelight and Berry, on the cheekbones and apple of the cheeks, and a few of drops of Custom Enhancer Drops in Rose Gold and Candlelight boosted the glow.
The eyes had a tiny kitten flick along the lashline, achieved with Surratt Beauty Autographique Liquid Liner, while the lid was covered with soft and neutral colors. Fiona used Shimmer Veil in Moonstone all over the lid and a neutral smoke in the crease and under the eye to elongate its shape, thanks to Makeup Forever.
The eyes were further dramatized with a touch of mascara, both on top and bottom lashes, by Charlotte Tilbury, as Gabrielle’s thin and defined brows were filled in a bit with Hourglass Arch Brow Sculpting Pencil in Dark Brunette.
For the lipstick, it was chosen a lovely shade of nude with the Enhance Click in Berry, applied all over the lips and followed by Charlotte Tilbury Lip Cheat in Foxy Brown. It went great with her powder-pink dress.
And, for the finishing touches, Fiona set the look with Cover FX Perfect Setting Powder- “this is perfect for red carpet as the talc-free formula doesn’t give any flashback” — and for enhancing the glow, she dropped a few more Custom Enhancer Drops in Candlelight with Beautycounter Body Lotion for an all-over glow.
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THE LOOK
Odeya Rush Look
As for the previous look, the shining star was the new launch at Cover FX Maison: the brand new Power Play Foundation, here used in the shade N50, followed by the Cover FX Cream Concealer under the eyes in Golden Medium and Neutral Light. Then, it was time to contour: for this, Fiona used two of her favorites, Charlotte Tilbury Hollywood Contour Wand in Light-Medium and Chanel in Les Beiges 30. The glow was given by Custom Enhancer Drops in Blossom, a soft pearly pink.
For a touch of blush, then, it was powdered and blended Surratt Artistique Blush in the shade Tu Me Fais Rougir (nome omen, as they say).
The eyes, then, were one of the key points of Odeya’s look. Fiona began by wishing a wash of seafoam from Dior 5 Couleurs Eyeshadow in Electrify all over the lid, creating the base for the grey-blue eye look. To create the pearlescent, almost wet, effect, it was followed with Cover FX Shimmer Veil in Halo in the center of the lid, while the corners of the eyes were filled in with a mixture of Cover FX Glitter Drops in Aurora and Custom Enhancer Drops in the soft pearly Celestial.
For an even more electric gaze, further stressing the contrast between the yellow of the dress and the light color of Odeya’s eyes, it was swiped the Maybelline Lash Discovery Waterproof mascara in Black, while the brows were filled in with Anastasia Beverly Hills Brow Powder Duo in Brunette/Dark Brown and set with the Brow Gel in Clear.
The lips were a lovely nude, achieved with Lano 101 Ointment and Givenchy Le Rouge Lipstick in Beige Plume, to create the perfect, but subtle, pout.
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THE LOOK
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Oscars 2018 Beauty
MOLLY R. STERN — THE MAYA RUDOLPH LOOK
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“In honor of tonight’s 90th academy awards ceremony I was so inspired and excited to work with Maya Rudolph who’s work and fashion style are both eclectic and always on point. Wearing a Couture Valentino trouser gown I wanted her look to be fresh and glistening and modern.” — Molly R. Stern, Inspiration
The night of the Oscars is long, shiny and filled with glorious celebrating -therefore, one must be prepared.
To start, Molly refreshed Maya’s skin with an energizing spray of Glossier Soothing Face Mist. Next, she massaged in a few drops of Natura Bisse Vitamin C+C Complex Serum and Moisturizer to quench and enhance her skin’s moisture for a glowing and healthy base to build upon. To even her complexion, Molly then sparingly applied a sheer application of Chantecaille Future skin foundation in Shea to create a flawless, warm skin tone.
Then, it was time for the cheeks: Molly enhanced the hollows of the cheek using Chanel Soleil Tan Bronzing Makeup Base and then added a pop of color, a soft peach, with Glossier Cloud Paint in Beam. To highlight her cheekbones, she then used Glossier Haloscope in Topaz and finished with a swipe of NARS powder blush in Impudique.
First, then, the brows: the actress’ eyebrows were combed with Glossier Boy Brow in Brown.
