Oscars 2013 makeup: Review!

A little late but I'd like to rekindle my tradition of reviewing Oscars makeup looks! After all, the Oscars are truly what ultimate glamour is all about.

This year, it seems hair was worn down rather than the more expected array of up-dos we have come to predict. As ever, mostly it is actresses showcasing their effortless, natural beauty and oh fancy that, yes I do happen to be in a full ball gown but aside from that I would look just as beautiful in my jim jams. But there was a very welcome dose of old true Hollywood glamour at last - not least thanks to Adele whose retro makeup and hair has become her hallmark. In fact whoever her makeup artist is - give that genius an award too! (Edit: just checked and it's a Michael Ashton - his twitter here for more info.) Adele always looks chiseled and having seen her without makeup, this really is beyond impressive. And hurrah she wore a black, flattering dress and looked groomed to perfection.

 

 Adele, in a Jenny Packham dress and Lorraine Schwartz jewelry.

Ditto Jessica Chastain, who equally looked the epitome of ye old golden years of Hollywood. Her red hair and bold red lip looked so much better than a cop-out of nude lip and nude dress. I thought it was right on target for that true Oscars look that we yearn to see!

 Jessica Chastain in an Armani Privé dress, Christian Louboutin shoes and Harry Winston jewelry.

My favourite look of the night was absolutely Naomi Watts. Firstly, I adored her dress - indeed, I also loved her Vanity Fair after party dress. Oscars are the time to get your sequins. I always wear sequins but you can bet that if I ever got to go to the Oscars (oh let me dream) I would be so glittery I would outshine everyone... sigh. Naomi Watts' Oscars gown was sequin laden plus it had a very interesting modern twist. The makeup was youthful, fresh and glowing - she looks so good for 44 - and it was so adorable that her husband was there taking shots with the best of them! What a cute couple...

Naomi Watts in an Armani Privé dress, Jimmy Choo shoes, a Roger Vivier bag and Neil Lane jewelry. And bottom: at Vanity Fair party wearing an Emilio Pucci black and gold beaded one-shoulder gown, Jimmy Choo shoes, Neil Lane jewels, and a Chloe bag.

Helen Hunt also had flawless natural glowing makeup and - gasp - an H&M dress?!

Anne Hathaway's dress had a few detractors but I think the fuchsia lips with the pale pink looked inspired:

 Anne Hathaway in Prada.

Nicole Kidman also had a bright pink lip, although it seemed to fade, as some pictures show her with her now signature pale pink lipstick. I applaud the bold lipstick. Again, I am a huge fan of her sequin overload dress and it so reminded me of a Gustav Klimt painting with all those gold swirls:

Nicole Kidman in a L'Wren Scott dress and Fred Leighton jewelry.

Amanda Seyfried had lovely purple eyeshadow, which made a change from all the rather dull browns and muted coppers around.

Amanda Seyfried in an Alexander McQueen dress, Roger Vivier shoes and Lorraine Schwartz jewelry.

Jennifer Aniston is never seen with anything other than her beachy casual very natural look - and I must agree, why mess with a winning formula? She looked fantastic and seeing her in red rather than black is a marvellous change. Some people don't suit heavy makeup and I suspect Jennifer Aniston is one such...

Jennifer Aniston in a Valentino dress, Salvatore Ferragamo clutch and Fred Leighton jewelry.

In fact... the only makeup looks I didn't like were just because it was uninspiring, not bad per se. The first such was Salma Hayek: her dress was my very close second fave, it was spectacular. Almost Elizabethan with all that sequin and velvet. But yet the eye makeup was a bit half hearted - with such a bold dress I would have loved a black smoky eye with glitter, and retained the nude lips and skin. As it was, it looked a little undecided and lacklustre.

 Salma Hayek in Alexander McQueen

Similarly Naomie Harris looked faded out and I didn't like her dress. Perhaps a deep berry lipstick could have saved the day. I feel she is too clever looking to pull off the vacuous Bond girl image. I know this Bond film was all about updating and rehashing the formula and I really loved that - but even so, I just am not convinced of Harris as a salacious Bond girl and this dress in spite of its overt slash right up to the wasitline, just looks pained. My disappointment of the Oscars goes to:

Naomie Harris in Vivienne Westwood.

