Photo credit: Getty/Jason Merritt/Staff

Best Supporting Actress nominee Lupita Nyong'o has already won our award for best dressed at the 2014 Oscars!

The 31-year-old Yale grad walked the red carpet wearing a custom Prada creation colored "Nairobi blue," according to the actress.

She kept her makeup and hair simple, allowing her dress — and glowing skin — to be the real focal point of her look.

"Lupita always keeps things simple; her short natural textured hair is always quaffed," says Jasmine, a stylist at Oscar Blandi Salon in New York City. "She rocks a modern wider mohawk which gives her an edge, and is perfectly paired with her dress that has a deep plunging neckline. The sides are cut very short with keeping a lot of curl and length on top, that gives her an illusion of immense height and poise."

The 12 Years a Slave star did opt to add a sweet accessory.

"[Her] thin golden headband adds a little sparkle," Jasmine continues.

Nyong'o has opted for mostly solid colors for her awards show looks this year, including the show-stopping red cape dress she donned in January at the Golden Globes.

There's a reason for that.

"I love color and gravitate towards solid block colors," Nyong'o told The Daily Beast in February. "I like clean lines and a classic look, but I also like to have a sense of humor and wear things that put a smile on my face."

She might be a fashion icon now, but it's not something she set out to do.

"Until all this, I hadn't been a student of the fashion industry as a formal industry," Nyong’o added to The Daily Beast. "I wasn't the girl who bought the fashion magazines, I'd always just worn what appeals to me."

You're a natural, Lupita!

More on Oscars fashion

Lupita Nyong'o's best red carpet moments
Best dressed at the Oscars
The best Oscars beauty moments of all time

Photo credit: Lester Cohen/WireImage/Getty Images

Olivia Wilde was certainly rocking that pregnancy glow tonight, but it was her hair that caught our attention the most. The actress's complex twisted updo mixed just the right amount of volume, a slight wave and plenty of shine. The result? Hair perfection.

Photo credit: Jason Merritt/Getty Images Entertainment/Getty Images

Lupita Nyong'o really can do no wrong. The Oscar nominee looked every bit the winner in her breathtaking blue Prada gown, on-point accessories and glowing skin. Seriously, can we get the number of her facialist?

Photo credit: Jason Merritt/Getty Images Entertainment/Getty Images

A combination of shine, slight back volume and just the right length made Kristin Chenoweth's Oscars pixie the must-see short 'do of the night.

Photo credit: Lester Cohen/WireImage/Getty Images

Can we stop and stare at how luscious Naomi Watts' berry lip color is? The key to a perfect lip is texture and color, and Watts definitely got both aspects right here. The glossy, saturated color pops so well against her otherwise simple makeup.

Photo credit: Steve Granitz/WireImage/Getty Images

It seems like yesterday, but it was a year ago that Viola Davis wowed us all with her gorgeous natural hair at the 2013 Oscars. This time around, she opted to wear her locks in loose retro pin curls. Beautiful!

Photo credit: Lester Cohen/WireImage/Getty Images

Anna Kendrick turned heads in a daring black gown and sleek updo at tonight's Oscars. Our favorite part of her look? Her eye makeup! Heavy liner, sparkly shadow and the obligatory inner-eye highlighter all worked together to really make Kendrick's beautiful eyes pop.

More Oscars beauty

Our favorite Oscars beauty looks of all time
Lupita Nyong'o's best red carpet moments
Watch the Oscars red carpet live

Photo credit: Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic/Getty Images

Eyes

1. Start off by applying the base shade in Lancôme's Color Design 5 Pan Eyeshadow Palette in Plum Splendor all over the lids.
2. Then, layering the palest lilac shade on top of your base shade, blend the lilac and beige shades together in order to create a nice pale lid.
3. Next, dot your dark plum liner in between each lash to add some depth and dimension to your eyes. Product used: Lancôme Le Crayon Khôl in Black Coffee.
4. Finish off with a generous coating of mascara. VanLeeuwen layered Lancôme Hypnôse Mascara over Lancôme Cils Booster XL.

