Have you ever looked at the beauty details of runway looks and thought: “great, looks snazzy, would love to do something with that vibe for an evening out — but how on earth do I translate that to real life?”
The answer: look to the Oscars, where celebrities (and their army of groomers) take inspiration from the catwalks and the trends they birth, and magically make them look entirely achievable. Well, y’know, with the right products, techniques and expert hands.
This is where I come in — after oohing and aahing over the below red carpet looks like any mere mortal would, I put on my beauty expert cap and tugged apart how exactly to recreate the standout elements at home.
Statement black eyeliner
The Milan AW24 shows were awash with models sporting blacker than black eyeliner, with Gucci, Versace, Tom Ford, and Dolce & Gabbana sending models down the runway with variations on the theme. From Ford’s ringed eyes to Gabbana’s smoky hazes.
Over at the Oscars, Gabrielle Union, Jennifer Lawrence, Issa Rae and Hailee Steinfeld took to the liner with gusto, all wearing different takes to suit their looks. The key here isn’t the shape you opt for (like the celebs, you want to make this one work for you), but rather the product you choose — you want something that makes applying liner a doddle, like Vieve’s Power Ink Liner, £21, if you’re going for a stark line, or KIKO Milano High Pigment Eyeshadow in Matte Black, £7.49, if you want a hazier look.
Body & face glitter
There will be those of you, who like me. saw Lupita Nyong’o’s icy blue sequinned dress and thought it sublime, then zoomed in to realise with great glee that she extended the shimmer to her skin and hair.
This one’s not exactly new-new — it was a big thing in the 1990s, then appeared in Diesel and Giambattista Valli’s AW23 shows. Both brands went pretty excessive on the glitter, while Lupita’s version involves a subtler scattering. Much easier to achieve.
Try Barry M’s Biodegradable Body Glitter, £4.49, for fun coloured glitters that’ll give you a similar finish, but crucially, not add yet more plastic to the environment.
As for the hair look, this was created by celebrity stylist Vernon Francois, who added OLAPLEX’s No.7 Bonding Oil, £28, to “enhance the overall radiance,” and amplify the shine.
Mob wife hair
I really hope you’re not already sick of hearing about this mob wife stuff because it’s not going away any time soon. Look to Billie Eilish for the sort of big blowdry that screams Sopranos (which, by the way, were on the runways of Christian Cowan and Alice + Olivia’s NYFW AW24 shows).
You can get the same level of volume and sheen by using Hair by Sam McKnight Cool Girl Superlift Volumising Spray, £26, and Color Wow Dream Coat for Curly Hair Extra Mist-ical Shine Spray, £28 (you don’t need curly hair for this one — just spray to add gloss).
The French girl bob
This look was on everyone, from Carey Mulligan to Sydney Sweeney to Julianne Hough to America Ferrera and Zendaya. What differentiates it from the usual bob? It’s a bit fun, a bit French and unfussy. This is probably the biggest trend of the year, with celebrities clamouring to chop their hair off (see Gigi Hadid’s new look) — and it started in 2023, when AGL sent models down the runway with sculptured bobs, while Khaite opted for more dishevelled versions.
The trick here is to choose the right length and texture for your face. For a bit of oomph, Living Proof’s Full Dry Volume & Texture Spray, £31, is excellent.
All about skin
Did you adore Pat McGrath’s Maison Margiela super sheen at fashion week? Of course you did. But it’s not a look to slap on for a casual day out, is it? But skin being an important element is a trend that isn’t going anywhere any time soon, as Emma Stone proved when she paired her classic liner and peachy-pink lips with skin that was dewy and showed her freckles off.
To mimic this selective coverage, getting a foundation that’s the exact right colour for your skin is important. Try DCYPHER — they measure your skin tone through the screen using AI tech and algorithms, meaning you’ll get something that’s the right colour for your skin tone. Remember highlighter, too. Emma Stone was wearing Charlotte Tilbury’s cult Hollywood Flawless Filter, £39.
Grey hair
Of course, letting your greys shine is far from a new trend — Andie MacDowell, Helen Mirren, and Kristen Scott Thomas have proudly left their greys untouched for years. And now, seeing Jamie Lee Curtis and Tantoo Cardinal on the red carpet looking glamorous and resplendent with their natural hair hue on display has only confirmed that grey hair is enjoying something of a moment. Its prominence is perhaps part of the pro-ageing movement, with JW Anderson’s recent show featuring models with hair streaked with grey.
Pair it with your usual make-up (Jamie is wearing Beauty Pie) to mimic this look.
Super long hair
Many who hadn’t gone for the chop went to the other extreme and embraced super-long hair. See Margot Robbie and Anya Taylor-Joy, who both left their hair loose and long at the Oscars. I wrote earlier in the year about this trend, which is a hard one to fake without putting in the time (and I should know — I’m still growing mine).
Hair being smooth and soft will however help it to sit in the same way, and for that you need a brilliant hair mask. Virtue’s Restorative Treatment Mask, £67, is one of the best I’ve found.
