1. Blake Lively’s Cannes Glam Slam
WHEN: Cannes Film Festival, May 14, 15 and 17
WHY IT MATTERS: At the festival known for being the height of glamour, rivaling the Oscars, Lively rocked three memorable back-to-back looks, wowing Hollywood and beauty insiders alike.
MUST-HAVE PRODUCT: L’Oreal Elnett Satin Hairspray
“Blake has distinct taste and she had a strong vision of how she wanted to look each night in Cannes,” says hairstylist Stephane Lancien, who put his skills to work turning 27-year-old Lively’s ideas into three standout styles. The L’Oreal ambassador was a red-carpet chameleon, going from a playfully sexy braided ponytail with smoky eye at the opening ceremony’s Grace of Monaco premiere to voluminous, beachy waves that radiated California cool at the following evening’s Mr. Turner premiere. Lancien used Elnett hairspray both times to keep Lively’s locks in place: “It’s the first and final step for every style I do.” The grand finale was a classic red lip, sleek side-part and exaggerated bun topped with 180 carats in diamonds for husband Ryan Reynolds’The Captive debut — the ultimate display of Hollywood glamour on La Croisette. Says Lancien: “Cannes is one of the most intense moments in beauty each year.”
2. Emily Blunt’s Daring Pink Lips
WHEN: Edge of Tomorrow premiere in New York, May 28
WHY IT MATTERS: Three premiere looks in three cities (London, Paris and New York City) — all within 24 hours for her sci-fi thriller co-starring Tom Cruise — included a clashing lip color that upped the ante on red-carpet beauty risks.
MUST-HAVE PRODUCT: Blunt wore sold-out Nars Satin Lip Pencil in Villa Lante; Nars Audacious Lipstick in Marisa is a look-alike shade
When makeup artist Jenn Streicher began working with Blunt five years ago, she had to push the nude-lip-loving actress to try something bolder. “I never wore lipstick and even told her, ‘I don’t like lipstick,’ ” says Blunt, who was introduced to Streicher by her husband (then boyfriend), John Krasinski. Clearly those days are behind her as the British beauty, 31, boasts one of the year’s most daring lip looks — Pepto Bismol pink — spotted at the Edge of Tomorrow premiere in New York City. The reason it caused a stir? The lip color clashed with Blunt’s true-red Prada column gown. “You usually team a red lip with a red dress, or you do a nude lip,” says Blunt, who wanted something a little less predictable. Streicher says she tried out several shades of pink while en route from Paris to New York (“We did her makeup on the plane”) before deciding on Nars Satin Lip Pencil in Villa Lante, a highly pigmented, creamy hot-pink hue. “It got a lot of attention … there were probably some haters, but in the end, it was a risk that worked,” says Streicher, who’s opening Striiike, a hair, makeup and brow salon, with her sisters Ashley (a hairstylist) and Kristie (a brow specialist) in Beverly Hills on Nov. 18. Adds Blunt, “It’s my favorite red-carpet look, maybe ever.”
3. Gwen Stefani’s Virtuosic Style Range
WHEN: The Voice on NBC
WHY IT MATTERS: Two nights a week (Monday and Tuesday), more than 11 million viewers on average tune in to see the singer-judge’s trendsetting looks.
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Fifteen years ago, Stefani, who was wearing pink cornrows at the time (she had just finished shooting the video “Ex-Girlfriend” for No Doubt), met rock-star hairstylist Danilo: “It was backstage at a Vivienne Westwood show in New York City — the first fashion show I’d ever been to — and Danilo was doing the hair,” Stefani tells THR. “Afterward, I begged to have him flown in for our ‘Simple Kind of Life’ video. He gave me this really big pink afro and I’ve been addicted to him ever since.” Danilo has been the man behind the trendsetting 45-year-old singer’s most iconic hairstyles, ranging from Smurf blue knots to a platinum pompadour. “In some ways, it gets harder and harder because Danilo and I have done so many looks,” says Stefani. “We want to keep evolving and always make things a little bit different.” Which is what he’s doing for The Voice judge, so far styling her in retro curls, stick-straight hair and a variety of top knots. “I didn’t expect to get so sucked in — I hadn’t watched the show prior to Gwen being on it, but we bring something new every day and I think that’s what the public is responding to. They also love getting to know her.” Luckily for Stefani, dressing up never gets old: “I feel like I am still playing Barbies, but I get to be the Barbie. It’s what I love — it’s like the reward that comes with the music.”
For all 25 top beauty moments see here: http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/hollywoods-top-25-beauty-moments-748088
