Makeup took a back seat at last night’s BAFTA Film Awards at the Royal Festival Hall, with bold patterns (see Demi Moore’s custom Alexander McQueen gown) and diamonds stealing the limelight on the red carpet. However, although the makeup wasn’t grappling for attention, it still had to complement and enhance the stars’ style. Skin was the main focus. Like a simple recipe, there’s nowhere to hide – everything had to be flawless and poreless. So, who was ready for their close-up?
The new generation of Hollywood luvvies – think Ariana and Selena et al – chose luminous complexions and subtle contours to enhance their features without clashing with the glittering jewels they were adorned with. Pixi On-the-Glow Bronze, £18, creates a subtle “push-up” effect on cheekbones but with no harsh lines.
And the classic icons – Demi Moore, Pamela Anderson and Isabella Rossellini – were elegantly demure with the same flawless skin but a less dewy and more matte finish. Blusher was carefully placed high on the top of cheekbones and swept into the hairline to create clever lift and sculpting. We love Merit’s Flush Balm Cheek Color, £26.
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Eyes were kept sultry but not smokey. There were no smudges, just fine lines to emphasise their eye shapes, with a slight feline flick. Rare Beauty Perfect Strokes Matte Liquid Liner, £20, is brilliant for those with unsteady hands. And to finish, lashings of mascara – courtesy of Lancôme’s latest innovation, the Lash Idôle Flutter Extension Mascara, £28. It features its smallest, most lash-gripping conical brush, delivering instant length and a lasting lash-extension effect to create the perfect flutter.
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Colour was added to the lips: a rich merlot for Isabella, a nude-pink flush for Demi and Pamela stuck to her signature barely-there makeup and decided on a bare lip, lightly licked with gloss. Lisa Eldridge’s lipsticks (Rouge Experience Refillable Lipstick, £49) don’t feather or fade, and come in satin, comfortable-to-wear shades.
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Even when makeup doesn’t take the lead, it still supports and elevates the overall look and without it, the complete aesthetic wouldn’t be a winner. Even Zoe Saldana thanked her makeup artist, Vera Steimberg, during her acceptance speech for Best Supporting Actress for the musical Emilia Pérez, clearly emphasising the crucial job makeup does for a red carpet look.
