 |
| Credit: Christopher Polk/Getty |
I can't help but get very excited as the Oscars approach, racing to devour images from the red carpet as soon as I wake the morning after the night before.
But each year, I don't know, I feel slightly underwhelmed by the hair and makeup. What exactly am I expecting? Something a bit more other-wordly perhaps? Ethereal? I think it's a case of me wanting to see something I know I could never achieve on myself. But then that's the beauty of some of the looks this year. They are totally doable. Easy even.
The centre parting
I haven't worn my hair in a centre parting in, ooh, 14 years? But man do I wanna give it a go now!
On the red carpet it looked stunning. Understated, feminine and crucially, a far cry from the taught centre partings I remember from school.
I loved the fact centre partings seen on the red carpet this year were combined with a simple half up do (as seen on Brie Larson) or a breezy half bun (didn't the talent bomb that is Miss. Vikander look totally effortless? And that dress. Sigh).
 |
The thing to remember when considering giving the centre parting a whirl is to add body to the rest of your hair. Give it a bit of a blast with the hair dryer or maybe a light tong with the straighteners or a curling wand. Anything that will ensure it doesn't sit flat against your head.
The kohl-rimmed eye
Lined eyes were a big feature this year, whether there to frame a smokey eye or to add definition to the upper lash line.
Many of my clients are afraid of kohl and eye pencils, concerned it will look 'too heavy' or 'too young', but they needn't worry. Lining the eyes with an eye pencil, providing it's the right shade for your skin tone/age, can look fantastic. Not only does it make your eyes stand out in pictures - a must on the red carpet, or for us mere mortals, at weddings or cocktail parties - but subtly smudged it can also look confident and alluring close up too.
Kohl or pencil?
For those of you wondering what the key difference is between an eye pencil and a kohl here's a brief explanation:
The raspberry lip
A bold raspberry lip looks pretty amazing on any skin tone and is a great alternative to red. Naomi Watts opted for the hue and was my favourite overall look this year, I think because the raspberry shade perfectly complimented her blue dress whilst giving a subtle nod to the pink and purple detailing.
The thing to remember when wearing a blue-toned shade, like raspberry or a cool berry, is to cancel out any dark shadows under the eyes. It's also a good idea to conceal any areas of redness e.g. around the nose, on the cheeks or chin. Basically, you need a really good base (foundation and concealer).
Another good trick is to dial back the blush (or not wear any blush at all). Keep eyes classically defined, opting for earthy tones as opposed to any coloured eye shadows.
Before I go, did you see Charlotte Rampling this year?! Her elegance, style and natural beauty know no bounds. Poor thing got herself into a right pickle over the Oscars racism row (of course we need more diversity in film, not just in terms of race but also sex) but the excellent choice of frock must have been a bit of a relief.
Image credits: all Getty (as far as I'm able to tell from a google search)
The kohl-rimmed eye
Lined eyes were a big feature this year, whether there to frame a smokey eye or to add definition to the upper lash line.
Many of my clients are afraid of kohl and eye pencils, concerned it will look 'too heavy' or 'too young', but they needn't worry. Lining the eyes with an eye pencil, providing it's the right shade for your skin tone/age, can look fantastic. Not only does it make your eyes stand out in pictures - a must on the red carpet, or for us mere mortals, at weddings or cocktail parties - but subtly smudged it can also look confident and alluring close up too.
 |
| Image Source: Getty / Lester Cohen |
For those of you wondering what the key difference is between an eye pencil and a kohl here's a brief explanation:
Eye pencils are (generally) chemically produced and waxy in texture. They come in a multitude of colours.
Kohl pencils - also known as kajal (or kaajal) - are nearly always black and find their roots in ancient formulas, usually made from soot (lead sulphide or charcoal depending on the region/culture).
In fact, kohl was originally invented thinking it would 'soothe and cleanse the eyes, protect against infections and safeguard against the harsh glare of the sun.' (I did not know that).
More info: Wiki link.
 |
| Ahh, Lieb Schreiber. The best red carpet accessory ;) |
The raspberry lip
A bold raspberry lip looks pretty amazing on any skin tone and is a great alternative to red. Naomi Watts opted for the hue and was my favourite overall look this year, I think because the raspberry shade perfectly complimented her blue dress whilst giving a subtle nod to the pink and purple detailing.
 |
| Even Rooney Mara's red lip had a raspberry feel |
The thing to remember when wearing a blue-toned shade, like raspberry or a cool berry, is to cancel out any dark shadows under the eyes. It's also a good idea to conceal any areas of redness e.g. around the nose, on the cheeks or chin. Basically, you need a really good base (foundation and concealer).
Another good trick is to dial back the blush (or not wear any blush at all). Keep eyes classically defined, opting for earthy tones as opposed to any coloured eye shadows.
Before I go, did you see Charlotte Rampling this year?! Her elegance, style and natural beauty know no bounds. Poor thing got herself into a right pickle over the Oscars racism row (of course we need more diversity in film, not just in terms of race but also sex) but the excellent choice of frock must have been a bit of a relief.
Image credits: all Getty (as far as I'm able to tell from a google search)
No comments:
Post a Comment