The glamorous gowns at Sunday night's Academy of Country Music Awards were matched only by the stunning hair and makeup on the red carpet, with Carrie Underwood's shimmery smoky eye topping the list of our must-try looks.
Underwood's makeup artist Melissa Schleicher drew inspiration from old Hollywood glamour to create the effect, which proved to be the perfect complement to her shiny cascading waves. "I love anything that shines and makes her eyes pop," says Schleicher.
Schleicher began by layering on colors from Almay's Smoky-i Kit for Hazel Eyes ($8; drugstore.com), concentrating the lightest hue on the inner corners, then defined the singer's crease with the Eye Shadow Softies in Hot Fudge ($5; drugstore.com). A generous amount of mascara and eyeliner added definition, and a mix of the Cantaloupe Cream and Blooming Balm hues from Almay's Liquid Lip Balm range ($6 each; drugstore.com) finished the look.
Want to see more of the ACM Awards' best beauty moments? Click through our gallery!
Carrie Underwood
Drawing inspiration from old Hollywood glamour, Underwood's makeup artist Melissa Shleicher complemented the singer's cascading waves with a shimmery smoky eye, and a glossy lip. "I love anything that shines and makes her eyes pop," says Shleicher, who used a combination of the Almay i-Color Smoky-i Kit in the hazel hue, and blended the Shadow Softies product in Hot Fudge to define the star's crease ($8 and $5; drugstore.com). She then mixed the Blooming Balm and Cantaloupe Cream colors from Almay's Liquid Lip Balm range ($6 each; drugstore.com) to tie the entire look together.
Olivia Munn
Now here's the way to do the matchy-matchy effect right! Munn continued the electric magenta feeling of her Reem Acra gown with a pop-of-color lip, and a light sweep of pink blush. Her shoulder-length layers were pulled back into a sleek, low bun.
Taylor Swift
Go bold or go home! Swift traded her signature red lip for a springy coral version, and finished the look with shimmery blue shadow. Her long bob was given a roughed-up texture, while her fringe held a slight retro vibe.
Kacey Musgraves
Makeup artist Kristofer Buckle kept the blue streak of Musgraves' gown going by blending the neutral hues from the Pixi by Petra Mineral Palette in Plum Quartz all over her lids, topped off with the bold green from the Emerald Gold palette ($12 each; target.com).
Miranda Lambert
Lambert kept her makeup to shimmery, neutral tones, and complemented the look with loose blonde waves, and a set of sparkly earrings.
Sheryl Crow
To create Sheryl Crow's luminous complexion, makeup artist Kristofer Buckle started with a layer of the Borghese Age-Defying CC Cream ($23; target.com), then highlighted the high points of her face with the Pixi Cheek Sheen in Gold Glow ($16; target.com). He then picked up the same product in the Angel Pink shade to impart a lit-from-within flush.
Hillary Scott
Scott balanced her low-key waves with a sexy smoky eye, and a glossy lip. Her makeup artist Terri Apanasewicz layered metallic hues from Sonia Kashuk's Eye Couture Palette in Jewel of an Eye ($20; target.com), then created a dramatic feline effect with a combination of MAC's Fluidline in Blacktrack ($16; maccosmetics.com) and Sonia Kashuk's Twist-Up Longwear Liner in Black ($8; target.com) along her water line.