Face

1. Start off by prepping your skin for makeup. VanLeeuwen used Giorgio Armani Crema Nera Extrema Serum on Watts' skin.
2. Even out your skin tone with the new Lancôme Le Correcteur Pro in 300 Bisque and Giorgio Armani Maestro Cream Compact Foundation #4.
3. Give the cheeks a nice red carpet glow with a bit of blush. VanLeeuwen used Giorgio Armani Sheer Blush #10.

Lips

1. To get Watts' amazing lip color, use a combination of Giorgio Armani #7 Smooth Silk Lip Pencil and Giorgio Armani Rouge Ecstasy Lipstick in #502 Scarlatto.

More Oscars beauty

Our favorite Oscars beauty looks of all time
2014 Oscars beauty report: The best looks of the night
Watch the Oscars red carpet live

Photo credit: Getty/Jeff Kravitz/Film Magic, Inc.

Just when we think Cate Blanchett can't get any better, she goes ahead and tops our expectations with her 2014 Oscars dress. The actress walked the red carpet wearing a nude Armani Privé dress topped off with dozens of Swarovski crystals.

Perfect.

Blanchett — nominated for Best Actress for her role in Blue Jasmine — topped off her look with soft waves on her shoulder-length hair and jewels by Chopard.

The Australian actress's easy-breezy style is a result of not caring about what others think of it.

"A badge of honor," she told the Huffington Post of the pride she takes in being on worst-dressed lists. "Because if you're worried about that stuff, you can tell. I mean, I've had some doozies, they don't always work. But who are you dressing for? You can't always dress for US Magazine."

That's advice we can all put to use.

More on Oscars fashion

Lupita Nyong'o's best red carpet moments
Best dressed at the Oscars
The best Oscars beauty moments of all time

Photo credits: Steve Granitz/WireImage/Getty Images, Jeff Vespa//WireImage/Getty Images

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Hands down, this is one of the best Oscars dresses!

Photo credit: Getty Images/Kevin Mazur/Getty Images Entertainment

"If it ain't broke, don't fix it" is definitely Jennifer Lawrence's style motto. And, hey, who can blame her? The Oscar-nominated actress and face of Dior chose to don the designer for the second year in a row, strutting her stuff in a bright red strapless peplum gown which, we have to admit, we absolutely loved. Turns out, we weren't the only ones.

Both Kristin Cavallari and Giuliana Rancic fell head over heels for the American Hustle star's bold dress as well.

"It's stunning. It fits her like a glove. I think it complements her skin and her hair. I think she looks amazing," gushed Cavallari. Rancic, on the other hand, proclaimed that it was her favorite of the Dior dresses Lawrence has worn all season (and trust us, there's been a lot of them so far!).

Word on the red carpet has it that Lawrence picked out her fiery frock a mere 30 minutes prior to walking the red carpet. Whoa... talk about last minute. Whatever works, right?

In terms of jewelry, she decided to go for the whole backwards necklace trend again; this time settling on a simple, short diamond chain as opposed to long pearls. The result was nothing short of gorgeous, of course.

And surprise, surprise… JLaw's hair was styled almost the exact same way it is in her Miss Dior Spring 2014 ad campaign photos. Cavallari isn't hating, however.

"I think with her haircut now she looks like a real movie star," she says. "I think it really took her to the next level." We would have to agree; it's truly beautiful.

Despite her lack of a long train this year, Lawrence still managed to trip and laugh it off yet again. Good thing she has such a good sense of humor. At least it happened before the show and not during it this time around!

Photo credit: (right) Getty Images/Jason Merritt/Getty Images Entertainment

More Oscars fashion

Amy Adams in a strapless peplum dress at the 2014 Oscars
The best Oscars beauty moments of all time
Lupita Nyong'o goes bold at the Oscars in baby blue Prada

Photo credit: Jeff Vespa//WireImage/Getty Images

Eyes

1. Start with a base eye shadow. Lobell used the warm taupe shade from Giorgio Armani Eyes to Kill Eyeshadow Quad #2 Effeto Nudo all over the lids.
2. Next, she used the deeper taupe shade on the lids and feathered it into the creases. Doing so helped to open up the eyes.
3. Lobell then mixed the light brown and deeper taupe shades and applied to the outer crease and the center.
4. The darkest brown shade was applied wet and used as a liner.
5. To give that wide-eyed effect, Lobell used the Troy Surratt Lash Curler.
6. For the lashes, Lobell cut a strip of false lashes and applied them to the corner of the eyes. She then applied Lancôme Hypnôse Waterproof Custom Volume Mascara to the base of the lashes and pressed it in a bit.
7. She finished off the look with Make Up Forever Brow Gel.

