Drastic Celebrity Hair Makeovers: Before and After

Did your beauty resolutions for 2014 include a hairstyle makeover? Now’s the time to get, right before spring! Get inspired by some celebrities who have shown off dramatic transformations in the last few months. Here’s a look at some of our favorites.

Jennifer Lawrence

The award for the biggest hair makeover of the year goes to Jennifer Lawrence. When she went from shaggy and shoulder-length to a pixie, she made style headlines worldwide. As Jennifer showed up on talk shows and red carpets for her hit movies The Hunger Games: Catching Fire and American Hustle, we got to examine several versions of her versatile pixie: soft and tousled, waxed and piecey and slicked back into an elegant pompadour. Blockbusters all!

Before                                      After

 

Jennifer Hudson

In November, Jennifer Hudson provided more proof that the pixie is not just a one-note do. She modeled both a natural and a coiffed version of the cut a few days apart. Both were stunning.

Before                                     After

 

Taylor Swift

Late last year, the songstress trimmed her tresses into a long bob and ditched the fringe. When she walked the red carpet at a London gala, we saw an elegant, more sophisticated Taylor Swift.

Before                                     After

 

Reese Witherspoon

She was still Legally Blonde, but by the end of 2013 Reese Witherspoon had cut her blonde locks into a layered, shoulder-length bob. With beautiful champagne highlights, the lob showcased her sparkling blue eyes.

Before                                     After

 

 

Rebecca Romijn

An hour before arriving at a gala hosted by pal Jessica Alba, Rebecca Romijn gave her long hair the chop.  “I felt it was time for a change,” she told InStyle Magazine. “I had a couple of Brazilian blowouts in the last five years, and wanted to get rid of all that. Once in a while, change is good!”

Before                                     After

 

SEE ALSO: Hairstyle Classics: How to Keep your Look From Looking Dated

5 Grammys Looks You’ll Want to Wear All Year

If the Grammys are the last place you usually look for everyday beauty inspiration, we don’t blame you. Goth, punk or too-sexy-for-your-shoes, the styles are usually over the top and look like they belong in a racy music video instead of our everyday lives. But this year, the Grammys held plenty of surprises -- and we’re not just talking about Pink flying through the air. The looks were softer, more approachable and a lot more down to earth. To paraphrase a typical warning: Do try these at home!

1. Taylor Swift’s glam pony

Sexy, elegant and timeless, Taylor rocked one of the Grammy’s best looks. There’s a lot to learn here, starting with the proof that you can do high-glamour hair and keep it soft. Taylor’s side-swept bangs and bouncy ponytail have an effortless polish. Her pink pout is girly and sweet, her smoky silver eye makeup all grown up. Love the flicker of silver on the inner corners of her eyes? For an everyday look, skip the liner and just dab on a glimmer of metallic to brighten and open up the eye.

2. Miley Cyrus’s new-found sweetness

The twerking controversy behind her and her platinum pixie a bit grown out, Miley was the picture of cotton-candy sweetness at a pre-Grammy party. Her lilac faux fur coat was complemented beautifully by baby-pink cheeks and lips.

3. Ciara’s unreal bob

Mom-to-be Ciara won raves from beauty watchers for her faux bob. To recreate this perfectly imperfect hairdo, pin 2-inch sections of the bottom half of your hair against your scalp. Then let longer pieces hang loose in the front, back and sides. Spritz with a finishing hairspray.


4. Rita Ora’s Old Hollywood charm

The British singer is always a red-carpet sensation, and she didn’t disappoint at the Grammys, channeling an updated version of Marilyn Monroe. Rita’s glamorous style was a mix of naughty and nice -- a touch of re-growth to her super-blonde locks, beautifully groomed full eyebrows, lots of lashes and a bubble-gum pink mouth. 

