In the days of old, there posed a certain untouchable quality to celebrity make-up. Exquisite beauty looks were reserved for the red carpet, and were pored over by cosmetics connoisseurs through paparazzi photos. Readers remained in the dark with regard to the inspiration or techniques behind each artfully-painted visage, and resorted to emulating them through their own prowess. Then arrived the age of social media.
The advent of Instagram has given our favourite personalities the power to control their own narrative, where they’re able to post up close-up photos and instructional-videos of their made-up miens. It is clear to see that once established barriers-to-entry have been cast aside, allowing for even beauty novices to pick up the intricate skills required to craft a celebrity make-up look. Make-up artists of today have gained a respectable amount of clout as well, whereupon several have amassed cult-followings thanks to their detailed tutorials coaching audiences on how to achieve a specific trend or makeup style.
And so, the sole question that remains is this: What are the best celebrity make-up looks you should know? Vogue aims to help you answer that question with a monthly curation of stellar beauty Instagrams; a series of photos hand-picked to help ease you out of a beauty rut as helpfully provided by our favourite faces from Hollywood, the K-pop sphere, and more.
In the month of May, we were served with a flurry of standout details from the red carpet—but what were the other beauty moments that made their mark? Leading the pack was a pairing of shimmering lids, smoked out with sultry liners, seen on the likes of Megan Thee Stallion and Dua Lipa. A strong case was also made for a high-octane blush splash, sported by Krystal, Jeon Somi, and more. Feast your eyes on the assortment, below.
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IU
IU is channelling her inner Y2k: with a full rim of magenta shadow around the eyes, and an early 2000s braided hairstyle.
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Megan Thee Stallion
Extend your outfit to your digits—for a full flamboyant makeover. Top it up with a sweet eye smoke for that stamp of approval from Megan Thee Stallion herself.
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Kylie Jenner
Needing no introduction in the beauty realm—Kylie Jenner goes for a classic look of hers on the day of her sister Kourtney’s wedding: some smoky shadow, rosy cheeks, and perfectly plump lips.
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Dua Lipa
Concert season for Dua Lipa means some fresh flair on her visage every now and then. This time around, she aces it with frosty lids and voluminous lashes.
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Jeon Somi
Somi is giving us some serious summer vibes—complete with a cherry-inspired mien and lacquered lip.
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Jennifer Lopez
Who better to look to than Jlo herself for a dewy complexion like no other?
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Minnie from (G)I-dle
Not all goth serves need to be done in full black. Minnie says, switch it up with a touch of coloured fun on your digits.
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Sabrina Carpenter
Sabrina Carpenter knows how to take a party seriously, as seen from that inner corner glow and glossy lip.
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Sunmi
Adopt a double bun hairstyle to infuse just the right amount of adorable—like Sunmi does with this playful look.
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Elsa Hosk
Is the heavy-on-the-nose blush trend back? Elsa Hosk certainly makes a case for it here.
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Dove Cameron
Dove Cameron is serving us some red-carpet worthy glam in manner of shimmering gold lids—smoked out with a goth liner.
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Krystal Jung
Don’t underestimate what a splash of blush on your mien can do. Krystal clearly doesn’t.
