Story highlights
Lashes make a huge impact, whether they're lush, light or deliberately spiked.
Consider the season and time of day when you're making your cosmetic choices.
A white gown can allow for bolder makeup options.
For a dewy look, keep skin demi-matte and use subtle, neutral shimmer colors on very specific areas.
Stars are used to having all eyes on them, so why not study their style for your big day? These red-carpet beauty looks will have you saying, “I do.” Bonus: We rounded up the expert tips on how to create each one.
1. Adele
Defining eyes with jet black winged liner and lush lashes is a classic look for any formal affair, and exudes pure glamour for a wedding in particular. “This look is simple, clean, and fresh with a nod to the golden era of Hollywood,” said Michael Ashton, who worked with Adele for the Oscars. “It’s polished and current, but also softly elegant and timeless.”
To get the chanteuse’s alluring gaze, Ashton highlighted and contoured the sockets with the neutral shades in Giorgio Armani Eyes to Kill Eyeshadow Quad in Boudoir, then extended the lines of the eyes with a thick strip of Maybelline EyeStudio Lasting Drama Gel Eyeliner. After “pumping up lashes” with Lancôme Hypnôse Mascara, Ashton rounded out the look with “decorated but understated lips.”
He colored in the pout with the soft pink Giorgio Armani Smooth Silk Lip Pencil in Burnt Rose, then finger-pressed Giorgio Armani Lip Maestro in Blush onto the lips before finally topping them off with a kiss of the shimmery Sisley Phyto-Lip Star Brillance Extrême in White Diamond.
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2. Amanda Seyfried
The actress’s ethereal beauty, with lilac shadow and blush-toned lips, is perfectly suited for pale skin tones, according to Monika Blunder, the makeup artist behind the Oscars look. “Her dress and skin were so pale that I wanted to give the makeup a little more of a punch, especially around her eyes,” Blunder explained.
She buffed the taupe Clé de Peau Beauté Satin Eye Color in 106 and the lavender Satin Eye Color in 108 onto the lids and up into the creases, being sure to concentrate most of the color at the outer corners. For skin that imparted a natural radiance, she tapped Clé de Peau Beauté Luminizing Face Enhancer in 13 onto cheekbones, and swiped the brand’s ballet-pink Enriched Lip Luminizer in 222 over lips for a natural sheen.
3. Anne Hathaway
The carnation pink lips and subtly defined eyes “lend itself perfectly to a daytime wedding,” said Kate Lee, the makeup artist behind Hathaway’s Oscars look. “This makeup makes you look every inch the movie star, but still feels comfortable.” For the pretty pink pout, Lee mixed Chanel Rouge Allure in Séduisante with a dab of concealer to create a slightly lighter hue, then she “blended it down on lips to get the perfect delicate shade,” she said.
For the eyes, she brushed on a lilac-gray shadow “blended into a soft almond shape” that followed the sockets. She then traced a thin black stripe along the outer two-thirds of the lash lines that “tapered into a gentle tick,” Lee said.
For liquid liner novices, try NYX The Curve Eye Liner, which features a unique arch-shaped handle for the steadiest of streaks. As a safeguard against makeup-melting tears and to help seal the curl added to lashes, she used a waterproof mascara (in this case Chanel Inimitable Waterproof Mascara in Noir) on the top and bottom fringe.
“To bring this look from daytime to evening, tweak it slightly by simply adding a brighter lip or extra liner inside the eyes to take you from Audrey to Brigitte!” she added.
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4. Claire Danes
Planning a fall wedding? Claire Danes’ muddled wine lips and golden eyes beautifully reflect the colors of the season. “This high-fashion, autumnal makeup looks the most dramatic and elegant on pale blondes like Claire; otherwise it really flatters the skin tones of Latinas, too,” said Matin in reference to the SAG Awards beauty statement.
For Danes’ dramatic cranberry pout, Matin delineated and colored in the lips with a Laura Mercier Lip Pencil in Deep Wine. “The benefit of using a lip pencil for a wedding is that it doesn’t smear or kiss off,” he explained. “It’s more long-lasting than a lipstick or a gloss. And if lips start to feel dry throughout the night, put a dab of lip balm just in the center to add a hint of moisture.”
For “dewy eyes,” Matin washed the entire lids from lash lines to brow bones and along lower lids with Laura Mercier Illuminating Eye Colour in Sun Glow, being sure to especially concentrate the shade at the inner corners. He completed the eyes by tightlining the upper waterlines with a black pencil “to give eyes definition without looking like she’s wearing eyeliner” and a light brush-through of mascara.