...What were YOUR thoughts and faves? Please share below...

photo credit: Just Jared, Huffington Post

Oscars makeup 2011

Oscars makeup is always the most exciting - High fashion gowns that on the catwalk were invariably twinned with extravagant stylised makeup, now seen in a glamorous but real context. This year's makeup choices were as usual mostly within the confines of classic and natural, but thankfully the trend for true nude makeup was replaced by an abundance of smokey eyes in various shades. The absolute winner was Scarlette Johansson (in Dolce & Gabanna): the clashing orange eyes, dishevelled hair and burgundy purple dress worked in perfect (dis)harmony. The dress itself toyed between matronly doily lace and seductive cut-outs. The effect combined created a refreshing, modern twist on a classic. The eyes and hair made certain that she looked young and confident - the attributes most lusted after at these huge events.



There were a few other purple gowns in sight, and Natalie Portman came a very close second in her deep purple Rodarte gown and matching shoes, matching earrings and matching little bag (she does loves to match!) The rich shade really suited her olive complexion, and teamed with an aubergine smokey eye and purple toned blusher, her petite features were enhanced to their utmost.



Hilary Swank, who got it so wrong last year, chose a more resplendent gown, but the lack of jewellery and makeup really undermined her choice. With long earrings and a red lip or dark smoky eyes, this would have been exquisite.




Sandra Bullock, the woman of the hour last year, and notorious victim of the "Oscar curse" wore a defiant column of red, with a bright red matching lip and bag. Kudos to her for attending in a bold and lively outfit, rather than a mournful black remembrance dress.

Gwyneth Paltrow stuck to her reliable gold slinky numbers, and middle parted straight hair. Something about her face has changed recently but I am not sure what... However she looked reliably sleek and her Oscars Calvin Klein dress highlighted her enviable physique. The cool toned gold sheen was offset by the effortless hair and makeup. Heavy makeup and gold dress would inevitably become old fashioned, so it was perfectly pitched. Gwyneth rarely gets it wrong.



There were, of course, those who chose to look as natural and unpolished as possible. Halle Berry has been universally upheld as one of the best dressed. I thought, like Demi Moore last year, that the nude fairy wisp gowns should be left to those under 35. I know this is harsh, especially in a celebrity landscape which for the first time, is riddled with over 40+ screen sirens on every magazine cover [a good thing of course, especially as people's life expectancy gets longer, and women have no desire to give up their rights to attractiveness at nature's appointed moments.] And yet, I do think a sense of austerity should be consulted once one is no longer a young starlet. Either in the form of a nod to bold makeup, or a deeper coloured gown, or even a big necklace. I think the pixie cut is wonderful on her though!




Helen Mirren once again chose a brilliant dress. Her pixie haircut is an inspired move, and coupled with the dashing Vivien Westwood gown and the natural makeup and diamonds, looked superb.






Cate Blanchett and Michelle Williams also went for very angelic natural makeup. I think Cate has indeed made that her trademark - and with her unusual features, it works well. She doesn't need to rely on interesting makeup to look stylish. I am trying very hard to like her dress, as she wears it with such panache, but somehow that 'bib' just prevents me from praise. Michelle William's Chanel gown on the other hand, is easily my favourite of the night. It is equal parts elegant, uncomplicated and graceful. Her pixie haircut is yet another example of how flattering this style can be.

Making that Dior backwards tuxedo a distant memory, Celine Dion looked fabulous. Warm toned smoky eye makeup and nude lips meant the simple dress and her trim figure were the centre of attention.


Sharon Stone looked rather too sombre in draped black gown with 80s style bouffant and red lip, but there's no denying that she always looks her best.




Reese Witherspoon channeled the same style hair but her 60s dark eyes and nude lip, as well as the simplicity of the gown, kept it crisp.


Joan Collins apparently ended up in hosital due to the tightness of this dress. It is not hard to imagine, fitting into that is quite a feat! However I applaud this resilience. Admitting defeat and plumping for a demure gown and nude makeup is not as impressive as looking to Dynasty for your inspiration. Joan is dressing her age, but in a traditional way - indulgently embracing sumptuous overbearing glamour.



Madonna, on the other hand, is quite a confusing prospect. This is hampered further by her daughter - who looks inevitably sheepish next to her exhibitionist companion. Madonna's makeup is perfect - it always is (even if her face has been twisted and pinched) but the lace leotard was a gamble too far.

Tori Spelling probably had a bit too much makeup on, but I loved the combination of unapologetic makeup and glitzy dress. And thanks to the conservative cut, it didn't look overdone.



Hayden Panettiere revealed that she definitely suits a dark vampy lip. The dress was edgy yet still unmistakably grecian inspired.


Kim Kardashian did what she does best (no, not that!) and squeezed herself into a curvy dress. Her makeup suits her, it is heavy but it is always flawless. Her nose seems smaller than ever, but I am sure that is ahem, just makeup.