Face

1. Before applying foundation, Lobell patted SK-II Facial Treatment Essence into Blanchett's skin so she could use a more lightweight foundation and also to make sure the foundation would stay put all night long.
2. Next, Lobell brushed Giorgio Armani Sheer Blush #10 Beige onto the apples of Blanchett's cheeks. She feathered it out a bit before applying a second coat to give a natural glow.

Lips

1. To finish the look, Lobell turned to Giorgio Armani Rouge Ecstasy Lipstick in #103.

More Oscars beauty

Our favorite Oscars beauty looks of all time
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We can't get over just how gorgeous Sandra Bullock is at this year’s Academy Awards.

The actress, who will turn the big 5-0 in July, didn't look a day over 25 in her breathtaking, navy blue Alexander McQueen Oscars gown that was sophisticated, sexy and chic all at once.

The dress featured a sweetheart neckline and flattering draping in the front, not to mention a short train that was everything.

Bullock accessorized her stunning gown with simple Lorraine Schwartz jewelry and went for glamorous side-swept curls that complemented her look beautifully.

The real question is, where'd she get her banging body from? She can attribute that to a whole lot of time spent hitting the gym and doing non-stop dance training six months prior to filming for her latest box office hit, the Oscar-nominated film Gravity.

"I pushed my body to the extreme," she said during a Venice Film Festival news conference last year. "Strength-wise, I had to know I could do anything asked of me at any given point, so not a day went by that we didn't train."

Well, her hard work certainly paid off. Not only was the movie a major hit, but Bullock's still defying the rules of gravity when it comes to aging; she's simply flawless.

Photo credit: Getty Images/Steve Granitz/WireImage

More Oscars fashion

Jennifer Lawrence dons Dior (and falls again!) at the Academy Awards
Amy Adams in a strapless peplum dress at the 2014 Oscars
Lupita Nyong'o goes bold at the Oscars in baby blue Prada

Emma Watson always takes risks with her awards show fashion choices — and the 2014 Academy Awards are no exception. The Bling Ring star opted to go messy at the formal event. We have to copy the style, so we asked Jasmine, a stylist with Oscar Blandi Salon in New York City, to give us tips on recreating the look at home.

"Emma Watson's messy textured hair is softly pinned back with some bobby pins and finished off with some accessories," says Jasmine.

To get the look:

1. Use texture spray to add volume and cushion for the teasing for the top of head.
2. Create the side part after teasing the brush back; leave some hair out on the side by the sideburns.
3. Use bobbie pins to pull the hair back, folding the hair over.
4. Leave the ends of the hair out to give it a messy look
5. Use a hair accessory to pin into the back and add hairspray to finish off the look.

Photo credit: Getty Images/Franzer Harrison/Getty Images Entertainment

More on Oscars fashion

Lupita Nyong'o goes bold at the Oscars in baby blue Prada
Get the look: Naomi Watts' Oscars makeup
Hands down, this is one of the best dresses at 2014 Oscars

Photo credit: Getty images/Kevin Mazur/Wire Image

First of all, major props go to Julia Roberts for having the courage to attend the Academy Awards tonight. With her half-sister's recent tragic suicide and her mom's ongoing battle with lung cancer, we're sure fashion was the very last thing on her mind tonight, and rightfully so.

In fact, the decision to attend was apparently a last-minute one, and it was her mom, of all people, who encouraged her to go. Given all these unfortunate factors, we couldn't really care less that it wasn't Roberts' very best night style-wise. She was still glowing; still stunning. And, she managed to crack some smiles as she walked her first Oscars red carpet in several years.

The 46-year-old Best Supporting Actress nominee chose an appropriately glum, black, lacy peplum gown by Givenchy, paired with pretty Bulgari jewels, nude makeup and an elegant updo for the occasion. While black has been her go-to Oscars color for quite some time now and she can absolutely pull off the hue, we wouldn't mind seeing her step outside her comfort zone a bit next year and don a brighter dress.

