“When you close your eyes, the stereotype of Old Hollywood—especially Marilyn—is definitely that red lip,” says makeup artist Mélanie Inglessis, the morning after the Golden Globes 2023 handed out trophies amid a return to grace. The reference to Monroe is understandable, given the quality time that Inglessis spent with Ana de Armas, a Globe best actress nominee for Blonde, before the actor stepped out in a bejeweled Louis Vuitton dress. Makeup’s association with bygone screen icons persists because red lipstick speaks in shorthand: a symbol of power and provocation and the never-leave-the-house-without-it poise of generations past. Instead, Inglessis wanted to root de Armas in the present—elegant, as ever, but with only a “little nod to Marilyn,” the makeup artist says. The resulting “rosy, mauve-y stain” decidedly didn’t match the carpet. But when the camera panned from face to face, the crowd was similarly in the pink.
Angela Bassett tapped into classic glamour codes with a curl set and punchy lipstick—regal yet approachable, like a queen making the rounds at a convivial tea. Jennifer Coolidge puckered up to her Globe award with pitch-perfect Bardot camp. Rihanna’s candy-gloss smile seemed to summon shoutouts from the stage, while Quinta Brunson’s understated shine reflected her ensemble-first approach. Meanwhile, Claire Danes and Hilary Swank, both in petal-pink lipstick, set the maternity style blogs atwitter.
It would be too facile to think of pink as merely feminine. There’s a sense of lightness and optimism with the color; practicality too. “Sometimes these events go for seven or eight hours,” says Inglessis, understanding that a marathon schmooze doesn’t leave much opportunity for careful reapplication. She hedged her bets by layering two new Estée Lauder formulas, launching February 1. First came the Double Wear liner, used to fill in the majority of de Armas’s lips. On top, Inglessis applied the Pure Color lipstick in Stolen Heart, which she likes to press into the lips with her ring finger, as a final touch. “For me, if I’m being honest, Ana is a movie star,” says the makeup artist. It’s not just the acting prowess and obvious good looks, but an X factor—which de Armas happens to share with this pink-lipped cohort here. As a meme recently pointed out, who can believe that Anya Taylor-Joy, nominated for The Menu, is some no-name Midwest emigre with that chiseled bone structure?
By Todd Williamson/NBC/Getty Images.
Ana de Armas
The Blonde star, who landed a best actress Golden Globe nomination in the drama category, paired winged black liner with a crisply defined pink mouth, courtesy of makeup artist Mélanie Inglessis. (Jenny Cho styled the center-parted hair, using Sol de Janeiro and Dyson hair tools.) A new Estée Lauder lipstick—nourishing and easy-wearing—carried the actor through the overtime awards ceremony.
By Christopher Polk/NBC/ Getty Images.
Rihanna
“Lift Me Up,” nominated for best original song, set the pop star within the Black Panther: Wakanda Forever universe, while her Globes makeup (by Priscilla Ono) and sculptural hair (by Yusef and Naphia White) anchored her in Hollywood’s glamorous world. The custom Schiaparelli set the tone. “We wanted to create a clean, refreshed beauty look using all rose gold hues as a soft juxtaposition to the dramatic structure of her gown,” Ono explains—and the lip was the rosiest of all.
By FREDERIC J. BROWN/ Getty Images.
Jennifer Coolidge
As with her beloved role on The White Lotus—a performance that earned Coolidge a best supporting actress award—the screen sirens of the 1960s were a muse for this Globes look, down to the glossy pink lip (by makeup artist Lilly Keys) and va-va-voom hair (by Janine Thompson). A Dolce & Gabbana dress felt right for a character with money to burn in Italian paradise, and the new teal liner reads as a kind of oceanic spoiler alert for the season’s ending.
By Frazer Harrison/ Getty Images.
Margot Robbie
The blush-colored Chanel couture dress was the starting point for Robbie’s Golden Globes look. “We focused on the flush of the cheek and the flush of the lip, without any hard lines,” says makeup artist Pati Dubroff, who layered two new Chanel matte lipsticks (one neutral, the other more pink) for a “blossoming” effect. (The polished waves by hairstylist Bryce Scarlett continued the idea.) For the Babylon star, nominated for best actress in a musical or comedy, the execution felt entirely fresh.