Kelly Osbourne has lost so much weight, and although she will never be winning any beauty contests, she looked the best ever. The light hair and pink lip ought to be her signature. She plays around with her image so much that it would be good to see her ease into a semblance of a signature look. This is such a pretty look:





Jennifer Hudson has also lost so much weight and looks amazing. The vibrancy of the dress and the glossy lips make her look so glowing. And even if she falls into the trap that so many women who lose weight do (ill fitting clothes that are just fractionally optimistically small) it still was one of the best looks of the night.

And the surprise of the night has to reluctantly be awarded to Jordan / Katie Price. Her hair suits her better blonde, and her makeup was beautiful. The dress was not quite within the realms of vulgar, either. Top marks!



PS. I didn't feature Anne Hathaway's makeup as it was too straightforward. I liked it though. You can read all about it here.

What did You think of this year's Oscars makeup?



*images via Google

Oscars Makeup 2010

The Oscars 2010 seemed back to its glitzy best. The dresses did not have to be reigned in to mark any financial and social awareness, so they appeared to take on a gold, silver, and lilac rhthym. On the whole, it seemed pale was still in and the fake tan of yesteryear is no longer glamorous. Screen star old school beauty was the watchword, with some bright lips and bright cheeks proving most popular. And although it doesn't feel like a proper Oscars round-up without Angelina Jolie and Nicole Kidman in the lineup, nevertheless let us kick off with that other Oscars stalwart: Cameron Diaz.




I can see Cameron has been pitched as the Golden girl Veronica Lake but somehow she is too "beach girl" to pull off red lips. Whenever I see her in red lips (though here
she has opted for a more orange toned red than she sometimes goes for, which is better) - but I think she is best in pink lipstick, or better still, her signature natural look:


Her makeup was done by Chanel, with their technique of using the lipstick as blusher. Temptalia website quotes:
The makeup artist used "CHANEL Soft Touch Eye Shadow in Sand in the crease of the lids, and lining the entire eye with CHANEL Intense Eye Pencil in Noir. To make Cameron’s striking blue eyes pop even more, [...] several coats of CHANEL Inimitable Mascara in Noir. As Cameron has loved a red lip lately,[...]lined her lips with CHANEL Lip Definer in Rouge, and applied the perfect true red lip shade – CHANEL Rouge Coco in Gabrielle. She used the same shade of lip colour as a blush, dabbing a bit on the apples of the cheeks. Her nails were painted with CHANEL Nail Colour in Lotus Rouge, a flattering shade perfect for the red carpet."

Next gorgeous blonde was Charlize Theron. Her clear skin and blue eyes looked pure and clean in minimal eye makeup, soft blusher and blue red lips. Although similar colouring to Cameron Diaz, Charlize Theron has a more delicate face, and, well, without huge teeth, red lips look sultry and sophisticated. Not sure the same can be said for her dress though...!



Kate Winslet, another blonde, rarely gets it wrong. She has been a seasoned example of the "classic English rose" for so long. What I loved about her this year, aside from that fantastic jaw dropping diamond Tiffany necklace, was that the dress (by Yves Saint Laurent) - although a classic ivory silver - and although satin, which can look so cheap, ahem Charlize ahem Theron ahem, had modern geometric cut. Kate Winslet knows how to dress to flatter her figure, and she also knows not to mess with a good thing: as the face of Lancome, Kate Winslet exudes effortless grace. Products used, courtesy of Temptalia:
"Lancôme Photôgenic Lumessence Foundation, Lancôme Dual Finish Powder Foundation, Shu Uemura Blush in Pink 30
LIPS: Lancôme L’Absolu Rouge in Rich Cashmere, Lancôme Color Fever Gloss in Hotness".



I feel so horrible saying this, but, when I saw this photo, I finally understood the horse gibes. With a big nose, (and I can empathise) making your eyes look smaller is going to make things SO much worse. That heavy black lining is making her blue eyes (arguably her best feature) recede, and making the rest of her face stand out. The pulled up bun also is rather unforgiving. I would like to say the dress makes up for it, but this year I am not happy with the satin (see above) and the neck band evokes strangulation. I will say I loved the heaped precious bangles, and the Chanel transfers (YAY - I just got myself these too!!!)




