Forget Gaga's Diamonds—Here Are 20 Affordable Pieces From the Oscars Red Carpet
If previous carpet-making moments like Lucy Boynton's "goth-punk" liner at the SAG Awards or H.E.R.'s signature '70s waves at the Grammys were any indication, the looks we'd see on 2019's Oscars red carpet would surely stun us—and stun us they have. This season especially, we've noticed the industry's best makeup artists and hairstylists taking thoughtful and artistic cues from the stars they are collaborating with. Of course, they have a special knack for accenting whatever dress, shoe and diamond earring the celebrity is wearing. Much to our beauty-loving delight, last night's ceremony proved to be no exception.
From mesmerising makeup looks we couldn't zoom in on fast enough to the hairstyles we want to re-create immediately, here are the beauty looks we couldn't stop gaping at during the 2019 Oscars red carpet. The diamond jewellery borrowed from vaults for a few hours and custom designer gowns are priceless, however, the one thing we can buy into is all the beauty. We've found the exact products used on the red carpet, including a £7 hair gel and £25 mascara. Keep scrolling to see—and shop—the best products used on the Oscars red carpet.
A bright-yellow gown can prove tricky when it comes to accessorising with an equally spellbinding beauty look. Here, actress Constance Wu shows us how it's done: a punchy, not-too-red lip; glitter-dipped under-eyes; and the ponytail of all ponytails.
The must-have skincare treatment: Joanna Vargas Super Nova Facial
The must-have makeup product:
We've said it before, and we'll say it again. Laura Harrier is our ultimate beauty muse of 2019. For this year's Oscars red carpet, powder blue–dusted lids and an ever-so-slight pop of coral on her pout hardly disappoint.
The must-have hair product: The One by Frédéric Fekkai Full Blown Volume Foam Conditioner (£16)
The must-have makeup product:
Back to brunette, actress Emilia Clarke shows off her amazing bone structure (and those famous brows) with bitten berry lips and layer upon layer of glamorous lashes and liner.
The must-have skincare treatment: Georgia Louise Enzyme Peeling Mask
The must-have makeup product:
Awkwafina's quirky Crazy Rich Asians character, Peik Lin, was a favourite due to her admirable off-kilter beauty. While Awkwafina doesn't sport Lin's choppy blonde pixie in real life, her red carpet mermaid waves still have us in awe.
The must-have makeup product: Giorgio Armani Eyes to Kill Quad Eyeshadow Palette in #4 (£53)
The must-have hair product:
Where to start, Ashley Graham? The bow-studded slick-back? The perfectly contoured, sky-high cheekbones? That epic earthy cat eye? We could go on and on, but we're also a bit speechless (in the very best way possible).
The must-have hair product: Trevor Sorbie Firm Control Gel (£7)
The must-have skincare product:
We don't love anything more than actress Octavia Spencer's beaming smile (the ultimate accessory, in our opinion), but her crimson cheeks, plummy eyes, and perfect barrel curls are pretty great too.
Serious question: Does Regina King age? We're honestly not sure, but we are sure that the combination of her voluminous strands and major lashes comprise one of the best beauty looks we've seen all award season.
The must-have skincare treatment: Arcona Red Carpet Radiance Treatment
The must-have makeup product:
We usually don't condone pink on pink—it just veers ever so slightly Valentine's—but the opalescent dusting of the hue looks so flattering set against the fuchsia backdrop of actress Gemma Chan's magnificent dress. Plus, that cat eye… We die.
The must-have hair product:
Related: Every Single Oscars Red Carpet Look You Need to See
Glenn Close is the hallmark of a perfectly executed minimalist makeup moment that still looks award-winning in its own right. Her baby-pink lips are demurely well-suited to her barely buttery white locks, and the pop of neutral blush and shadow don't overpower her natural beauty. Well done, Glenn. Well done.
The must-have hair product: Leonor Greyl Voluforme Styling Spray for Volume and Hold (£18)
The must-have makeup product:
Sure, this may be Eighth Grade star Elsie Fisher's first Oscars red carpet, but amid Hollywood's most elite, her crisp hairstyle (barrette on point) and elongated, streamlined lashes very much hold their own.
The must-have makeup product: Morphe Lash - Sunset Blvd (£4)
You heard it here first: Tina Fey just schooled us in the hard-to-master art of blue-rimmed eyes. Snaps!
The must-have skincare treatment: Dermaflash 2.0 Luxe Facial Exfoliation & Peach Fuzz Removal
The must-have makeup product:
And the award for Most Majestic Highlight in All the Land goes to none other than our favourite country singer, Kacey Musgraves.
