Look, here’s the deal. There’s no such thing as Lupita lethargy, not in our beauty books at least.
Yes, we’re well aware of the chatter from catty commentators about the fashion media’s fetishistic fascination with Lupita Nyong’o, that gazelle-like glamazon with the fabulous face and Michelle Obama-esque shoulders.
But no, we’re not done with Lupita yet. For us beauty observers, the 31-year-old’s glacial facial features and fearlessly shorn crop are endlessly interesting – not least because the woman is adventurous in the extreme when it comes to allowing her face painters to play with just about any hue in their palette.
Not entirely convinced of the Hollywood newcomer’s beauty credentials? Now that awards season is officially over, here’s a red carpet retrospective of the top three Lupita looks we love, and how to recreate them for yourselves:
1. GUNMETAL GODDESS AT CRITICS' CHOICE AWARDS
All red carpet images © Getty Images
We adore Lupita’s look here because it proves you don’t have to be restricted by hair length. Notice the brilliant stroke of genius at her hairline: Stylist Ted Gibson conjured up the illusion of a fake widow’s peak by using a mascara fibre agent as a follicular “filler”, setting the exaggerated V-shaped style with a spritz of hairspray.
Chanel Illusion d’Ombre in Mirifique, $52
Lupita’s playful hair was paired with a graphic pop of glossy graphite on the eyes; we like the fiercely gleaming gel-like quality of Chanel’s exquisite Illusion d’Ombre in Mirifique, which boasts a really cool, obsidian glimmer that lends itself well to the metallic industrial chic we’re gunning for here. Smudge the shimmering shade into the crease and lower lash line for a calculated dose of sexy nonchalance.
Make Up For Ever HD Blush in Blackcurrant, $55
Lupita’s deliciously beautiful chocolate skin tone is best served by buffing in a creamy cheek stain in a deep burgundy; try Make Up For Ever’s universally flattering HD Blush in Blackcurrant for a fruity flush of colour.
Go with a low-key lip to balance out the strong eyes, but make like Lupita and pick up the sheen from the lids by dabbing on an extra slick of opalescent nude gloss in the centre of your pout.
2. BERRY BEAUTIFUL AT PRODUCERS GUILD AWARDS
The newly minted A-lister was bang on-trend with her autumnal lippie; she’s using Tom Ford’s fabulous Lip Color in Black Orchid here, which glides on like the richest of mousse with boatloads and boatloads of drama to spare.
Quick tip on wearing a dark lippie: If your skin is of a paler persuasion, pick a sheer formula to avoid the Lorde effect (unless that’s your scene, of course).
Tom Ford Lip Color in Black Orchid, $70, and Lip Color Sheer in Bitter Sweet, $70
For nights when we want a lick of Lolita-esque vamp, we like glazing our smackers with Tom Ford’s new Lip Color Sheer in Bitter Sweet, an intriguing boysenberry hue that’s loaded with luxe oils and pucker-pampering botanical butters.
RMK Glow Stick, $33
Finally, to cop Lupita’s enviably lustrous sheen, swipe RMK’s Glow Stick onto your temples and down your nose bridge; the creamy highlighter coaxes light out of your complexion with its slew of skin-loving ingredients, like shea butter and royal jelly extract.
3. #LupitasLipBalm AT THE OSCARS
This week’s Oscars was a genuine game-changer in the prominence of social media. Selfie shenanigans aside, host Ellen DeGeneres can also claim credit (and perhaps reap a few coins) for the ludicrously catchy Twitter hashtag #LupitasLipBalm.
Here’s what went down. During a surreal beat midway through the ceremony, Ellen sauntered through the star-filled aisles, pausing to peer into Lupita’s satin clutch and pulling out a tube of balm in a shade of blue that was uncannily similar to the gorgeous colour of the actress’s custom Prada frock.
Ellen’s quip, quoted verbatim: “Lupita's lip balm! That's worth something!” And boy, was she spot-on in her observation.
Clarins HydraQuench Moisture Replenishing Lip Balm, $36
Eagle-eyed beauty buffs immediately ID-ed the product as Clarins’ HydraQuench Moisture Replenishing Lip Balm, causing a spike in tweets with the hashtag #LupitasLipBalm and causing it to sell out virtually overnight across the country.
(Meanwhile, the Clarins Twitter team had the happy task of allaying anxious followers that the French beauty brand would be shipping in extra stock from Paris.)
Chanel Ombres Tracées Quadra Eye Shadow in Jardin Zen, $96, and Ligne Graphique in Noir Scintillant, $47
As for the rest of Lupita’s Oscars face, makeup artist Nick Barose chose to run with a soft dove winged eye; try sweeping Chanel’s sumptuously satiny Ombres Tracées Quadra Eye Shadow in Jardin Zen all over the lid. Use a soft domed brush to blend well at the outer corners for a really beautiful diffused effect.
Trace the upper lids with a whisper-thin line of Ligne Graphique in Noir Scintillant. Finish with a fine flick at the end and you’re good to go. Lupita’s Fred Leighton diamond-studded princess headband entirely optional!
Now, if you’re nurturing a girl-crush on our favourite real-life Disney princess at this point, our job is done. To paraphrase an infuriatingly catchy Clarins press tagline capitalising on the actress’ use of their balm: We can’t all have Best Supporting Actress trophies, but we can certainly look Oscars-worthy!
All Chanel product suggestions are available at Chanel counters. For more information, visit www.chanel.com/en_SG and follow the brand on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube.
Clarins HydraQuench Moisture Replenishing Lip Balm, $36, is available at all Clarins counters. For more information, visit www.clarins.com.sg and follow Clarins Singapore on Facebook.
Make Up For Ever HD Cream Blush in Blackcurrant, $55, is available at all Make Up For Ever counters. For more information, visit www.makeupforever.com.sg and follow Make Up For Ever Singapore on Facebook and YouTube.
RMK Glow Stick, $33, is available at all RMK counters. For more information, visit www.rmkrmk.com and follow RMK Singapore on Facebook.
Tom Ford Lip Color in Black Orchid, $70, and Lip Color Sheer in Bitter Sweet, $70, are available at the Tom Ford counter at TANGS Orchard. For more information, visit www.tomford.com and www.tangs.com.sg.