To counterbalance the matte lips, Matin kept the rest of the face illuminated, “otherwise the makeup can look very ’80s and dated,” he revealed. After evening out skin with a cream foundation, he tapped the gold-flecked Laura Mercier Repair Eye Serum on top of the cheeks for a flash of light. “It gives the most beautiful, almost-wet shine, without looking shimmery,” Matin said.
5. Dita Von Teese
Dita Von Teese is pinup beauty personified. It’s no secret that retro weddings have experienced an uptick in popularity, and it doesn’t get more vintage than this look. “It’s classic, elegant, and very ladylike,” said director of makeup artistry for M.A.C Gregory Alt, who works with Von Teese. “Anytime someone has red lipstick on, it speaks to glamour and sophistication. This would be a beautiful look for an upscale or black-tie-inspired wedding.”
To get her Old-Hollywood beauty, Alt suggested painting the perfect cat eye with M.A.C Blacktrack in Fluidline, then enhancing fringe with false lashes, like M.A.C 12 Lash. After defining brows with an eye shadow that is the same color as your hair, lacquer lips with a fire engine red lipstick such as M.A.C Lipstick in M.A.C Red, which Alt said is one of Von Teese’s personal favorites.
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6. Emmy Rossum
“It’s very dreamy, very dewy, very iridescent,” said Jo Baker of the makeup she designed for Rossum at the Critic’s Choice Awards. “It’s a fairytale kind of look.”
Baker swapped out the typical graphic black cat eye for a more diffused navy-and-violet version that lent a softer and more fanciful effect. “Every color that you’d find in a London puddle is really going to make your eyes pop much more than black,” she explained. “Navy and purple eyeliner in particular makes the color of brown and green eyes shoot forward.”
Baker dragged an angled brush through the tip of the navy Jouer Crème Eyeshadow Crayon in Avant Garde and drew a winged shape along top lashes before smudging the crayon along bottom lash lines as well. Next, she hazed out the navy hue with the lilac Dior Diorshow Mono Eyeshadow in Lilas Mitzah for added softness and “mushed” the violet Chanel Stylo Yeux Waterproof Eyeliner in Violine into the bottom waterlines and lash lines “to create depth at the root of lashes and make eyes look fuller,” she said.
She topped eyes off with the plum Chanel Le Volume de Chanel in Prune for a brightening effect, and treated cheeks to a dusting of Stila Baked Cheek Duo in Pink Glow for a “beautiful metallic, light-reflecting finish.”
As for lips, Baker sheathed the mouth in the shimmery peachy-beige Chanel Rouge Coco Shine in Canotier, being sure to line them first with a neutral pencil to add the necessary dimension and depth.
With regards to how Baker was able to create such an allover twinkly look that didn’t go overboard, she said, “Keep the rest of the skin demi-matte and be sure to use subtle, neutral shimmer colors that are concentrated on very specific areas of the face.”
7. Freida Pinto
Charlotte Willer, the expert behind Freida Pinto’s look at the Cannes Film Festival, said the actress’s burnished eyes really stand out on women with a medium skin tone. “A bit of a tan is best with this makeup because it makes the look more natural,” she explained.
To craft her smoldering copper stare, Willer selected the chocolate L’Oréal Infallible 24 HR Eye Shadow in Bottomless Java and the bronze-hued L’Oréal Colour Riche Eye Shadow Quad in Because I’m Worth It!. After brushing on layers of mascara, Willer balanced the eyes with a blend of L’Oreal Visible Lift Color Lift Blush in Peach Gold Lift and Rose Gold Lift on cheeks, along with the tawny-hued Colour Caresse by Colour Riche in Silky Java on lips.
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8. Ginnifer Goodwin
Check off “something blue” from your list by wearing cerulean eye shadow à la Ginnifer Goodwin. “This makeup is a great way to wear blue eye shadow without going overboard,” said Mai Quynh, the artist responsible for the actress’s look. “Because I added the bronze shades, it helped tame the blue. Also, keeping the blue shade only on the upper eyelids makes it more subtle.”
To create Goodwin’s eye makeup, Quynh began by smudging the teal Nars Larger Than Life Long-Wear Eyeliner in Abbey Road all over the lids, then topping them off with the cobalt shade from Nars Duo Eyeshadow in Rated R. She next blended the bronze hue from Duo Eyeshadow in Cordura into the creases and up toward the brows, concentrating the espresso color from the palette just in the creases for added depth.
After rimming eyes with black eyeliner and dressing lashes in two coats of mascara, she applied Shu Uemura False Eyelashes Luxe Black to the upper lashes for serious drama. Finally, she swept the subtle beige Nars Satin Lip Pencil in Biscayne Park over the lips to keep the focus on that colorful gaze.