5. Kacey Musgraves’ shiny locks


The young country music star walked away with two Grammy awards. We’d give her a third -- for shiniest, healthiest hair! At an after party, Kacey’s hair was loose, simple and dazzling. The key to gleaming locks like these is regular conditioning and trims, plus application of a high-beam styling product like an argan oil serum.

Beauty Reporter: The Best Looks from the Golden Globes

Want to be red-carpet beautiful? This year’s Golden Globes showed that it’s possible, even for those of us who don’t have a glam squad of hair and makeup pros. “The look was pretty, subtle and chic,” says Hollywood makeup artist Julia Papworth. “For women watching at home, recreating the trends they liked will be much more achievable than in past years.” Gone were the smoky eyes, the contoured bronzer and the over-the-top lashes. In their place were understated sweeps of color and polished but unfussy hair.

Here, with tips, are Papworth’s favorite looks of the night.

Sandra Bullock

“I love the side ponytail!” says Papworth. “It’s clean and elegant. And Sandra didn’t go overboard on her makeup either. She looks fresh and pretty and like she’s not trying too hard.”

Tip: Women are sometimes afraid to match their lip color to their clothes. But here, Papworth says, Bullock’s deep pink lip is the perfect complement to the pink bodice of her Prabal Gurung gown. “If she had chosen a gloss, it would have been too much,” says Papworth, “but the soft matte is perfect. The trick is to pick a lip shade in the same color family as your dress. Don’t try for a perfect match.”


Reese Witherspoon

“She went simpler on hair and makeup than she has at other red carpet appearances and by default she looks younger,” says Papworth.

Tip: The anchor of this beautiful look is Reese’s blunt angled bob. To keep that style fresh, you’ll need frequent trims and healthy ends. A reparative product like a split end cream is a maintenance must-have. 

Lupita Nyong’o

She might have been new to the red carpet, but the 12 Years a Slave star won top raves for her show-stopping appearance. Her minimalist but regal caped Ralph Lauren ensemble was a knockout, and her strong brow, bold red lip and side-parted ’do complemented the gown’s striking lines perfectly. “Her skin looks amazing,” says Papworth. “She absolutely glows!”

Tip: For skin that gleams, “don’t be afraid of cream blush,” says Papworth. “Apply it right to the apple of the cheek and set it with a dusting of translucent powder so it doesn’t move.”     


Amber Heard

In a stunning navy blue Atelier Versace gown, the actress (and girlfriend of one Johnny Depp) flashed a lot of leg, as well as an eye-catching teased updo. “This updo looks just right from every angle -- front, sides and back,” says Papworth. “And what makes it work is balance. Amber’s brow is soft, her lips and cheeks are a muted rosy pink and there’s even some soft pink in her eye shadows. If she was wearing stronger makeup colors, it would have thrown the whole look off.”

Tip: Take a good look in the mirror before you head out for a glamorous night, and “if something looks off,” says Papworth, “try removing a piece of jewelry or softening your lip. Sometimes your eye sees that something is out of whack, and it can take a few tries to pinpoint just what it is.”

Get Camera-Ready: Makeup Tricks from the Pros

Want to look gorgeous in those holiday photos? Here are some tips from the beauty pros on how to get camera-ready.

Use matte finish bronzer to contour a full face, double chin, or crooked nose. Matte powder that is slightly darker than your natural shade sculpts like a chisel when placed beneath cheekbones, under the jaw line or on the sides of your nose.

-- Dimitri James, celebrity makeup artist

Buy a concealer pot two shades lighter than your skin tone. After applying your foundation and finishing powder gently, pat the concealer under your eyes in a crescent moon shape and above your eyebrows, from the top center tip to the end tip. This will highlight your eyes so they’re the focus of the photo.

-- Lindsi Lane, Lindsi in the Fast Lane founder

If it's a full-length shot, place your hands on your hips, but not evenly. Have one hand higher on one hip and the other hand resting a bit lower so you don't look boxy. 

-- Hope Henderson, creator of the Beauty Mark app

For a photo-ready no-makeup makeup look, skip the blush. Instead, contour cheekbones with a powder bronzer, then hit the apples of the cheeks with a highlighting powder.

