Oscars 2024: The Unofficial Best Of Beauty Awards, As Chosen By Our Beauty Editor

Dust off your hairbrush, clean up your brushes and crack open that special lipstick — it’s Viva Beauty Week. Plus, the haircut spotted everywhere that will have you sprinting to your hairdresser.

“Well-balanced” was how the Viva fashion team described this year’s approach to red-carpet fashion, and I tend to agree.

As far as beauty looks go, this year’s Grammy’s provided an opportunity to get experimental, while the 96th Academy Awards heaped on the ethereal glamour — from sleek side-parts and chin-skimming bobs to smoked-out eyeshadow and ultra-precise winged liner.

There’s beauty in simplicity, and just because these red-carpet beauty looks felt more timeless than they did trend-setting, it didn’t make these A-lister’s entrances any less luminous.

Behind every swoon-worthy beauty look is the team who brought their vision to life, with the industry’s top makeup artists, hair stylists, manicurists and aestheticians working tirelessly not solely on the day, but in the weeks and months prior to Hollywood’s biggest night.

Below, we issue our unofficial awards to the most swoon-worthy beauty looks (and beauty professionals who created them) who deserve their own golden statuette.

The best cropped cut

With a deep side part and perfectly flipped ends, Zendaya’s bob was a masterclass in red-carpet beauty. The maestro behind the look was hairstylist Tai Simon, who worked with Joico products including the Flip Turn Volumizing Finishing Spray to ensure no strand was out of place. Paired with peachy-hue lipstick and a glowing skin, Zendaya appeared fresh-faced and radiant when stepping out in Armani Privé.

Sharing the podium is America Ferrera, whose chin-length bob was styled by Aviva Perea for Ghd. The Academy Award nominee appeared done, not overdone, with a soft bend in her hair using the new Ghd Chronos styler and a spritz of Briogeo Superfoods Banana + Coconut Hydrating Texture Spray and Don’t Despair, Repair for extra body and movement through the ends.

As the most popular haircut seen on the night, we’re anticipating hairstylists to be inundated with requests for blunt bobs this winter.

Runners up: Florence Pugh, for her textural, beachy waves, and Sydney Sweeney for having her stylist cut her lob into a bob in between the Oscars and the Vanity Fair after-party (yes, really).

The best top knot

Awarded to: Issa Rae

While low-slung buns will always be a perennial red-carpet favourite, nothing says “snatched” quite like a top knot. Sleek and sculptural, Issa Rae’s hair reached new heights on this year’s red carpet, as created by Felicia Leatherwood, and practically broke the internet with the excitement it generated online. Working with Sienna Naturals’ products, Felicia worked with Dream Curl Cream, Plant Power and Curl Elixir to style Issa’s hair to perfection.

Runners up: Gabrielle Union’s ultra-slick high bun, Emily Blunt’s braided bun, and Laverne Cox for her slightly messy, slightly twisty top knot.

The best low-maintenance

Awarded to: Margot Robbie

A far cry from the polished, perfected beauty looks she sported during the Barbie campaign trail, Margot Robbie appear every bit the girl-next-door with barely-there base makeup and effortless waves. Makeup artist Pati Dubroff worked a handful of cult favourites from Chanel, including its Les Beiges foundation, Les 4 Ombres eyeshadow palette and Rouge Allure for lips, while hairstylist Bryce Scarlett left strands long and loose, adding subtle waves through the ends and allowing flyaways to fly free.

Runner up: While Rita Moreno’s makeup look oozed glam, we love her slightly scruffy pixie cut which heaps on the drama with plenty of volume and lift.

The best smokey eye

Awarded to: Anya Taylor-Joy

Few people can carry a smokey eye quite like Anya Taylor-Joy. Opting for full glam, makeup artist Georgie Eisdell used pewter and black shades contained with the Diorshow 5 Couleurs palette to enhance Anya’s natural eye shape, sweeping the darkest hue out towards her temple. Her after-dark beauty look ramped up even further for the Vanity Fair after-party, which saw a slick of black liner added to her upper and lower lash line for maximum impact.

Runner up: Eva Longoria’s thick winged eyeliner with voluminous false lashes to boot.

The best hair accessories

Awarded to: Quannah Chasinghorse-Potts

To create Quannah’s ultra-sleek hair look, hairstylist Paula Peralta separated Quannah’s waist-length hair into a zig-zag centre parting, before straightening the lengths until smooth. She added face-framing braids around Quannah’s hairline, which were accessorised with six golden hair wraps spaced at intervals along each braid. For makeup, makeup artist Katey Denno complemented Quannah’s traditional Native American facial tattoos with sharp double-winged red eyeliner and white highlight.

Runner up: Technically a hair accessory (just one you can’t obviously see) Lily Gladstone’s luscious hair extensions added extra length and fullness to her side-swept style.

The best peach-toned makeup

Awarded to: Emma Stone

Despite suffering a wardrobe malfunction, two-time Academy Award winner Emma Stone shone in Charlotte Tilbury, with Rachel Goodwin working with not one but three of the brand’s best-selling lip products to create her peachy lips. Combining Lip Cheat in the shade 90s Pink, Hollywood Beauty Icon Lipstick K.I.S.S.I.N.G in 90s Pink and Pillow Talk Plumpgasm for extra sheen, the lip look was complemented by a radiant base and fluttery lashes.

Runner up: Hailee Steinfeld’s monochromatic take with matching peach eyeshadow, cheeks and lips.

The best sparkle

Awarded to: Lupita Nyong’o

It’s been a decade since Lupita won her first Oscar, and to mark the occasion makeup artist Nick Barose revealed that he wanted Lupita’s beauty look to feel as celebratory as the day she won. From the silver eyeshadow adorning her eyelids, through to the flecks of glitter dusted through her hair and along her collarbone, Nick worked with a multitude of Chanel Beauty products to dial up Lupita’s look, including the Chanel Ombre Premiere Laque Longwear Liquid Eyeshadow and the Ashunta Sheriff Unicorn Multichrome Glitter Shadow on her collarbones.

Runner up: Danielle Brooks for her crystal-adorned French manicure.

More fashion from the red carpet

Awards season’s major style players — and the looks we loved the most.

The coolest, chicest looks at the 2024 SAG Awards. This year’s SAG Awards saw a parade of not overly complicated, mostly chic looks.

The stylist behind Olivia Colman’s high-fashion bravado. The Oscar-winning actor has become a fashion fixture. Who’s behind Olivia Colman’s wardrobe?

The most theatrical, most powerful looks from Baftas 2024. At this year’s Baftas, the stars descended upon London in an assortment of dramatic looks that shouted: “I’m a serious actor!”

The very best, most mesmerising looks at the 2024 Grammys. In a sea of costumes and cosplay, several artists paid homage to themselves.