From the Oscars to the Emmys, fans love to see favorite stars glam it up for the camera. The stakes are high when the entire world is watching, but how can they make sure they look their absolute best?
Even the tiniest slip-up could get you bad press for months, if not years, and sometimes, plain old products just don’t cut it. Here are some of the not-so-glamorous things the stars do to look red carpet-ready.
You won’t believe how weird some of them are!
That’s No Ordinary Eyebrow Product
For celebs who want to make a statement, big, bold brows are a popular way to go.
Models like Cara Delevingne have their gift from nature, but most mere humans need some help in that department.
Sow what do the stars use, when the old eyebrow pencil just isn’t enough? After color and texture are added, they use lip balm.
Yes, that stuff! Smearing something sticky keeps everything in place, and lip balm is perfect for the job.
As opposed to those hideous thin eyebrows that were popular in the ’90s and early ’00s, thick, bold eyebrows are considered a necessity on the red carpet these days!
The Underwear Struggle Is Real
On a daily basis, our clothing is pretty simple. Even if your outfit is enviable, it probably follows a format.
There’s a top, a bottom, and both cover the bits we don’t want to show. But on the red carpet, garments are designed to be unconventional, very much on purpose. The classic bra and panty will potentially show all over the place. What’s a star to do, besides going commando?
One strategy may be stick-ons. A lot of celebrities love a brand called Shibue Couture undergarments. They specialize in creating seamless, string-free covers for even the strangest dresses. It’s all about the adhesive, baby!
The Cherry Jell-O Hack
They say there is a red for every woman. If you find the right tone, you too can be fierce.
Celebs have a team that really knows how to pick colors that suit them. But some of the products they love don’t last the whole night. There’s a trick to make red lipstick last longer than its product promise. It involves cherry Jell-O, of all things. Weird? It gets weirder.
Just apply the dry Jell-O powder on wet lips before lipstick. Kids know that this stuff stains for hours longer than the snack. As the makeup fades, the red shows through!
They Use This for the Ultimate Red Hue
Red hair is the rarest natural color in the world today. Although some gingers grow up self-conscious about the hue, it could become an asset later in life.
In Hollywood, for example, red really makes some actresses stand out from the crowd. There’s Christina Hendricks, who turned heads on Madmen. Those fans might also admire Emma Stone,
Bryce Dallas Howard, and Jessica Chastain. And they have a weird way to maintain their stunning color!
To play up the vibrant tones, some of these women apply pomegranate or cranberry juice before an event. Although it would do little for a brunette, it can slightly enhance hair that is already rosy.
The more you know!
The Toned up Tan Trick
There are stars who like to play up their pale skin, and those that like the maximize their tan. Each has an appeal, no doubt. But there is an extra benefit to being darker: You look way more toned. There’s something about the dark contrast with muscle that makes them stand out in the light. For that effect, even the most in-shape celebs like to use self-tanner or spray tan, and they do it in a very specific way.
If a star wants to wear a gown to show off their arms, it’s best to apply tanning spray under their triceps. This visual effect makes the entire arm look more toned. It’s genius!
They’re All Shape Shifters
We all think that celebs are better than us, body-wise. And maybe they are! But truthfully, they get a little help along the way. There’s liposuction and implants.
But even beyond that, there are garments that tighten everything up beyond the human form. Spanks and even old-fashioned corsets are used on the red carpet for maximum effect. Does anyone think that Kim Kardashian was born this way? These curves are out of control!
Body shapers really make things look extreme for a few hours. They just need to wear it long enough to get their perfection snapped. But we know they don’t wear this at home. It looks like torture!
How They Achieve the Pantyless Look
Starlets love to push the boundaries of fashion these days. The slits are higher, and the necklines are lower. Things have become so risque that underwear doesn’t even function anymore!
Celebs have their ways of dealing with a challenging design, without a slip up for hours. One method to make sure there are no panty lines is to cut up nude nylons. Even the tightest dress won’t show the truth!
