Social Media went into overdrive this week with the annual Met Gala where one of the most anticipated celeb fest red carpets began and boy did we see it all…
This years theme of ‘China: Through The Looking Glass ‘ saw, everything from standard red carpet frocks, costume like pieces, long trains and even lots of nude cut outs with sheer fabric, some really embracing the theme.
Booty Vs. Beauty…?
I’ll stick with Beauty thanks, but I think we all know which booty babes stole the show in the other department…
I was looking for show stoppers, from head to toe and the Met Gala is the night to go all out and have fun with your themed look, but still looking red carpet ready.
My top three not only gave wow factor, but I could see a themed link in their overall looks. These three ladies all wore exquisitely beautiful beaded gowns and being they were all quite sheer, to me, had the ‘Through the Looking Glass Theme’ – Looking through = sheer and glass = beaded gem stones – but look at that beauty, so on point and balanced with such statement frocks!
My Top 3 Beauty Looks
J-Lo
J-Lo has been absolutely rocking the red carpet scene this year and by changing it up with different makeup and hair looks, she keeps us guessing, love it!
Why;
J Lo’s overall look gave me a Chinese dragon feel from the design and colour of her Versace gown, to the Chinese fan earrings and the warm blush hues in her makeup look – everything had balance!
I absolutely love the blurred lip trend (pigment is applied by fingertip only in the centre of the mouth, leaving the lip edges blurred) and that the lip was not a solid colour – it would of pulled too much focus from the blush hue detail on the eyes and cheeks. If it was and wearing her hair away from her face showed off these details perfectly.
How;
To wear a blush hue on the eye is hard for anyone, as you still need depth to make your eyes look bigger, especially for photography…
Having a solid lash line is vital to create definition and by adding volume lashes they then assist in opening the eye.
Even though the matte blush pigment gives slight depth and acts as a shade tone, it’s still brighter than traditional shades used, therefore this look is not so good for someone with a heavy lid as it wont recede the area as much as deep matte neutral tones.
For anyone using thee tones on the eyes and cheeks all traces of red or pink on the face needs to be erased, otherwise your look could appear blotchy and not polished… Applying more coverage to the centre of the face, where more pink is usually present, will then allow for the applied pink to be the hero and not your natural redness.
Kim K
Always a red carpet discussion and whether you like what she s about or not, I gotta give it to her, she is always so flawless, not one flaw on that face – She might always have a similar look, but it is always super polished!
Why;
As I didn’t really see a big China theme, through the looking glass theme came through strongly for me…
She looked delicate like fine china and/or glass and dazzled in that Roberto Cavalli gown, following the sheer trend and kept everything very simple and once again balanced.
With such a delicate gown, beauty needs to be the accessory of it, not overpower it and I am a big fan of Kim’s new less is more approach to makeup!
Her skin glowed just as much as the jewels on that gown and I am always a fan of how neutral and daytime her eye makeup really is, but yet how incredibly red carpet it also is with a few fine details that elevate the look.
How;
To pull off a look like this, it comes back down to the skin – keeping it well hydrated and incredibly smooth.
Kim has makeup applied to her face professionally everyday and it is her job to look like that, so using a full skincare routine goes hand in hand.
You just can’t wear foundation like that and one that lasts and lasts without good quality skin as your canvas.
Highlighting makes Kim’s nude tones, which effectively could be worn as a daily look, look so incredible fresh.
With her olive skin tone and only wearing nudes could potentially wash her out, but with a liquid, non shimmer highlighter, used on the frontal bones of the face (above cheekbone, in between brows, centre of face, cupids bow, chin) these tones are lifted and take the look to the next level…
Add in detail like a defined upper lash line, a very feathered lash, groomed brows and a touch of lacquer gloss only in the centre of the mouth and you have a red carpet look.
Kim does not need much correcting; therefore using light nude tones are enhancing her features, not masking and changing them which can happen if your tones have more depth.
Beyoncé (AKA Queen B)
I loved the shock factor, the risk and the surprise all rolled into one…
This was a very different look for Beyoncé and yes the dress is revealing, (It is the Met Gala after all), but once again, everything is balanced so well.
Why;
This Givenchy gown (or lack there of) wowed some and shocked others… Regardless ‘through the looking glass’ should be ‘see through’ but to me it worked, all of it!
With such a statement piece, if Beyonce chose to wear her hair up and all back, it may have looked quite severe… Down with waves, her signature, to casual for that dress… The high pony lifted her face, gave a sense of playfulness, but still allowed the dress and face to be her feature.
I also loved the elongated winged eye, a hint of China played out and bringing the pink jeweled coloured lip from the dress into the look – a very balanced approach to a very ‘out there’ look.
How;
Like Kim and even J Lo, Beyoncé is famous for that ultimate skin glow and for this look concentrating even more so above her cheekbone to really pop and lift the look, matching what the high pony is doing for her face structure.
It is a great finishing touch to any makeup – apply makeup as normal and at the very end, add in a light reflecting highlighter – dab over the key highlight frontal points of the face, especially in this case the cheekbones and watch the instant re-shaping it can give to any look.
The use of contour and shade is important for Beyoncé’s eyes…
If you only wear a winged liner alone, leaving the eyelid bare, your socket are may actually protrude forward as it will be lighter than the eye line. But, if you use a bronzer or a matte depth shadow, like she has done in the socket area, it recedes back the socket to create perfect balance, really showing off that liner look.
With Beyoncé’s skin and hair colour being so similar, a nude lip would have been a bit wishy washy, but adding a touch of pink to match the jeweled gown gave the look a fresh pop, plus added to the playfulness that the high pony is also giving – everything needs balance – play up one area and the others compliment.
Whether these three booty babes hit the mark in style or beauty for you, it’s their use of balance from head to toe that impressed me, nothing was overpowering and all looks are so easy to achieve at home.