The Vanity Fair Oscars After-Party Is a Beauty Time Machine to the ‘90s
Bleached brows, over-lined lips, and nude tones were red carpet beauty staples.
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Last night, the 97th annual Oscars delivered a very glamorous dose of classic beauty. There were blunt bobs, long, super-shiny hair (hi, Demi), and the occasional updo (my personal favorite was courtesy of Lupita Nyong'o). But by and large, Old Hollywood glamour was the name of the game—well, until the Vanity Fair Oscars after-party that is.
As soon as the show wrapped, nominees, winners, presenters, and a handful of other celebrities (Kim Kardashian! Megan Thee Stallion! Kaia Gerber!) regrouped with their hair and makeup teams for 2.0 beauty looks that were noticeably more experimental than their looks hours before.
'90s inspiration was very apparent, with nude eyeshadow, overlined and high-contrast lips, and even bleached brows appearing on not one but two celebrities. There were pixie cuts, bold hair colors (think rich auburn and dip-dyed tips), and even micro bangs courtesy of Miley Cyrus. Bright red lips—a hue that was noticeably missing in the sea of pale pink stains on the Oscars' red carpet—had a resurgence at the after-party, too.
To get a full breakdown on the best beauty at the Vanity Fair Oscars' after-party, scroll ahead. From Hailey Bieber to Teyana Taylor, these are the beauty looks you don't want to miss.
Sydney Sweeney
Sweeney's "light suede blonde," which was created by hair colorist Jacob Schwartz, is the epitome of rich girl blonde.
Michaela Jaé Rodriguez
Despite the majority of red carpet makeup playing in the nude and beige color family, Rodriguez decided to opt for a metallic purple hue. The product she used to get the look? It's unconfirmed at the moment, but the beauty editor in me says it's Charlotte Tilbury's Eyes to Mesmerize.
Megan Thee Stallion
There's nothing quite like a hair color transformation on the red carpet—and Megan Thee Stallion's auburn updo might just be my favorite of the night.
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Doja Cat
Straight out of the early aughts, these dip dyed tips from Doja Cat obviously deserved a spot on my best looks list.
Julia Fox
Never one to shy away from making a statement, Julia Fox's wet-looking hair is quite literally the perfect complement to her one-of-a-kind hair dress. As for makeup? Her nude lip, which if I had to guess is part of MAC's Nudes collection, is a nod to the '90s.
Kendall Jenner
Blunt bobs reigned supreme in 2024, and it doesn't seem like they're slowing down in 2025. Jenner's center part and slicked-down sides is the perfect model-off-duty styling trick.
Keke Palmer
The thin brows! The side part! The chunky French manicure! Everything about Keke's glam was a win.
Maise Williams
Pairing bleached brows with a smoky eye, while an out-of-the-box beauty look, made Williams' blue eyes pop. Tight-lining her waterline gave the dramatic look some extra oomph.
Jenna Ortega
Following a very Wednesday Addams-core press tour last year, this ethereal, smoky copper glam was a refreshing pivot for the actress.
Elle Fanning
A red lip—finally. MC Beauty Director Hannah Baxter called out the lack of bold lipstick on the Oscars' red carpet, so we were very excited to see Fanning give the classic color some love during the after-party.
Selena Gomez
Selena Gomez has had a string of red carpet beauty wins as of late, but her end-of-the-season glam is a 10/10. Bonus: her lipstick nails are a perfect match for her Rare Beauty lipgloss.
Teyana Taylor
'90s lipstick and a pixie cut—name a better duo. While not technically part of the glam, I do have to shoutout Taylor's insane abs. Check out her wellness routine, here.
Miley Cyrus
The "Flowers" singer was determined to make not one, but two Oscars' beauty statements. She arrived to the Academy Awards with bleached brows, only to cut some baby bangs just in time for the after-party.
Hailey Bieber
The new mom opted for a classic nude eye and pretty pink lip—which is most definitely the handy work of a Rhode lip liner.
Zoë Kravitz
The deep side part here adds a seductive spin to an otherwise casual low bun. It was the perfect accessory to her rather cheeky dress.
Lily-Rose Depp
Perhaps my favorite makeup look of the night, Depp's commitment to nude tones made natural glam the moment.
Samantha Holender is the Senior Beauty Editor at Marie Claire, where she reports on the best new launches, dives into the science behind skincare, and shares the breakdown on the latest and greatest trends in the beauty space. She's studied up on every ingredient you'll find on INCI list and is constantly in search of the world's glowiest makeup products. She's constantly tracking the biggest nail and hair trends to pop up in the beauty space, going backstage during fashion weeks, tracking celebrity looks, and constantly talking to celebrity hair stylists, nail artists, and makeup artists. Prior to joining the team, she worked as Us Weekly’s Beauty and Style Editor, where she stayed on the pulse of pop culture and broke down celebrity beauty routines, hair transformations, and red carpet looks. Her words have also appeared on Popsugar, Makeup.com, Skincare.com, Delish.com, and Philadelphia Wedding. Samantha also serves as a board member for the American Society of Magazine Editors (ASME). She first joined the organization in 2018, when she worked as an editorial intern at Food Network Magazine and Pioneer Woman Magazine. Samantha has a degree in Journalism and Mass Communications from The George Washington University’s School of Media and Public Affairs. While at GWU, she was a founding member of the school’s HerCampus chapter and served as its President for four years. When she’s not deep in the beauty closet or swatching eyeshadows, you can find her obsessing over Real Housewives and all things Bravo. Keep up with her on Instagram @samholender.
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