The red Carpet rolled out in true Hollywood style at the annual 2012, 84th Academy awards and all the stars came out to play. We’ve seen all the dresses, shoes, jewels… Now it’s time to take a look at the faces and one very famous leg.
This years oscars provided a very safe ground for hair and makeup to compliment all the expensive glitzy gowns. Nude makeup palettes with traditional smokey eyes seemed to rule the night in the beauty department. Thrown into the mix were a few vixens sporting fire engine red lips that were sizzling hot.
Gwyneth Paltrow was one red carpet stand out with her modern Tom Ford, off white structured floor length gown with a matching shoulder padded cape. Paltrow wore her long blonde hair sleek and pulled back into what looked like a faux bob from the front, but from the back revealed a sleek ponytail secured at the nape. Gwyn’s hair was obviously straightened and treated with a serum, slightly teased at the roots to create volume then combed back in a side part and secured. This style was well suited to the modern silhouette of her gown.
Gwyn opted for a nude, barely there makeup palette with bronzed skin for the 2012 Oscars. Gwyneth called in the experts at St Tropez to ensure her skin looked perfectly primed, tanned and golden. ‘The trend for tans right now is a natural layered look, finished with St Tropez Illuminators in Gold or Rose Gold to elongate limbs and to give skin a lush sheen’ St Tropez tanner Lucy Halperin explains.
Gwyn extended her golden hue up to her face. “It’s elegantly bronzed,” said celebrity makeup artist Leslie Lopez for NARS Cosmetics about the red carpet look she created for Gwyneth Paltrow. Leslie created understated but sophisticated makeup that matched the simple gown. Leslie used a variety of Nars products to create this look: NARS Pure Radiant Tinted Moisturizer SPF 30, Super Orgasm Illuminator patted onto the apples of the cheeks, The champagne side of Alhambra Duo Eyeshadow applied on the eyelid for a pop of gold, Larger Than Life Volumizing Mascara and finally Odalisque Larger Than Life Lip Gloss was applied on the lips.
A punchy orange based red lip would have elevated this look and made it more fashion forward, even a plum toned lippy would have sufficed. From profile angle, Gwyn’s hair was fabulous but front on it looked like a badly cut bob. A super high slicked pony would have achieved the same modern vibe and allowed for her superior bone structure to be shown off however, all in all it was a hit on the red carpet.
Rose Byrne stole the show with her bangs. I have to say this is a really hard hair style to pull off. Most women would look aged and for a lack of better term geeky in this hair style, but Rose nailed her bang! The stunning brunette had the perfect tone of brown hair to match her olive complexion with subtle chestnut highlights to add warmth to her face. The perfect bob was side parted, which is an interesting choice with a bang as it can usually look dated however, Byrne was burning hot at the Academy’s.
Maude Laceppe created Rose Byrne’s makeup for the 2012 Oscars stating: “Her dress is like a piece of jewellery so we wanted glamorous and sexy but minimal at the same time. It’s really elegant and modern. We wanted the skin to look transparent but radiant.” Laceppe used a variety of NARS products to achieve Byrnes look for the night: Pure Radiant Tinted Moisturizer on the skin, Gaiety Blush on the cheeks, Lhasa Single Eyeshadow was used on the lid with Coconut Grove Eyeshadow blended on the outer corners of the eyes. Bilbao was applied on the lips and one of my all time favourite Nars products, Copacabana Multiple was patted on the eyes, cheeks and lips for an “icy sheen.”I cannot fault this look.
Milla Jovovich was another knockout out on the red carpet. Milla wore a white slim fit Elie Saab one shoulder gown and channeled an old Hollywood style of hair and makeup that complimented her dress exquisitely. Milla’s porcelain skin, partnered with her red lips and pink blush, subtle eye and classic side parted loose low bun created the perfect old school hollywood style of hair and makeup circa 1930′s.
Jennifer Lopez channelled a 1960′s inspired hair and makeup combo. Sticking to a nude makeup palette to compliment her next to nude stunning Zuhair Murad gown. Celebrity Makeup Artist, Mary Phillips explains how she achieved this retro look: First, Mary highlighted Jennifer’s natural glow by mixing L’Oreal Paris True Match Super-Blendable Makeup in Sun Beige. Then Mary dabbed L’Oreal Paris Magic Smooth Soufflé Blush in Cherubic on her cheeks for a subtle flush of colour. Two eyeshadows were used to create Jennifers 60′s winged cat eye, L’Oreal Paris Infallible 24H Eye Shadow in Eternal Black and Iced Latte . Mary created a the cat cat eye with L’Oreal Paris Voluminous Smouldering Eyeliner in Brown. Mary completed the high drama effect of the eye with two coats of L’Oreal Paris Voluminous Million Lashes Mascara in Carbon Black and finally Jennifer’s lip colour was the L’Oreal Paris Infallible 8HR Le Gloss in Coral sands. Most of these L’oreal products are under 15 dollars proves that Jenny hasn’t forgotten she’s from the block.
Jennifer’s hair Stylist, Lorenzo Martin explains, “The look I created for Jennifer was inspired by the 60′s. I wanted a gorgeous hairstyle that defined the graceful refined sophistication of that time to complement Jennifer’s beautiful dress.” This hair and makeup combo was perfectly matched and married the dress wonderfully.
Another star of the night was of course Hollywood royalty Angelina Jolie(‘s leg). Angelina looked drop dead gorgeous in her signature black attire by Atelier Versace. Sporting flamboyant bouncy curled tresses with smokey cat eyes and sexy red lips the star looked none other than stunning. However, it was her leg that sparked a twitter frenzy and went viral on the internet after her sexy posing through the high slit of her dress. Angelina’s leg has become an overnight sensation with over 20 thousand followers on twitter and counting. Let’s face it…With perfectly toned pins like that who needs to talk about the makeup anymore.
And the Oscar for ‘BEST FACE’ for the 2012 Academy Awards goes to… Rose Byrne.
Kasia Z for LETS FACE IT
