Red-carpet beauty looks to recreate

As another award season comes to a close, we round up the trending celebrity beauty and hair looks to recreate now.

BABY FRINGE

We loved seeing the baby fringe make a cameo on the red carpet as celebrities leaned into a sense of innocence, romance and hyper-femininity. Spotted on Zoe Kravitz and Saniyya Sidney at the Oscars, the micro fringe casts our minds to the Bridgerton Regency era or retro movie stars like Audrey Hepburn and looked like a dream paired with a sleek bun. 

ROCK THE BABY FRINGE

1. The length of the fringe is key so ask your hairdresser to cut a fringe that should fall in the middle of the forehead with the brows clearly visible.   
2. Style the fringe by first applying some heat protectant spray to the hair then use a small straightener to ensure the hairs lie flat and sleek. Remember to create some rounded volume by curving the tool slightly as you glide it through the fringe. 
3. Sweep the fringe slightly to the side to add a romantic, youthful look. 

ICY PIXIE CUTS

It seems blondes were definitely having more fun this awards as the red carpets were flooded with celebrities sporting blonde hair, such as Doja Cat with a flicked Y2K-inspired bob and DJ Millie, who wore blonde locs.  Though blonde was the hair colour of the moment, shorter-than-short pixie cuts in frosted hues stole the show.  From platinum blonde to almost icy grey, celebs like Saweetie and Tiffany Haddish at the Grammys and Jasmin Savoy Brown at the Critics Choice Awards all got the memo as they flaunted their icy pixie cuts styled in retro finger waves.  

HAVE SOME BLONDE FUN: 

1. Going blonde will inevitably require some form of bleach or colour stripping so have the colouring process done by a professional, if committing to colouring your natural hair. Avoid doing it yourself at home to prevent any hair damage and breakage.
2. Go for a mix of platinum and honey blonde if you have a yellow undertone to your skin as it will help to bring warmth to platinum locks and make skin look luminous.
3. Invest in a blonde-specific shampoo and conditioner to use at least once a week to boost moisture levels and use a purple shampoo to help neutralise any brassy, yellow tones as well as tone and brighten colour.
4. If possible, try to avoid excessive heat styling or use a low heat setting on styling tools (max 185ºC) to prevent heat damage and breakage.  Always use a heat protectant spray on wigs and natural hair, every time you blow-dry or style as coloured hair (particularly hair that has been lightened) carries extra risk.

DEEP RED GOTH LIPS

From Jasmin Savoy Brown, Laverne Cox to Dua Lipa, a generous helping of deep, oxblood red lipstick colour was on everyone’s lips – and we are all for it. Seen across the Grammy, Oscar and Critics Choice Awards red carpets, a saturated stamp of lipstick helped to punctuate the face and gave a vampy feeling to the look.  Whether paired with a subtle flick of black eyeliner or a wash of shimmer on the lids, it’s clear that dark, gothic lips are the ultimate all-year staple. 

HOW TO: GOTHIC LIPS

1. Prevent dry, chapped lips by applying a hydrating lip balm before applying your lip colour.  Give your lip balm some time to absorb into the lips to guarantee a perfect application and colour pay-off. 
2. Create a defined shape, first applying a lip liner in a shade similar to the shade of your lipstick or one shade brighter and apply it over the entire lip to create a long-lasting base to layer on top of.
3. Add visual interest and intensity of your dark lip by applying deep burgundy or chocolate brown on the outer edges of the lips and then apply your deep red in the centre to create an ombré colour effect.
4. Amplify lip fullness with a thin layer of clear gloss applied with a lip brush. It’s best to apply gloss over a matte or long-wearing lipstick to prevent colour slipping off.
5. Soften up an otherwise overpowering dark red lip by pairing it with a diaphanous wash of shimmery eyeshadow in a soft pink shade.

MICRO-TREND: DAINTY HAIR ACCESSORIES

In the era of maximalism, it was a delight to spot an unexpected micro-trend on the red carpets.  Dainty hair accessories by way of tiara-like chains worn as a headband, star clips and gem-embellished clips, shone as they made their appearance interwoven into the tresses of stars such as H.E.R at the Oscars as well as Jodie Turner-Smith and Thuso Mbedu at the Critics Choice Awards.