Stay strong, Julia.

More Oscars fashion

Jennifer Lawrence dons Dior (and falls again!) at the Academy Awards
Amy Adams in a strapless peplum dress at the 2014 Oscars
Sandra Bullock's Alexander McQueen Oscars gown is a huge hit

How to style the look

Feeling bummed because it's raining out? Channel that energy into a dark (but stylish) look that'll keep you warm and dry. Play with textures for a look that has dimension by opting for glossy boots and a puffy coat, and add some stylish shades in another hue for a truly standout look!

• Free Country Midweight Puffer Jacket (freecountry.com, $40)
• Bella Dahl Contrast Button Down in Midnight Wash (singer22.com, $141)
• American Eagle Skinny Trouser (ae.com, $30)
• dav Victoria Solid Black Rain Boot (davrain.com, $95)
• Ivory + Mason Sunglasses Aviators in Bronze & Brown (ivorymason.com, $135)

More get the look

Taylor Swift's red coat
Naomi Watts' all-black look
Ariana Grande's flirty ensemble

Photo credit: WENN.com

Name this product:

Panasonic EH-NA65-K nanoe Hair Dryer (shop.panasonic.com, $180)

What the product claims to do:

This hair dryer features nanoe™ technology that removes moisture from hair and uses it to "create tiny, moisture-rich particles that are small enough to penetrate the shafts of your hair, helping to strengthen and protect it against damage from heat and brushing." It gives a fast, nourishing high-quality blow dry.

How it worked for me:

It gave my hair a nice, quick blow dry without the harsh feeling of heat that some dryers have. It gave my hair a nice finish that lasted for several days.

How this product looks and feels:

It's very sleek looking and not too heavy like some blow dryers. This makes it easier to handle and blow dry than some models.

What I liked about this product:

It's quieter than other blow dryers I have used in the past and the cord is nice and long, allowing you to move freely around the room.

Describe the results you saw over time: 

My hair looked sleek and healthy after several uses.

I would recommend this product for: 

Women who desire a high-quality blow dry without damage to the hair.

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Photo credit: Adriana M. Barraza/WENN.com

Actress Kate Hudson was the epitome of Old Hollywood glam at this year's Oscars. She literally took our breath away in a gorgeous white Atelier Versace gown with a plunging neckline and attached beaded cape. Exquisite is the only word to really describe the way she looked.

Photo credit: Gregg DeGuire/WireImage/Getty Images

While her hubby Matthew McConaughey was busy taking home the Oscar for Best Actor, Camila Alves was silently stealing the style spotlight behind the scenes, thanks to her stunning light pink long-sleeve gown (complete with a cape) by Gabriela Cadena. It's out of this world beautiful and so is she!

Photo credit: Gregg DeGuire/WireImage/Getty Images

Emma Watson has always been a risk taker when it comes to red carpet fashion. For the 2014 Academy Awards, she took a walk on the wild side and opted for a semi-sheer, sparkly metallic gown by Vera Wang. She styled her hair in a messy half up/half down 'do (which we're obsessed with) and added a pop of bold red to her lips.

Photo credit: Adriana M. Barraza/WENN.com

Anna Kendrick was all about the unexpected at the Oscars last night. The actress/singer showed off some serious skin (and leg!) in a daring black J Mendel dress that featured all sorts of funky things, including a sheer midriff panel that had a wild red snowflake-like design going on. Weird? Yes. But we couldn't take our eyes off her.

Photo credit: Jeff Vespa/WireImage/Getty Images

There's no getting around the fact that Kristen Bell's light gray Roberto Cavalli corset gown was one of the hautest numbers of the night. Not only did she look like a total ice princess in it (which, by the way, was her goal), but she also looked like she'd never popped out a baby before. I mean, how great is her body?

More Oscars fashion

Jennifer Lawrence dons Dior (and falls again!) at the Academy Awards
Sandra Bullock's Alexander McQueen gown is a huge hit
Amy Adams in a strapless peplum dress at the 2014 Oscars

The lip balm
seen around
the world

Thanks to Ellen DeGeneres and the Oscars, we now know exactly what Lupita Nyong'o carries inside her clutch: lip balm, duh!