By Todd Williamson/NBC/Getty Images.
Quinta Brunson
It was a triumphant night for the Abbott Elementary creator, whose show won for best musical or comedy series, while also earning acting awards for Brunson and her co-star Tyler James Williams. With a statement-making custom dress by Christian Siriano, makeup artist Renée Loiz exercised restraint, opting for a glamorously shaded eye and pink lips (created with a multitasking cream pigment layered with gloss) that complemented the sleek ponytail by Alexander Armand.
By Matt Winkelmeyer/ Getty Images.
Julia Garner
As makeup artist Emily Cheng tells it, inspiration for Garner’s beauty look included ’90s Madonna liner and soft ’60s-style eye makeup: fitting accompaniment for a crystal-embellished Gucci gown the color of fresh-spun cotton candy. A warm pink lip, together with filled-in brows, anchored the Ozark star’s features against her bleach-blonde hair (styled by Bobby Eliot)—all the more important under the stage lights when accepting her best supporting actress award.
By FREDERIC J. BROWN/ Getty Images.
Angela Bassett
The eternal beauty that is Angela Bassett is the kind that prompts gasps—particularly when taking the stage to accept a best supporting actress award for Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. Makeup artist D’Andre Michael dubs this look “how modern elegance meets old Hollywood” (echoed by Randy Stodghill’s hairstyling and a silver Pamella Roland dress). For her lips, Michael paired a darker liner with a vivid liquid lip color (Rose Mystère) by Chanel. It appears to be sold out, but the new matte lipstick in Éternelle will do the trick.
By Amy Sussman/ Getty Images.
Claire Danes
A best supporting actress nominee for her riveting turn in Fleishman Is in Trouble, Danes showed off her own blend of softness and polish at the Globes, dressed in Giambattista Valli couture. Makeup artist Jo Strettell is behind the flushed pink lip; the sleek sideswept bob is by Mara Roszak, using her hair oil RŌZ.
By Frazer Harrison/ Getty Images.
Anya Taylor-Joy
Nominated for best actress in a musical or comedy, The Menu star Taylor-Joy once again brought her enigmatic beauty to the red carpet, dressed in a golden two-piece Dior ensemble. “We channeled ’90s supermodel beauty with a smoldering matte eye,” makeup artist Georgie Eisdell explained of the look, which included a versatile mauve-y lipstick. (Dior’s velvet-finish lip balm makes a nice pre-treatment.) Gregory Russell finessed her sleek blonde hair.
By Todd Williamson/NBC/ Getty Images.
Hilary Swank
Nominated for best actress in a drama series, the Alaska Daily star proved there is merit to the “pregnancy glow” phenomenon, with a little help from makeup artist Fabiola (along with a handsome Prada dress and swirling updo by Chad Wood). A True Botanicals lip balm set a hydrated foundation, followed by a rose-tinted gloss.
By Kevork Djansezian/NBC/Getty Images.
Salma Hayek
A memorable voice in Puss in Boots: The Last Wish, Hayek graced the Globes stage in a sparkling custom Gucci dress, while the beauty skewed delicate. The inspiration was “luminosity—with a hint of rose—for the iconic Salma Hayek,” says makeup artist Mary Phillips, who used Charlotte Tilbury’s blush-pink liner and lipstick to shape a plush mouth. (Hairstylist Jennifer Yepez, using Fekkai, echoed that softness.)
By Kevork Djansezian/NBC/Getty Images.
Elizabeth Debicki
In a week dominated by royals news, Debicki offered a refreshing counter narrative at the Globes, where The Crown star was nominated for best supporting actress in a musical-comedy or drama. Makeup artist Mary Wiles (using Dior Beauty) played with subtlety, as did hairstylist Mara Roszak (using Phyto). The concentration, Wiles says, was “on beautiful prepped skin, a simple defined brow, a little contour to the eyes and cheeks, keeping tones very simple and natural.” A pastel mouth anchors it all.
