All eyes were on Princess Kate's tumbling mermaid hair at the BAFTAs on Sunday night, but if you manged to tear your eyes away from her fairy tale inspired mane, you might have noticed that Hollywood royalty fell into one of two beauty camps at the ceremony.
Beauty at the BAFTAs
1. The dapper 'do
© Getty ImagesLook number one was the androgynous, minimalist style, favoured by Alicia Vikander, Chase Infiniti and Kate Hudson, as well as Leading Actress winner Jessie Buckley, who all went for understated slicked back hairstyles – leaving their statement dresses to do the talking.
"The slicked back look has such enduring popularity because it delivers instant polish with minimal distraction," says celebrity hair stylist Melissa Timperley. "It opens up the face, sharpens the jawline and cheekbones, and creates a clean, modern silhouette that works with almost every neckline and outfit. It also has a timeless quality; whether worn glossy and refined or with a more textured finish."
© Jeff Spicer/Getty Images"It always feels confident and intentional, which is why it remains a red carpet staple. The more masculine-leaning version of the style has become popular on the red carpet because it brings a sense of strength and attitude to traditionally feminine looks." Melissa continues. "That contrast between structured, almost androgynous hair paired with a dramatic gown creates a powerful look that feels very current. It signals confidence, control and a willingness to play with gendered styling in a way that feels bold but still elegant, which is exactly why so many celebrities gravitate towards it for major events."
© Gareth Cattermole/BAFTA/Getty ImThe benefits of the slicked back look lie with the fact that it keeps hair off the face, taming frizz and flyaway whilst still looking effortlessly cool.
To recreate the look, hairstylist Jay Birmingham says the hair should be styled from towel dry. "Use a comb or your fingers to create the slicked back style, pushing the hair back off the face to create your desired shape. Lock in the style with a strong-hold hairspray or a shine serum with hold to allow it to stay in place all day/night and for even further mirror-like shine."
© WireImageAt the other end of the spectrum, actresses Sadie Sink and Emma Stone leaned into a hyper-feminine look.
2. Soft glam
© Getty ImagesRedheads Emma and Sadie, along with musician Gracie Abrams (who attended with her partner Paul Mescal) and Kylie Jenner (who attended to support her boyfriend, Timothee Chalamet), all went for a diffused makeup look, characterised by glowing complexions, soft edges and fresh, romantic colour that feels effortless rather than overly-styled.
© BAFTA via Getty ImagesBlush is central to soft glam – and we lay the cause of our rediscovered blush obsession purely at the feet of Margot Robbie in Wuthering Heights, with her windswept pink cheeks.
For Emma and Sadie's flushed looks, apply a cream blush to the fullest part of the cheek (Sadie wore Charlotte Tilbury's Pillow Talk Lip & Cheek Glow in the shade Colour Of Dreams) and gently diffuse it outwards to your hairline, for a natural look. To further create the illusion of a day spent in fresh air, add a feather-light touch of loose powder blush to the edges to soften the look.
© WireImageBlurred, just-kissed lips add to the undone effect. While starkly lined lips are all the rage due to Gen Z's penchant for the 1990s, the BAFTAs red carpet saw lightly blended liner, applied softly to minimise harsh edges. Gloss was sidestepped too, with matte lipstick creating a velvety base. Try Merit's Signature Lip Blush in Andie or Sadie's exact shade, Charlotte Tilbury's Matte Revolution in Pillow Talk Medium.
As for Gracie Abram's ethereal glow, she is known to use Hourglass' Unreal Liquid Highlighter in the shade Evoke. It's exclusive to Australia and New Zealand at present, but will be available globally next month…
© Getty Images for BAFTAWhether you're leaning into a sharp, tailored edge or a soft romantic flush, the message from this year's BAFTAs red carpet is clear; perfection is out and personality is in.