12 Years A Slave star Lupita Nyong'o took home the Oscar for Best Supporting Actress last night, but that wasn't the only thing the social media world was abuzz about — her lip balm was apparently all the rage. In fact, it was even a trending topic on Twitter as #lupitaslipbalm.

Who do we have to thank for that? None other than Ellen DeGeneres, of course. The hilarious host decided to spice up the Academy Awards with an impromptu pizza delivery, for which she went around collecting money to pay for from the audience. When the hat finally got to breakout star Lupita though, the only thing she had to offer up was her CLARINS HydraQuench Moisture Replenishing Lip Balm, which Ellen thought was pretty awesome too.

"Lupita's lip balm! That's worth something," she joked upon receiving the tiny blue tube. It's no surprise Lupita had some tucked away in her clutch, as it's the one makeup must-have she always has on hand.

"When your lips are dry, you can't think of anything else,” she revealed in a recent video interview with Essence magazine. "I don't wear makeup when I'm not working on the red carpet. Except for a night out here and there, but I try to give my skin a break.”

If you want to snag Lupita's famous lip balm for yourself, you had better act fast. The $24 beauty essential has almost sold out overnight. Luckily, we found some still in stock on the CLARINS website.

More Oscars beauty and style

Get the look: Naomi Watts' Oscars makeup
How to copy Emma Watson's perfectly messy Oscars hair
Lupita Nyong'o goes bold at the Oscars in baby blue Prada

Photo credit: Steve Granitz/WireImage/Getty Images

Photo credit: Christopher Polk/Getty Images Entertainment/Getty Images

We get it. As the face of Dior, American Hustle star Jennifer Lawrence is kind of obligated, if not extremely encouraged, to rep the brand at all times, especially considering that the Oscars is the biggest award show of the year. Her bright red peplum gown at the Academy Awards last night was a huge hit and probably one of her best all season.

Despite the fact that she always looks dashing in Dior, her dresses are starting to get a little bit too predictable, even for us. We wish she would (or could) branch out and wear someone different on the red carpet. Ah, a girl can dream, right?

Until then, let's take a look back at a few of her most noteworthy Dior gowns, all of which are actually strapless (another trend JLaw seems to love).

Photo credit: WENN.com

For the 2014 Golden Globe Awards, JLaw graced us with her presence in a simple but chic strapless white dress that featured two black belt-like ties wrapped around it. The gown may not have been her best, but it definitely garnered a lot of social media attention, with people dressing up like JLaw using duvets and bedsheets!

Photo credit: Apega/WENN.com

Lawrence got super-glitzy for the SAG Awards this year, choosing a sexy but playful dark Dior gown that was covered in multicolored sequins and hugged her curves in all the right places. "I know I have armpit fat, it's OK... it's armpit vaginas," she joked when E!'s Giuliana Rancic asked the actress to describe her gown. Oh JLaw, we just adore you.

Photo credit: Adriana M. Barraza/WENN.com

At last year's Oscars Lawrence made a big splash in a breathtaking pale pink Dior Couture gown that had her at the top of everyone's best-dressed list. Who really cares if she tripped up the stairs to accept her Best Supporting Actress award when she looked that dang good?

Photo credit: WENN.com

Jennifer Lawrence was definitely seeing red at the 2013 Golden Globe Awards. The breakout star wowed in another bold red strapless Dior dress with a black belt at the waist. Back then she didn't really get what haute couture meant, though. Of the dress, she told reporters, "It's Dior haute couture. I don't know what 'haute' means, but I have to say it." Ha ha.

Photo credit: Nikki Nelson/WENN.com

No doubt the strapless navy number JLaw wore to the 2013 SAG Awards was a true beauty. But the real story of the night was whether or not her Christian Dior creation had ripped. Good news, it didn't!

More awards show fashion

Lupita Nyong'o's Oscars lip balm goes viral
Watch the 2014 Oscars red carpet live!
Best-dressed fashionistas who weren't nominated

Name this product:

Dove Advanced Hair Series Oxygen Moisture Shampoo & Conditioner (drugstores nationwide, prices vary)

What the product claims to do:

This gentle shampoo and conditioner combo uses Oxyfusion Technology to give fine, flat hair bounce without extra weight.