For her eyes, Molly used the Glossier Lidstar in Cub on the lid, making the new Glossier eyeshadow protagonist of the look. On Maya’s lower lash she applied softly a touch of NARS eyeshadow in Bengalia. The lashes were curled with a Shu Uemura lash curler and then strengthened and volumized with several coats of Diorshow Mascara in Black, for a feathered and luscious finish.
Then, Maya’s lipstick was the finishing touch: red, but with a subtle warm orange, winking to the dress. To achieve them, Molly used a mixture of Buxom plumping lip liner in Infrared and Laura Mercier Velour Extreme Matte Lipstick in the shade On Point.
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THE LOOK
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Oscars 2018 Beauty
ALLAN AVENDANO — SAMARA WEAVING SKINCARE
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“Skincare is the key for the look I created for Samara.” shares makeup artist Allan Avendano, who created the perfect skincare for actress Samara Weaving.
In this particular case, the secret is all in the base.
And, to be honest, the skin was amazing: flawless and radiant. Here are the four steps that Avendano followed to prep Samara’s makeup.
The first step is defined by pre-fridged Babor 3D hydro Gel Eye Pads, applied on Samara’s eyes for roughly 10 minutes. They’re meant to de-puff and plump stressed under eyes, also thanks to the hyaluronic acid, to make sure to kill every sign of tiredness or eye circles — a pretty important feature, when you’re going to spend the night smiling and being photographed, isn’t it?
Next was all about pampering: by smell, texture, and benefits for the skin, that needed to be “prepped” to fully absorb the following treatments.
Hence, Allan applied a Rose Toning Essence, to refresh and soothe the skin with pure natural rose extract and panthenol.
“Not only does this product smell divine, it created a bit of a pampering session for Samara while creating an even pH balance for her skin before applying the Glow Booster Ampoule — it helped make the skin ‘ready’ to accept the benefits of the ampoule.” said Avendano, opening the path for the third, and key, step of the treatment.
Allan had a great fun, then, popping open the Glow Booster Ampoules for the third step. Their Vitamin C infused formula acts both as primer and skincare, leaving the skin velvety and obedient, but also glowing and plumped.
The fourth step applied the Barbor Dual Eye solution on the eye area, creating the perfect base for the soft eyeshadow used on Samara. It’s a double sided cream (Day and Night) and Allan used the “day side”, reducing dark circles while hydrating and filling the skin, as it “allowed Samara’s concealer to blend perfectly with no creasing.”
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THE LOOK
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Oscars 2018 Beauty
MATTHEW VAN LEEUWEN — THE SALMA HAYEK LOOK
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For Salma’s skin, Matthew started with Tatcha Essence, followed by Retrouvé Nutrient Face Serum and Tatcha Water Cream and a pea-sized amount of Tatcha Silk Canvas Perfecting Primer all over skin to prep and create a flawless base for the makeup.
Moving on to foundation, Matthew used Hourglass Vanish Stick Foundation and then followed with NARS Radiant Creamy Concealer in Custard, to even the complexion and create a prepped base. Then, he used the paint tube-packaged, featherlight blush we love: Glossier Cloud Paint in Beam, just blended to the apples of the cheeks, and then a few dabs of Glossier Haloscope in Quartz for that perfect warm radiant glow. To ensure the staying power of the ensemble during the long night of celebration, Matthew powdered a little of Hourglass Ambient Lighting Powder in Diffused Light.
Salma has dark hazelnut, mesmerizing eyes, and to enhance their natural shape and color Matthew used a Viseart Shadow Lavender and Plum Matte Shadow from Pro Palette #1, and finished by patting on Glossier Lidstar in Slip onto the center of the lid for a luminous pop. Now, eyeliner is a must for a red carpet makeup, but Salma’s was just a hint: a swipe of MAC Prunella Eyeliner, finished with two coats of By Terry Lash Expert Mascara. To fill in the brows, it was used the Anastasia Brow Wiz in soft brown followed by Glossier Boy Brow in Brown to define and finish.
It took an Armani Lip Liner #11 to define Salma’s gracefully shped lips, that were then filled with Sleek Cosmetics Major Matte lip color in Velvet Slipper.
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THE LOOK
