The 2018 Oscars will always be remembered as the climactic awards show of the #MeToo movement, an evening where female Best Actress nominees held hands after Frances McDormand’s win and when Emma Stone reminded everyone that only one of the five nominees for Best Director was female.
The beauty looks were fittingly low key, with the Academy Awards beauty turning the Golden Globes mantra on its head; the dresses came in technicolour and glitter, but everything else was scaled back. We mean really scaled back. There were a few smokey eyes about, with J Law taking hers to the max by wearing a stripe of black that extended beyond her eyebrows, but most eschewed pops of colour and drama and instead focussed on polish and glossy skin.
Hair was equally as reserved, with a lot of straight and shiny going on and the odd wave, but nothing overly complicated or jazzy. The prevailing beauty mood was that of professionalism, of letting beauty take a backseat and of instead using the speeches to shine a light on the issues that lie at the heart of Hollywood.
Handily, that also means that for once a lot of the looks are applicable to every day life. Here are some of our favourites if you’re looking for some beauty inspiration…
Margot Robbie
Margot’s make-up relies heavily on mascara, with it being cleverly used to frame her eyes without any eyeliner.
Emma Stone
Choosing to let the deep crimson of her jacket shine, Emma’s make-up is all about subtle definition.
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Haley Bennett
This take on minimal makes the most of Haley’s pale skin by adding peachy accents.
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Sandra Bullock
Sandra’s wearing a proper smokey eye, but has paired it with sleeker than sleek hair to keep things pared back.
Helen Mirren
Proving that less really is sometimes more, Mirren’s make-up is a masterclass in enhancing features without overpowering.
Saoirse Ronan
This look plays with shades of pink and peach to bring features to life without a heavy-handed application.
Jennifer Lawrence
She may have curled her hair and loaded up on eyeshadow, but the muted tones of this look tip it from pretty into powerful.
Jane Fonda
We love that Fonda’s embraced a defined eye and nude lip, but kept her trademark hairstyle for the awards.
Zendaya
Little looks chicer and cooler than a bun, and Zendaya’s worn hers with a smokey to channel laid back glamour.