How it worked for me:

It gave my hair a nice shine, bounce and a thorough cleaning.

How this product looks and feels:

The shampoo has a gel-like consistency and feeling on the hair. When washed out, it gives a nice squeaky clean feeling I enjoyed. The conditioner was creamy and rinses out nicely.

What I liked about this product:

I liked how clean my hair felt after using it. I prefer a squeaky clean effect so I know that I washed all of my styling products out, so I enjoyed that about this product!

Describe the results you saw over time: 

After a few times of using this duo, I fell in love with it. Hair retains its shine and volume, even on the second day, which is difficult to achieve with some products!

I would recommend this product for: 

The product is specifically for women with fine, flat hair but works on all hair types. My hair is thick and curly and it worked great on my locks.

How I felt about the scent of this product:

It was very subtle — nothing too noticeable.

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No need to neglect your psoriasis when you’re out of town. VMV Hypoallergenics’ Seasonal Care Package makes it easier than ever to take great care of your skin on the road. This handy dandy kit contains travel-sized versions of some of our favorite products, including the Essence Clark Wash Hair + Body “Big Softie” Shampoo, Know-It-Oil moisturizer for severely dry skin and Armada Post Procedure Barrier Cream 50+ sun + light screen. Of course, we suggest investing in the full-size versions for home too. (vmvhypoallergenics.com, $20)

Dealing with dry, scaly or cracked skin? No problemo. This medicated, all-over body lotion works to soften skin and deeply moisturize it so psoriasis sufferers can finally get some much-needed relief. It’s formulated with ammonium lactate, lactic acid and urea to help exfoliate and even out your skin tone, resulting in a brighter, more resilient and radiant appearance (plus an infinitely happier you!). (dermaconcepts.com, $64)

When in doubt, turn to a product you can truly trust and that was literally made for your skin: Psorzema’s Body Wash. This stuff is 100 percent vegan, paraben and sulfate-free and can be used on your entire body (including your face and scalp) to gently slough away scaly skin and sooth any accompanying itchiness, redness or irritation. It contains a ton of good-for-you ingredients as well, such as neem and bearberry leaf extract, to fight inflammation, hyperpigmentation and to totally rebalance your skin. (dermae.com, $12)

Just as its name suggests, this thick and rich moisturizing cream is like intense therapy for your skin. It helps heal and relieve symptoms like dry, flaky skin, and after only two weeks of twice daily application, participants in an independent trial study saw a drastic improvement in skin hydration of 169 percent. Feel free to use it on both your body and face. It’s allergy-tested, paraben free and perfectly suitable for even the most sensitive skin types. (Firstaidbeauty.com, $28)

Regular soap just not cutting it? We feel your pain. That’s why we highly recommend skinnyskinny’s Neem with Tea Tree and Lavender Organic Soap to fend off any flare-ups and to keep your psoriasis in check. Neem oil is proven to alleviate a wide variety of skin conditions (including psoriasis), while tea tree oil treats scaly skin and lavender essential oil reduces redness. (skinnyskinny.com, $10)

According to Dr. Joshua Zeichner, M.D., Director of Cosmetic and Clinical Research in the Department of Dermatology at Mt. Sinai Hospital in New York City, psoriasis is a chronic inflammatory skin condition where your immune system basically gets angry at your skin.

OK, so what are the symptoms?

Patients typically develop red, scaly plaques (patches) on the elbows, knees and scalp. Rarely can psoriasis be widespread or affect areas like the nails and genitals, notes Zeichner.

Other symptoms to watch out for include:

• Dry, cracked or flaky skin
• Redness, itchiness and/or soreness of skin
• Bleeding when skin scales are picked or scraped off

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Natural

Makeup
suddenly seems ironic

Every season seems to have a neutral trend, be it nude lips or just-barely highlighted cheekbones. Women strive to look put together, yet remain natural. But has it ever occurred to you as odd that in order to look "natural" we need a long list of products?