9. Jaimie Alexander
“These warm smoky eyes and pale peach lips provide an approachable but steamy look when walking down the aisle,” said Jeffrey Paul, the creator of Jaimie Alexander’s mesmerizing makeup at the SAG Awards. Paul recommended the look for a sunset or evening ceremony especially, adding: “This green-tinged smoky makeup is particularly perfect for brides with dark hair or hazel eyes.”
For a sultry stare that’s “softer and not overpowering,” Paul first dragged a black kohl liner in the inner rims and along the upper lash lines, then smudged the dark olive Kevyn Aucoin The Eye Pencil Primatif in Defining Green around the eyes. He softened the intensity of the liners with the espresso hue in Kevyn Aucoin The Essential Eye Shadow Set in #1, which he pressed into lids and blended up into creases.
After diffusing any harsh lines with a clean brush, Paul highlighted brow bones with a swirl of the ivory and peach shades from the palette and rounded out eyes with mascara on the top and bottom fringe. Next, he brushed lips with a coating of the warm peach Suresh LipLuxe Lip Color in Tim “to mimic the warmth in the eyes and to give the lip just enough color without looking washed out,” he explained.
Last, Paul carved the cheeks with the apricot Lancôme Blush Subtil Palette in Nectar Lace, which he brushed from the middle of the ears along the cheekbones, “stopping three-quarters inward so the color doesn’t fall too forward,” he said.
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10. Jennifer Lawrence
A bright watermelon pout and smoked-out brown eyes defined the look for The Hunger Games star at the Cannes Film Festival. The key to pulling off the bold statement? A white gown, said Lawrence’s makeup artist Kay Montano. “Wearing white allows you to get away with focusing on both features,” she said. “If you were wearing a darker color like black, it would have looked too dramatic and weighed down. But there’s a purity about white that allows you to experiment more with heavier makeup.”
Montano painted Lawrence’s lips with Diego Dalla Palma Chubby Lip & Cheek Pencil in Red Geranium for the event, but for those looking for a sheerer and more tame option, she also recommended Chanel Rouge Coco Shine in Monte-Carlo.
For the dusky gaze, she first smudged a black pencil into top lashes, then blended a grayish-taupe shadow like Makeup Geek Eyeshadow in Taupe Notch onto lids and above the creases for “wide eyes.” Montano skipped eyeliner on the lower lids, “which would have dragged the eyes down,” she said, and instead brushed the same shade underneath the eyes as well. She then retraced the liner on top with the skinniest band of liquid liner that she subtly flicked out at the ends, curled lashes to “perk up eyes,” and topped them off with a clean coating of mascara.
“No ‘trash lash’ here, please,” she warned. “You want nice, separated lashes for this look to keep it lighter.” Montano finally left eyebrows bare, “which allows you to get away with this much makeup,” she explained. “Otherwise, hard eyebrows would have looked vulgar with this more substantial look.”
11. Jennifer Lopez
Glamazon Jennifer Lopez always knows how to deliver drama, and her makeup at the Golden Globes was no exception. “We chose to draw attention to her eyes and flawless complexion,” said Mary Phillips, who created the look. “The skin is radiant, we’re playing up the eyes just enough, and the soft, gorgeous lip color completes the face. But for me, the skin is really the most alluring part here.”
For Lopez’s flawless skin, Phillips evened out the face with L’Oréal True Match Super Blendable Makeup and the lightest touch of True Match Super-Blendable Crayon Concealer to brighten under the eyes and the top of cheekbones. She then tapped L’Oréal Visible Lift Color Lift Blush in Nude Lift onto the cheeks “for the luminosity that everyone loves on Jennifer,” Phillips said.
Meanwhile, she softly smoked out the eyes with the shimmery brown L’Oréal Colour Riche Eye Shadow Quad in Cupa Joe, and concentrated the noir-streaked Black Pump around the outer corners. Phillips added more depth with L’Oréal Infallible 24 HR Eye Shadow in Eternal Black smudged into the lash lines and creases, then lined the eyes with a black liquid liner like Smashbox Limitless Liquid Liner Pen.
To add the finishing touch, she recommended CoverGirl LashBlast Volume Mascara. Last, she kept lips neutral with a touch of warmth “for a little bit of kick” via L’Oréal Colour Caresse Wet Shine Stain in Eternally Nude.
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12. Jessica Alba
For brides who have chosen bridesmaids dresses in a feminine hue like Alba’s peach Golden Globes gown, choosing a punchy wedding pout that’s close but not identical to the color of the frocks is a beautiful option. “It’s an almost tropical pop of color that’s not an exact match to the dress but close,” revealed Avon global celebrity makeup artist Lauren Andersen. “I loved the contrast between her glowing skin and the matte orange lip.”