Some stars use cut off nylons as extremely thin undergarments, and it sure helps when they’re exiting a limo. The paparazzi are everywhere, and they can be cruel. They’re literally waiting for a crotch shot!
The Painful Facelift Quickie
As we all know, time waits for no one. There comes a time in life when almost every woman considers a facelift. Long before that, there’s botox and miracle creams. But maybe you’re not quite at that stage yet, and neither are some of Hollywood’s finest. It turns out a particular hairdo can take some years off your face. That’s why some celebrities often wear tight braids around their faces!
That’s right. Getting a few little braids near your temples can pull back the facial skin, just a little. Stylists can even hide them under your hair.
Very sneaky stuff!
Who Knew They Used Sandpaper to Do This
Walking in high heels all night is a job skill, in LA — it’s a must when you want to make it in Hollywood. We admire that celebs do it so well, because we sure can’t.
But we wonder: Do they have any tricks that let them do it so effortlessly? Trips and falls are so rare that there must be some secret method they use. So what is it?
Apparently, sandpaper is involved. Try it yourself: Put that rough material inside your shoes, and your feet will never slip again. No matter how sweaty things get, you have extra friction.
It sounds so painful!
Get Big Shoe Energy
High heels enhance our legs and bottoms, by design. But do we actually enjoy wearing them? Mostly, no. Wearing heels is often more painful than pretty. How do stars spend hours upon hours smiling in them?
There is a trick to it, and it’s pretty clever. Many celebs opt for shoes that are one size too big. That way, there’s room to fill them with all kinds of cushioning, like silicone.
Once you tape the squishy stuff in, you’re good to go. It still might be challenging to make it the whole night in stilettos, though. Only so much can be done to fight gravity. But it sure helps!
The Clever Blazer Trick
When you’ve gone through your couture closet and nothing fits quite right, all may seem lost. but never fear: There’s always a style solution in the form of a blazer.
Nothing like a little structured fabric to create the illusion that everything looks just right. Most celebs have a few designer versions of this classic piece. Stylists say it is flattering on any body type!
This is hack that anyone can use on one of those days where nothing seems to fit. If the stars are doing it, so can we!
Hairline Adjustments Are a Thing in Hollywood
You probably don’t think about your own hairline very often. But when you’re a celebrity, cameras zoom in and expose every flaw. If you have dark hair, imperfections are more visible. Your hairline frames your face, in a way. Have you ever thought about that?
Red carpet stylists think of everything, and this includes using brow powder to even that out. Symmetry is key when the stars want to look flawless.
If you have a strange hairline, you might even remove some of it. Hollywood stars used to get painful electrolysis to do exactly that, but fans never knew a thing!
JLo’s Weird Triple Shine Trick
Sometimes having a matte look is considered extra stylish. But there’s something about dewy and shiny skin that makes a statement on the red carpet. Certain celebs are just known for their glow. Jennifer Lopez is the queen of that category, and often collaborates with brands to sell highlighters.
But what is her technique? We were surprised to learn that she gets a little extra help from a common household product.
Jlo uses Vaseline on her face, in addition to the high-end highlighters she uses. There’s never enough glimmer, shimmer, and shine for this star. Sounds sticky!
That’s Not Supposed to Go on Your Face
You might rightly say that deodorant belongs in the armpits. But there are uses for it that you never imagined.
To prepare for the red carpet, celebs use deodorant on their faces. They’re not afraid of smelling bad there, of course. It’s actually a trick makeup artists suggest to look cool on warm days. Just make sure that it’s a product labeled antiperspirant, and it will work like magic.
The body reacts in a predictable way, and celebs want to manage the process. Faces get sweaty under spotlights and the hot California sun!
The Booty Adjustment
It seems like there has been a big shift from the chest to the bottom in Hollywood. It used to be all about cleavage, but butts are all the rage now. Celebs are taking steps to boost them on the red carpet.
This dress worn by Khloe Kardashian shows off all her curves. But slimmer actresses like Kirsten Bell also want in on the trend. What was her method to get eyes on her prize?