Makeup is nothing new — using materials to decorate the face dates back to Ancient Egypt and Sumerian times, but centuries of trying to improve our looks has made for a complicated relationship. Do we wear it for ourselves? Do we wear it for others? A little of both?

Many women end up stuck in that in between space, fearing that caked on foundation look but also nervous about what going out sans makeup would mean. And in that in between space, it’s easy to head toward neutrals, the seemingly no-makeup look of the makeup world. It’s simple. Natural. Beautiful. Or so we’re told.

Neutral makeup tutorials are in fact far from simple, often involving a variety of products and a long list of steps. It can be shocking how much time and energy can be put into getting a neutral look. There are even neutral makeup tutorials for young girls on school-appropriate makeup.

If we’re using makeup to try to achieve a neutral look, aren’t we missing the picture? What is it about the beauty/makeup industry that has us pining over a neutral lipstick or blush instead of just wearing nothing?

Because as women we’re raised with the cultural expectation that we “have” to wear makeup. We can call it self-expression, we can call it a self-esteem booster, but ultimately, the industry out there would like to have us believe that without makeup, we’re not real women.

There’s a problem with this equation, and it’s one that should take some serious consideration. It shows how trapped we are in the beauty industry. Because ultimately, there’s no point in wearing makeup if your intent is to look like you’re not wearing any.

Want a real neutral look? Feel empowered to do it the natural way. A glow can be achieved without a skin illuminator after all. Remember that if we have to use products to look natural, it’s not really natural at all.

“But it’s highlighting your natural beauty” you say. “Isn’t that a good thing?”

Using expressions like “highlight your natural beauty” are misleading. They say: You’re naturally beautiful, but not quite enough, which is why you need this product. Whether you wear makeup or not, I think we can all agree that there is a level of absurdity in using products to make it look like we’re not wearing any makeup at all.

Not wearing makeup can teach you a variety of things, and even if you love wearing makeup, a break every now and then can be a good thing. Instead of working hard to look naturally beautiful, simply work at being naturally beautiful. Eat well. Get lots of sleep. Drink adequate amounts of water. Don’t let neutrals be a cover up for not taking care of your skin and your complexion.

No one is asking you to give up makeup — we all have our own reasons for using it or not, and for many women, it makes them feel great — but don’t let the neutral trend have you believe that you need products to achieve it.

More on beauty image

Girls, just say no to photo editing apps
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Photo credit: Paul Burley Photography/Photodisc/Getty Images

Name this product:

SkinCeuticals Physical Fusion UV Defense SPF 50 (skinceuticals.com, $34)

What the product claims to do:

This physical sunscreen offers water-resistant broad spectrum protection against the sun and features color-infused technology that enhances your natural skin tone.

How it worked for me:

I love this product! It’s a multitasker and offers great coverage. It evens out my skin tone and takes away shine while protecting against the harsh UV rays.

How this product looks and feels:

After shaking the bottle before use, the product comes out with a slight tint (similar to a tinted moisturizer). It feels light to the touch and goes on smoothly, easily absorbing into the skin.

What I liked about this product:

I loved how this product gave me the coverage of a light tinted moisturizer and the protection of a sunscreen!

Describe the application process, how often you used the product and for how long:

Before applying, I always shake the bottle to distribute the color. I apply with my hands all over the face and typically I like to add an extra layer of protection underneath, using my go-to morning sunscreen/lotion. In other words, I treat this as a foundation substitute that offers a great deal of sun protection.

I would recommend this product for:

Women who want to forgo their heavy foundations but still have a slight coverage that offers sun protection for their skin.

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Alterna Bamboo Style Dry Shampoo Sheer Blossom
Venus & Olay Razor

Prep hair with Shu Uemura Ultimate Remedy heat protectant.

Curl hair using a flat iron for a smooth, voluminous look.
Spray hair with Kerastase Gloss Appeal for added shine.

Apply Shu Uemura Volume Maker to roots, and tease hair at crown of head.

Gather hair at nape of neck, leaving out bangs and other loose pieces around the face. Secure with a hair elastic.

Spin hair around elastic in two sections to form bun. Secure with bobby pins around edges. Finish by spritzing hair with Kerastase Lacque couture for a flexible, yet firm, hold.

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