Academy Awards 2011: Best Beauty Looks
-
Reese Witherspoon
Even though she wasn't a nominee, Witherspoon looked like a winner; to complement her strapless Armani Privé gown, Fekkai hairstylist Renato Campora opted for a '60s-inspired ponytail. "I wanted to showcase her shoulders, neck, and beautiful earrings," he says. Thick black lashes further accentuated Witherspoon's retro-chic aesthetic.
-
Mila Kunis
Presenter and Black Swan star Kunis diverged from her usual classic elegance for a fresher, romantic ensemble— lacy lavender Elie Saab Haute Couture. Kunis' hair also had a more sentimental tone. "I wanted it to recall old-Hollywood glamour—soft and feminine," says tress guru Mara Roszak. To create the do, Roszak began by applying Leonor Greyl mousse on Kunis' wet hair and side-parting it. After rough-drying strands for au naturel texture, Roszak curled sections away from the face with a one-inch-barrel curling iron. She then used her fingers to separate and pin waves at the nape of the neck. "I chose to do a wide chignon because I wanted it to be seen from the front," she says.
-
Jennifer Lawrence
In Winter's Bone, Lawrence's no-frills character sports mussed hair and minimal makeup. But in real life, the best actress nominee is a certifiable bombshell! To enhance her formfitting red Calvin Klein dress, Lawrence wore cascading waves and come-hither eyes—courtesy of makeup artist Jillian Dempsey. The Avon global creative color director says she chose bold eye makeup over bold lipstick because she "didn't want a colored lip to compete with the color of the dress." To play up Lawrence's eyes, she used "lots of mascara and sultry liner," applying shades from Avon True Color Eyeshadow Quad in Blushing Raisins along the upper lid and brow bone.
-
Gwyneth Paltrow
Paltrow was a vision of elegant simplicity in a streamlined Calvin Klein gown and Louis Vuitton earrings—and her mane man, Harry Josh, chose a likeminded hairstyle. "She hadn't been to the Oscars in a while and didn't want anything too over the top," says the John Frieda international creative consultant, who used Frizz-Ease 3-Day Straight and a flat iron to style Paltrow's sleek strands. "Her dress is graphic, so I chose to do a dead-center part," he adds. "Few people can wear a center part—a side part is softer—but she can pull it off."
-
Scarlett Johansson
Veering from tradition, Johansson chose understated earrings and undone, textured tresses. "Scarlett, her stylist, makeup artist, and I got together and decided to go in a different direction from what was originally planned," says Duffy, Johansson's hair guru for the evening. "Instead of doing the obvious—amplifying her appearance with flashy jewelry, a beehive updo, and lots of makeup—we pared it down." Using a medium-barrel curling iron andFekkai Coiff Oceaniquespray to whip Johansson's locks into sexy waves, Duffy "alternated the direction of the curl for each section and left ends straight for an organic, natural appearance."
-
Halle Berry
Don't mess with perfection! Berry's signature tousled pixie and dark smoky eyes worked just fine—and let her Marchesa gown do the talking.
-
Amy Adams
The best supporting actress nominee for The Fighter dazzled in 1970s-inspired hair and makeup. Using Couture Colour Pequi Oil Treatment for shine, hairstylist Laini Reeves says that Adams' marcel waves were influenced by model Jerry Hall's. Adams' vibrant eyes and lips came courtesy ofNars Duo Eyeshadow in Bateau Ivre and Nars Velvet Gloss Lip Pencil in Baroque. Her makeup maestro, Molly Stern, calls the finished look "old-Hollywood disco."
-
Natalie Portman
Last but certainly not least—taking home the Oscar for best actress!—Portman impressed with glowing skin and glistening side-swept curls by Fekkai stylist Didier Malige, who calls the 'do "glamorous and bohemian."
Source: Herbert, Emily. "Academy Awards 2011: Best Beauty Looks." Elle Magazine, February 27, 2011.