-- Shelley GoodStein, model and blogger (A Model's Secrets)  

Fake lashes and eyeliner are the keys to popping those eyes. Using an angled liner brush, apply a powder to the upper waterline, or inner rim. This defines the eye without closing it in. To boost lashes, apply short-strip lashes. Top them off with a little mascara, and you are good to go.

-- Erica Maniscalco, New York makeup artist

To avoid a gummy smile, place the tip of your tongue on the roof of your mouth. That keeps you from smiling too wide. Works every time!

-- Elke Von Freudengerg, New York makeup artist

Avoid too much shimmer and frost when it comes to eye shadow. Keep it reserved to the lid, and use a matte shadow from the crease to the brow bone. 

-- Jessica Metivier, beauty expert on America Now

Tame flyaways. Make sure your hair looks smooth before taking a picture. To manage flyaways, spray a light-hold hairspray on a toothbrush and gently brush them down.

-- Julia Papworth, celebrity makeup artist

Girlfriend Gifts: The Best Perfume for Your BFFs

Perfume is the perfect girlfriend gift. You don’t need to worry if your friend is going through a not-so-skinny stage or what she has in her closet. There’s always room for an addition to our scent wardrobe.

But gifting fragrance does take some thought. You want to make sure to choose a scent that matches each friend’s personality and taste. Here are some tips from the pros on how to pick a perfume that’s right for each and every one of your BFFs.

Step 1: Start a conversation.
Go to a the perfume counter at a department store or to a well-stocked apothecary and “have a thoughtful conversation with the sales associate about your friend’s personality and sense of style,” says Mindy Yang, president of MiN New York, a perfumery in downtown Manhattan that carries scores of scents from around the globe.

Step 2: Ask the right questions.
Before embarking on your fragrance quest, Yang suggests asking yourself these questions: "Which kind of perfumes does your friend normally wear? Is it sweet or spicy? Does it trail off or is it more intimate, worn softly on the skin? Is your friend an active person? What does your friend do professionally?" The answers to these questions will help the salesperson guide you to a few scents that will be good matches for your friend. Always remember, Yang adds, to inquire about the shop's exchange and return policy. "Don't forget a gift receipt,” Yang says, “and ask for a sample vial to enclose with your gift so your friend can test the fragrance first!"

Step 3: Narrow in on a fragrance category. 
If your friend is flirty, a girly girl who likes to be the center of attention, her perfume personality is floral, Yang says. You’ll want to sniff out scents that have notes of rose, jasmine, violet, orchids and other flowers, perhaps, with some spicy or fruity notes added to the blend.

If you’d describe your friend as cool, quirky and sexy, you’ll want to pick a perfume with a sweet, offbeat sensuality, Yang says. Try fragrances from the “gourmand” group. As that name suggests, these are scents with edible notes like honey, caramel, vanilla, saffron, cumin, even waffle cone.

Is your friend laid back and low key? Is she the type to be found at the yoga studio, gym or hiking trail when your reach her voicemail? She fits into the “fresh” perfume personality type. You’ll want to pick a scent that smells like citrus, fresh-cut grass or one that evokes the ocean.

If you’re buying a scent for a new friend you don’t know all that well, go with a fresh scent, says Dana Knees, president of Pastiche Custom Perfume. “Something light-scented is always a better choice than something with a heavy scent,” Knees says. “Sweet heavy perfumes are really loved by only a small percentage of people -- and people who love heavy scents usually like fresh scents as well.”

Step 4: Consider her lifestyle.

While your friend may love bold scents, these might not work if she spends her days in a conservative office setting, says Renee Bukowski, a scent development expert with Tru Fragrance, a perfume manufacturer. “It might be more sensible,” Bukowski says, “to opt for lighter versions of her favorite scent, which are often labeled as ‘eau fraiche’ or ‘eau de toilette.’”