Date-Worthy Hair & Makeup Looks to Try This Valentine's Day
Along with a killer LBD, there's no better way to make that special someone swoon than with a gorgeous round of hair and makeup. With Valentine’s Day just days away, now is the perfect time to test out some of the most head-turning beauty routines we've seen grace the red carpet this season. From Olivia Wilde’s sexy, effortless waves to Allison Williams’ universally flattering eye shadow, we reached out to the pros for all of the expert tips, tricks, and products you’ll need to set the mood on the most romantic night of the year and beyond. To let the primping begin, click through our gallery to see the top celebrity-inspired styles that are sure to leave a lasting impression.
Allison Williams' Rose Gold Shadow
The ‘Girls’ star proves the feminine metal is just as striking on your eyes as it is on a piece of jewelry. The best part? It works wonders on every skin tone. Makeup artist Gita Bass, who’s currently obsessed with the glistening shade, began by smudging a brown eye pencil along the upper, lower, and inner lash lines, before applying Chanel Illusion D'ombre in Abstraction ($36; chanel.com), a warm rose shadow, up to the lid’s crease and lower lash line area. To create the rose gold finish, Bass tells us, “I layered the bronze shadow from the Lorac Baked Eyeshadow Trio in Superstar ($27; loraccosmetics.com) over the cream and used the light gold for the inner corners and brow bone." A few swipes of mascara completed the evening-ready style.
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Olivia Wilde's Effortless Waves
With Olivia Wilde’s natural beauty in mind, celebrity hairstylist Lona Vigi opted for long, loose waves to complement the star’s sparkling Gucci number. Once sweeping hair to one side and blow drying with a round brush, Vigi recommends spraying Oscar Blandi Pronto Texture amp Volume Spray ($25; oscarblandi.com) allover to prep for the same effortless vibe. When recreating her waves, she suggests alternating between two different curling iron barrels (¾ to 1y inches) and repeating for a more tousled texture. Lastly, work in Blandi’s Pronto Invisible Spray ($25; oscarblandi.com) for added body and shine, and spritz hairspray to hold the final look in place all night.
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Lupita Nyong'o's Shimmery Cat Eye
A romantic night out may call for more drama at eye level, and Lupita Nyong’o’s strong, stand-out gaze will help you accomplish just that without fear of looking costumey. Drawing inspiration from ancient queens like Cleopatra, makeup artist Nick Barose used Ligne Graphique De Chanel Liquid Liner in Noir ($34; chanel.com) to accentuate Nyong’o’s eyes, tracing from the inner lid and extending into a slight winged edge. To complement the cat-like effect, Barose chose to downplay the intensity with a hint of color. “Too much black liner around the eye would take away from how animated her eyes are,” he shares. “I used CHANEL Le Crayon Yeux Precision Eye Definer in Blue Jean ($29; chanel.com) a shimmery royal blue pencil, underneath her lower lash-line just to define it without it looking too heavy.”
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Anna Kendrick's Side-Swept Waves
While bombshell waves are a red carpet favorite, hairstylist Craig Gangi took Anna Kenrick’s glam ‘do a step further in favor of music’s biggest night. “Because it was the Grammys, we gave it a slight edge, tightly pulling up the right side for a modern, sleek look,” Gangi says. Prior to blow drying, he suggests prepping wet strands with Garnier Fructis Style Curl Calm Down Anti-Frizz Cream ($4; cvs.com) to ensure an ultra-smooth finish. To create the star’s classic coils, Gangi thermal set her hair, letting it cool before gently brushing and securing to one side. A light mist of Garnier’s Extreme Control Anti-Humidity Hairspray ($4; cvs.com) provided a final touch.
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Emma Watson's Red Lip
Nothing glams up a date-night ensemble quite like a bold red lip, just be sure to allow the vibrant shade to work its magic by leaving eye makeup to a minimal like Emma Watson. To create the star’s dramatic matte pout, makeup artist Kate Lee tells us, "I mixed CHANEL Rouge Allure Luminous Intense Lip Colour in Exaltee and Coromandel ($34 each; chanel.com) and went straight from the lipstick to the lip with my brush, blending the color out and blotted. Then, I put a layer of translucent powder on top and repeated the process."
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Leslie Mann's Sleek Blowout
At this year's Golden Globes, Leslie Mann opted to complement her eye-catching ensemble with a sleek blowout, a glamorous look that’s easy enough to recreate for your next romantic outing. To ensure long-lasting hold, Lona Vigi recommends applying Biolage Styling Agave Nectar Control Gel (16; matrix.com for salon locations) through damp hair, which she says is perfect for taming naturally curly tresses. After blow drying sections with a medium round brush, be sure to work in a frizz-reducing heat protectant spray and begin running a flat iron through your hair, focusing on the sections around your face for a super-smooth finish.
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Mila Kunis' Tightlined Eyes
Mila Kunis' extra smoky eye demanded our attention at this year’s Golden Globe Awards, and while some red carpet looks may seem impossible to recreate in the real world, this intensifying eye trick can be achieved in mere seconds. The secret behind the star’s sexy smolder lies in tightlighting, or applying black eyeliner directly to the inner lash line. Opting to pair the eye-enhancing technique with taupe shadow, makeup artist Tracey Levy swiped on Lancôme Le Crayon Khôl Pencil in Gris Noir ($26; lancome.com), followed by the brand’s liquid counterpart, Artliner in Noir ($31; lancome.com), for added definition.
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Amy Adams' Braided Updo
For a gorgeous Grecian-inspired updo like Amy Adams, start by applying moose to damp hair and continue by blow drying with a medium round brush to create a smooth, voluminous canvas. Once working in four tight braids starting at the hairline, hairstylist Laini Reeves pulled the remaining hair into a ponytail at the crown, spritzing hairspray as she tied the length into a messy braid. After securing into a bun shape, “the front braids at the ear were then wrapped around the top of the bun with the two center braids pulled down and around the under side for a lifted effect,” Reeves tells us. A final round of hairspray helped to lock strands in place.