We’ve seen the beauty realm evolve in a multitude of ways over the past decade. Long gone are the days when celebrity beauty ops would be dedicated solely to the red carpet with techniques used often obscured from the public eye. We’ve fast moved on to an aspirational age of social media: how-to tutorials by the professional artists themselves, established content creators sharing their own cosmetic hacks and even full-face routines by some of the biggest A-listers. And we’ve all emerged the better for it.
It’s undeniable—the likes of Instagram and TikTok have given us all a space for unabashed self-expression. And for some, an artfully made-up mien or a customised change of talons are the perfect canvases to do so. Pop culture has had significant influence in the sphere; with entire visuals modelled after those seen in HBO’s hit drama Euphoria, creatively materialised by make-up artist, Donni Davy. Experimentation is abound, with novice creators and popular personalities alike attempting to ace a make-up look that is all the rage or share a thematic one-off look for others to recreate.
Then begs the question: how do we sieve out the best of all? Make-up trends surely begin somewhere, and learning from our seasoned celebrities is never a bad place to start if you’re feeling overwhelmed. Vogue Singapore might be of help to you on that front—with our monthly curation of captivating beauty moments, courtesy of our favourite faces from Hollywood, the K-pop scene and more, just for that fresh jazz of inspiration.
May came chockfull with extensive beauty moments of its own—what with the multiple red carpet opportunities that popped up all through the month’s calendar. The 1st of May, for one, was the one and only Met Gala which saw many stars make their highly-anticipated debuts from Jennie of Blackpink to Everything Everywhere All At Once‘s Stephanie Hsu. Pastel shades were abound on the carpet, but moments of controlled grunge had its way with the celebrity crowd too. Hair moments did not falter through the month either; from architectural updos to experimental waves seen on the likes of India Amarfeitio and Halle Bailey for their respective press tours.
Feast your eyes on the full assortment of this month’s best celeb beauty moments, below.
1 / 14
Dua Lipa
She’s a Barbie girl, alright. Ahead of her transformation into mermaid Barbie for the titular film come July, Dua Lipa is letting us glean a glimpse into the candy-coloured world—through her music video for ‘Dance the Night’. And she’s definitely looking the part, with her iridescent lids and metallic manicure to beat.
2 / 14
India Amarteifio
At the London premiere of Netflix’s Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story, India Amarteifio glowed with the blushing radiance most apt for a leading lady—whilst combining it with her braided tresses.
3 / 14
Yunjin of Le Sserafim
Trust Le Sserafim’s Yunjin to deliver sweet grunge perfectly; her artful double liner and chromatic manicure contrasting the soft pinks applied to her cheeks and pout.
4 / 14
Grace Elizabeth
It’s difficult to decide on just one starring moment from Grace Elizabeth’s repertoire of beauty looks in May but her most recent Cannes red carpet pull—of flushed, glowing cheeks and a stylised, wispy crown—was one that gleamed with its own touch of old Hollywood glamour.
5 / 14
Wendy of Red Velvet
Undereye blush? Check. Butterfly clips? Check. Face glitter? Check. In a single capture, it’s evident that Red Velvet’s Wendy was ever-ready for her tour stop in Yokohama, Japan.
6 / 14
Halle Bailey
Halle Bailey makes the ultimate case for mermaidcore; capping off the press tour for The Little Mermaid with a look that Ariel would be proud to wear. Whilst her aquatic lids are a dream team with the custom Off White dress she wears at the Sydney stop, it’s her sculptural updo that brings all that fantastical magic to the look.
7 / 14
Krystal Jung
Towards the end of the Cannes Film Festival, South Korean actor-singer Krystal Jung stepped out onto the red carpet looking like an absolute vision: with her side-swept mane and scarlet pout.
8 / 14
Stephanie Hsu
Talk about a transformation. On the Met Gala red carpet, Stephanie Hsu is a picture of punk-edge with her dark lip, abstract liner and volumised mane.
9 / 14
Jennie of Blackpink
From her Met Gala debut to the launch of her Calvin Klein collab and the premiere of The Idol at Cannes Film Festival, it’s clear Jennie is having a red carpet streak. We’ll deem her Met Gala beauty look one for the books though, with her shimmering lilac lids and a single camellia flower embellishing her horizontal braid.
10 / 14
Suki Waterhouse
There were many whimsical moments from the high-octane evening on the 1st of May but this particular swirl of pastels on Suki Waterhouse’s eyelids is one we’re still dreaming about.
11 / 14
Yuqi of (G)I-dle
The skunk hairstyle is slowly creeping back into the hair rituals of the K-pop set, and (G)I-dle’s Yuqi might just be offering up her 2023 version of the look. Right in line with the kaleidoscopic scape of ‘Queencard’—the group’s latest comeback—her gravity-defying manicure is as fanciful as can be.
12 / 14
Doja Cat
In New York City, Doja Cat lit up a sky roof with her melodious vocals and an otherworldly beauty pull that’s difficult to beat: a perfectly lined brow, bleached head and divine shimmers that extend all through her mien and down her upper torso.
13 / 14
Lisa of Blackpink
Lisa knows how to do off-duty just right—dialling her usual performance-ready glamour down with the simplicity of a messy ponytail and a glossy lip. The only sparkle she maintained? Her black-pink talons to match her fitted tank.
14 / 14
Zendaya
For her high-profile appearance at the Bvlgari event in Venice, Zendaya teams a wet, slicked hairdo with charcoal-set eyes for a bold, sultry delivery.