The must-have makeup product:
At this point, we challenge anyone to ever dare to have better hair (as consistently) as Amy Adams. Here, her strawberry strands sway in Old Hollywood–esque bends, and we can't stop staring.
The must-have hair product: TRESemmé Hairspray Extra Hold (£2)
The must-have makeup product:
Ring the alarm because Helen Mirren just wore hot-pink lipstick and accented the moment with a bold choice of burgundy eye shadow. Not surprisingly, she makes the intimidating combo look good AF.
We know we should be admiring Jennifer Hudson's show-stopping red dress, but we're too hypnotised by the songstress's glowing, super-natural makeup aesthetic to care. (Just don't tell our fashion-editor co-workers!) Her low chignon with a couple of face-framing tendrils is the cherry on top to support the chic yet the low-maintenance feel of her beauty ensemble.
We always love Charlize Theron atop a red carpet, but we just might love her more than ever after she debuted this head-turning brunette bob and orange-red lipstick pairing.
The must-have makeup product: Dior Addict Ultra-Gloss (£28)
The must-have hair product:
Related: These Oscars After-Party Gowns Are So Fabulous They Rival the Main Event
Brie Larson is an edgy platinum blonde now, and she wore a super-deep side part, earthy makeup and a silvery sparkly dress to prove it.
The must-have hair product: Moroccanoil Dry Texture Spray (£18)
The must-have makeup product:
Actress Emma Stone epitomised a synchronised and monochromatic makeup and fashion look with shades of ruby and tortoiseshell—as seen via her hair, eyelids, and gown. Obsessed.
The must-have hair product: Leonor Greyl Éclat Naturel Nourishing Styling Cream (£27)
The must-have makeup product:
Lisa Bonet is wearing lilac-lacquered eyelids, so tomorrow, we will be wearing lilac-lacquered eyelids.
Our hearts may have stopped for a full 60 beats when we saw this fire-struck makeup look courtesy of Tessa Thompson. It feels one part Hunger Games, one part Studio 54, but either way, it incinerated the red carpet and our camera roll.
The must-have makeup product:
We had yet to see a super-glossy smile on this year's Oscars red carpet until our eyes swept over Yalitza Aparicio's bubblegum-pink interpretation. We love the fresh juxtaposition against her mint-hued dress.
The must-have makeup products:
No red carpet is complete without Jennifer Lopez. If you can take your eyes off her mirrored gown for at least a couple of seconds, you'll have just as much appreciation for her similarly metallic, but this time copper-toned, eyes. Her glossy sleek blowout wraps it all together.
The must-have hair product:
We haven't been able to rip our eyes away from Lucy Boynton all season (or while binge-watching Bohemian Rhapsody), and we're happy to report we're very much smitten with her pink sunset eyes and trademark fluttery lashes.
The must-have hair product: Oribe Volumista Mist (£31)
The must-have makeup product:
Danai Gurira looked like an actual Academy Award on the 2019 red carpet, complete with golden skin, a gilded headpiece, glossy lips, and an expertly executed smoky eye.
The must-have makeup product:
What will Gaga wear? The question on every fan and fashion and beauty lover's mind tonight. It's not in the actress and singer's DNA to disappoint, so obviously, she pulled out all the stops with an embellished French twist, icy pastel eye work, and a clean, radiant complexion.
The must-have hair product: GHD Curve Classic Curl Tong (£120)
The must-have makeup product:
Next up, these Oscars after-party gowns are so fabulous they rival the main event.
Opening Image: @anaigurira
Erin has been writing a mix of beauty and wellness content for Who What Wear for over four years. Prior to that, she spent two and half years writing for Byrdie. She now calls Santa Monica home but grew up in Minnetonka, Minnesota, and studied writing, rhetoric, and communication at University of Wisconsin, La Crosse. She studied abroad in Galway, Ireland, and spent a summer in L.A. interning with the Byrdie and Who What Wear family. After graduating from UW, she spent one year in San Francisco, where she worked as a writer for Pottery Barn Kids and PBteen before moving down to L.A. to begin her career as a beauty editor. She considers her day-to-day beauty aesthetic very low-maintenance and relies on staples like clear brow serum (from Kimiko!), Lawless's Lip Plumping Mask in Cherry Vanilla, and an eyelash curler. For special occasions or days when she's taking more meetings or has an event, she'll wear anything and everything from Charlotte Tilbury (the foundations are game-changing), some shimmer on her lids (Stila and Róen do it best), and a few coats of the best mascara-type product on earth, Surratt's Noir Lash Tint.
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