Let's move on to some brunettes. Indeed, star of the show, winner of Best Actress, Sandra Bullock. I must say, this is the prettiest I have ever seen her. Dark hair is perfect on her, and those pink lips and cheeks (CHANEL Rouge Coco Lip Colour in Paris used on both) set off her skin a treat. I didn't love the dress, but I thought it fitted the occasion perfectly. She looked like a girly version of the statue itself:


Maggie Gyllenhaal also chose bright lips (NARS Schiap) and rosy cheeks (Dolce Vita)and demure eye makeup, but with that dress (by Dries Van Noten), it looked more holiday beach wrap than Oscars worthy. I would have advocated a dark blue winged out smokey eye. Thinking about it though, Maggie Gyllenhaal always seems to opt for a plain eye and bright lip. The closest she has ever come to a dark eye was in her Agent Provocateur advert, and I thought that was a disaster: way too awkwardly 1920s. She has droopy eyes but still, there must be a way to give her a cat eye to make her seem more elegant, but still modern...? I am bored of her makeup approach.

Penelope Cruz stuck to her signature princess ballgown style. Smokey dark eyes, nude bronze lips, contour, check! She looked like a gorgeous flamenco dancer, which is her best look. She always seems naturally confident this way. She's hit the winning formula, so no need to change things up, right?


Nicole Richie seems to be losing her footing. I like her in honey blonde hair and quirky flapper dresses and hippy beads. And although she should be admired for going for perhaps the most alternative eye makeup look of the night, I thought the overall effect of that long heavy dress drowned her small frame, and the washed out lips did not save her. Possibly hot pink lips would have injected some youthfulness. But as it is, I actually think the adventurous eye look simply makes her look even more bug like than usual. Thumbs down, sorry!! (Cute couple though!)



Mariah Carey, who some speculate may be pregnant, went for a very natural look. In fact, this look doesn't work that well, it simply reminds me of stage one: you've got your base on, now for the fun stuff - "No, Mariah, wait, I've not fini- "

At least she turned up in a reassuringly tacky dress.



Jennifer Lopez did not disappoint: her NARS makeup included the Brousses duo and the Orgasm illuminator. Glowy cheeks, nude lips and the rest. I have just bought the
Scott Barnes "About Face" book, so I will investigate this secret perfection further. No one does the glowy highlighted bronzed nude look like JLo! Her dress had mixed reviews; personally, I like it. Designed by Armani Prive and inspired by the moon, I enjoyed the way it played with shape and echoed her own curves.


Demi Moore turned up, looking weirdly young. On closeup her cheek implants and god knows what are somewhat chilling, but credit where it's due: Demi Moore has singlehandedly made it OK to get a toyboy. With Madonna, it was never quite convincing. But much as I hate to say it, that dress was too young for her. She might have sloughed off countless years, but that nude pink ruffle chiffon is for a young lithe girl. Demi Moore should have reached for dark navy or violet satin, and a red lip would have been better than her nude look and nude dress choice.



Miley Cyrus wore a better dress than last year as it was a lot younger. She appropriately went for a nude dress (ahem Demi ahem) but I am not sure I will ever get into the underwear as outerwear idea. The makeup was perfect - fluttery layered eyelashes and nude shiny lips. She has a petulant expression but the bouffant do and the AMAZING earrings certainly made her look her best.


Victoria Bekham, at the Vanity Fair after party, chose a nude dress too. But hers was a champagne nude rather than a pinky nude, which is somehow more grown up. I have to admit I think she looked great: again, she has found her winning formula -dark cat eye, sculpted cheeks, and nude beige lips. Dark hair and light tan is best on her. The dress (her own creation) fitted her well, although it does look like a truck has skidded over her dress, I am not sure about the print...?


Special mention has to go to the new kids in town. My worst, Carey Mulligan's gimmicky Prada dress. It had dozens of mini forks on it or something? Hmmm. Yes, enchantingly quirky I'm sure. Also it stopped weirdly short. It was confusing. I like the short blonde crop, but it would have looked cooler slicked to the side à la Gwyneth circa 90s heyday. The makeup was really natural, really natural. Boring!


Conversely, Gabourey Sidibe's dress managed to cover the worst of her obesity without compromising on colour and style. Her makeup was natural and glowy and she looked happy.


So, onto my best and worst of the night...

My fave: That dress, those lips! So perfect. Not sure who she is, well I'm not sure who a few of them are, but nevertheless, this is the Top Prize.



And worst, Hilary Swank at the Vanity Fair after party. The dress was part swimsuit it seemed? And the makeup and hair were quite retro 70s. She has an amazing body and is always at pains to shrug off her somewhat manly star turns, but surely there is a better way??



(And well this scarlet clad woman is in my bad books too!!!)



...What did YOU think of this year's Oscar makeup???