Oscars 2015 beauty trends: “I woke up like this” hair and makeup continue their reign on awards season

by Sarah Harris February 23, 2015

Last night at the Oscars, our sights were treated to some seriously ace acting chops and best-dressed standouts. Celebrities are, of course, armed with masterminds that help orchestrate their trending looks. From wardrobe stylists, to manicurists and the best beauty professionals in the business, their looks have left much room for conversation around the water coolers come morning. While not necessarily groundbreaking, these rather low-maintence beauty looks are making a case for understated and natural (think Chloe Grace Moretz) in their barely-there peach glory.

Gone are the days of over-done Hollywood hair, as we’re ushering in a reinvented red carpet formula centred around looks that are perfectly imperfect. Those lived-in updos are not only trending in Hollywood as seen on hair heavyweights Sienna Miller, Rosamund Pike and Dakota Johnson, but were also sent down the runways at New York Fashion Week last week. The soft, natural and slightly undone approach is the epitome of ‘I just woke up like this,’ and gives the feeling that celebrities almost styled it themselves. Those flyaway strands were seen in a multitude of ways that were more about showcasing teased textures, like on Cate Blanchett, rather than those sleek and heavily stylized strands of red carpets past. The juxtaposition of minimal meets modern has the beauty world singing a safe and sophisticated tune when it comes to red carpet updos.

The soft lived-in beauty looks transitioned into celebrity complexions as well, with a pale approach to makeup and an emphasis on radiance. Think poster child for a highlighted fresh finish, Jennifer Lopez with her signature flushed cheeks and bronzed skin. As noted on the runways over the past couple of seasons, minimal makeup is here to stay, with neutral lids and rose dusted cheeks that we saw channeled on the red carpet as perfectly executed on Jessica Chastain. From that hyper-clean skin, brushed-up brows and dewy peach glows, that soft finish focus was all over the Oscars red carpet. From Anna Kendrick to Reese Witherspoon, we saw that polished glow translate from nearly every angle. On that note, shadow sculpting in the form of heavy contouring was nowhere in sight, but clear skin was sitting front row. Natural beauty from head-to-toe is steamrolling its way onto the red carpet, and as for us, whenever an achievable Oscars-inspired beauty look finds its way into our Monday morning routine, we couldn’t be more thrilled.