Blog: Here are the beauty hits and misses from the 2019 Golden Globes

The Golden Globes are known for a relatively relaxed environment full of as much glamour and beauty as there is imbibing and comedy.

The hair and makeup donned by celebrities who walk down the red carpet tends to follow suit. The beauty looks at the 76th Golden Globe Awards were no exception except for a few head-turning (and eyebrow-raising) choices.

The vibe at this year’s awards was effortless. Shellacked-into-place up-dos were nowhere in sight. As were outlandish lip colors or overwrought eye makeup.

The hair and makeup of Rachel Weisz, Regina King, Saoirse Ronan, Patricia Clarkson and Danai Gurira illustrated how less is more when it comes to red-carpet beauty. A gently undulating curl, easy-going makeup and, perhaps, a lightly stained lip were the looks of the night, and these actresses and their respective glam teams did it best.

Also winners for simple-yet-gorgeous beauty were Julia Roberts, Emma Stone, Janelle Monáe and Janet Mock, who all stood out wearing makeup in a wash of soft colors ranging from peach to bronze.

However, if there’s one woman who can pull off colorful ’80s-inspired makeup, it’s Lupita Nyong’o. Her electric-blue eye makeup was a beautiful compliment to her azure Calvin Klein by Appointment gown. The actress’ makeup artist, Nick Barose, used Lancôme products to get the look, saying, “It’s fun to wear colors, and you can do it in small doses with liner and lashes.”

Thandie Newton and Lady Gaga proved that statement-making hair can still be chic if done right. The latter had a voluminous Valentino gown (that matched her ice blue-colored hair) and over 100 carats of Tiffany & Co. diamonds to contend with, so the origami-like up-do atop her head felt on par with her dramatic ensemble. Newton went for a subtly smoky eye done by artist Georgie Eisdell using Chantecaille and a pile of gorgeous curls that had volume without looking overwhelming.

On the other end of the spectrum, short hair nearly stole the show. The short crops of Claire Foy, Olivia Colman and Glenn Close were no fuss but still plenty glamorous and showed that when it comes to “Hollywood hair,” it’s not just about finger waves and long, over-teased tresses.

A no-fuss approach might be why ponytails made a comeback for the night. Jessica Chastain, Judy Greer and Sandra Oh all sported the style. Greer went for a messy-playful look done by hairstylist Gregory Russell, while Chastain’s was ultra-sleek and sat super high atop her head. “The height of her ponytail allows her to look flawless from straight on and really compliments her profile,” said her hairstylist, Renato Campora, of the look. “From all angles, the hair looks simple and elegant.”

Two attendees who didn’t do simple or elegant were Amber Heard and Kate Mara. Heard’s hair, with its mountain of ringlet curls, felt more at home in a Western saloon than center stage at an awards show.

Mara, dressed in a peach Miu Miu gown, had her hair pulled up in a bun so severe it somehow almost pulled focus away from her jeweled dress.

As for the men, this wasn’t a year of excessive facial hair or man buns. Most were clean shaven and traditionally groomed except for a few standout hairstyles. Ben Whishaw’s rockabilly-inspired pompadour added more of a cool factor to the actor’s bedazzled velvet blazer. And Timothée Chalamet’s famous curls were neat yet still a bit wild, while complimenting his sparkly Louis Vuitton harness nicely.