Hourglass Opaque Rouge Liquid Lipstick in Riviera granted Alba her vibrant tangerine mouth, while Hourglass Ambient Lighting Powder in Radiant was responsible for her lit-from-within luminosity.
As for Alba’s shimmery neutral eyes, Andersen first dragged the dark brown Hourglass Film Noir Kohl Eye Pencil in Espresso along the outer corners and smudged it with a brush. Next, she applied Hourglass Superficial Waterproof Bronzer into the creases, followed by the golden beige shade from Hourglass Visionaire Eye Shadow Duo in Dune onto the lids. To finish, she treated lashes to ample coats of Hourglass Film Noir Full Spectrum Mascara.
13. Jessica Biel
Lisa Eldridge had a ballerina in mind for the look she created for Jessica Biel for the Cannes Film Festival, for which she used “tones that were all muted with a rosy glow,” she said. To get the actress’s graceful beauty, she blended Dior 5-Couleurs in Rosy Tan all over the lids. “It’s one of my favorite red-carpet eye shadow palettes,” she said.
Eldridge then topped off the eyes with Dior Diorshow Mono Eyeshadow in Gris Montaigne to draw in the silvery shade of Biel’s gown. Instead of defining eyes with traditional black liner, she continued with the soft blush-toned theme by using Bobbi Brown Long-Wear Gel Eyeliner in Black Mauve Shimmer.
After lightly touching up upper and lower lashes with mascara, Eldridge switched her focus to creating incandescent skin with Becca Shimmering Skin Perfector. To get “a ballerina’s rosy glow,” she patted Chanel Les Tissages de Chanel Blush Duo Tweed Effect onto cheeks, then completed the look with Bobbi Brown Lip Liner in Pale Pink and a quick slick of Tom Ford Lip Color in Nude Vanille on lips.
14. Jessica Chastain
“It’s feminine without being too sweet; it’s romantic without being cliché,” said makeup artist Nick Barose of Chastain’s look for the Cannes Film Festival. “It’s a perfect look for a wedding because it’s not too much makeup, but just enough to look larger than life and stand out in photos.”
He suggested emulating the actress’s “subtly dramatic, shimmery mauve-toned eyes” by first lining upper lash lines with black gel liner and extending it slightly beyond the outer corners, “but don’t wing it out so that it looks retro,” Barose advised.
After slightly blurring the line with a cotton swab, retrace the strip as close to the lashes as possible with Dolce & Gabbana Glam Liner Intense Liquid Liner in Black for a touch of extra drama. Next, press the shimmery mauve shadow from Lancôme Color Design Eye Brightening All-in-One 5 Shadow & Liner Palette in Plum Splendor across the entire lid, dab a touch of the color on the inner corners, then smudge whatever is leftover on the brush along the bottom outer half of eyes “to add just enough soft definition that balances out the liner on top without being too dark,” Barose said.
To add a healthy flush to the face, warm up the complexion with a peach blush that bears a slight sheen, such as YSL Blush Radiance in No7. Finally, for “softly glazed lips,” choose a creamy peach lipstick laced with slight golden shimmer like YSL Rouge Volupté in Peach Passion.
15. Julianne Hough
All eyes were on Julianne Hough’s lush lashes at the Met Ball, which gave her look extra impact with minimal products. “I wanted Julianne’s lashes to be super pronounced and dramatic while keeping the rest of her look very neutral and clean,” said makeup artist Molly R. Stern. “I think it would be awesome for an edgy bride. It’s an easy way to add drama to your look without being heavy-handed.”
Stern first loaded up top fringe with three coats of CoverGirl Flamed Out Mascara in Very Black Blaze, then added four individual bundles of false lashes to the bottom lash line. After clumping the natural lashes together with the falsies, she coated each cluster with another layer of mascara.
“For individual lashes, use tweezers to apply them after barely dipping just the base of the lash into glue,” Stern suggested. “I always start my lash application at the center of the lash line and work my way out to the edge. By applying falsies at the center, you really open up the eye instantly.”
She kept the rest of Hough’s eyes pared down by using Laura Mercier Eye Basics in Tawny as an allover base and highlighting the brow bones with CoverGirl Flamed Out Shadow Pencil in Crystal Flame. Stern then crafted a very soft winged shape above the eyes with Nars Matte Eyeshadow in Blondie.
Was your wedding day look celebrity-inspired? We’d love to hear about it in the comments below.
Reprinted with permission of Hearst Communications, Inc.