Welcome to the single biggest night of the awards show season: the 2025 Academy Awards. There's no shortage of topics keeping the Maire Claire team talking—Demi Moore! Wicked! Conan O'Brien!—but the best Oscars beauty looks have been the hottest topic of conversation.
The red carpet is well underway (Marie Claire is live blogging our unfiltered reactions to the stars' beauty looks, FYI), and a handful of actors made a point to deviate from their status quo and deliver an unexpected surprise. Pale pinks and pretty waves were overwhelmingly swapped in for anything more dramatic. Bobs and bright mascara found a place next to couture gowns, while fun manicures (I see you, Cynthia Erivo) and hair color transformations refused to play it safe.
But these looks have been weeks in the making. Stars have spent the past few days visiting famed facialists like Ivan Pol of The Beauty Sandwich, Georgia Louise (known to use SK-II and Biologique Recherche), or iS Clinical’s celebrity ambassador Cynthia Rivas. In the hours preceding their red carpet arrivals, in hotel rooms scattered across Los Angeles, stars from nominated films like The Brutalist, Emilia Perez, Anora, and A Complete Unknown (among many others) were busy getting their blush dusted to perfection and bobby pins painstakingly placed into their updos.
Scroll ahead to see the full breakdown of the products and techniques used to create the best Oscars beauty looks.
Julianne Hough
A cool-toned red lip and a bouncy bob oozed Old Hollywood glamour. You'll want to load up on volumizing products to get lift a la Julianne Hough.
Yvonne Orji
Blunt bangs and blunt bob nod to one of 2025's biggest hair trends. "A trend that I’m a big fan of right now is a chin-length bob with bangs, specifically with dark or bleach blonde hair," Laura Polko, celebrity hairstylist and brand founder, previously told MC. This cut is typically the most flattering for those with angular faces or strong jawlines.
Amelia Dimoldenberg
Subtle smokey eyes and super sleek straight hair make for a classic Oscars beauty look.
Storm Reid
This swooped baby hair adds excitement to a sleek ponytail. Gel and a boar bristle brush are key to executing this look without any lumps or flyaways.
Rachel Sennot
A classic French is back for 2025—and Rachel's manicure is proof. "There are so many ways to breathe new life into the classic French manicure," nail artist Lindsay Otherne previously told MC. Try different colors, designs, or even press-ons.
Mikey Madison
Why yes, the perfect slicked-back bun does exist. Just keep a few pieces out by your ears for a "smooth but not smooth" look, according to hairstylist Rena Calhoun.
Lily Rose-Depp
A little '90s throwback anyone? Lily-Rose Depp opted for high-contrast nude lip liner and a matching smoky eye.
Halle Berry
It's no shocker that bobs are trending, but leave it to Halle Berry (a Marie Claire cover star!) to up the ante on the now-classic style with a flipped-out aesthetic.
Lupita Nyong'o
In a sea of shiny, straight styles and pretty waves, Lupita's pearl-embellished updo was a notable standout. The pearl pins were a perfect match for her custom Chanel dress.
Emma Stone
Pixie cuts were trending on the red carpet, with Doja Cat and Emma Stone showing off super short styles. Stone's had a glossy, finger wave pattern that was achieved using ROZ hair products.
Miley Cyrus
Perhaps the boldest beauty look of the night came courtesy of Miley Cyrus, who arrived on the carpet with bleached brows.
