Reese Witherspoon Introduced Edgy, Monochromatic Makeup At The Critics Choice Awards

Prepping to attend an award show is a marathon event for celebrities. There are fittings to decide on the perfect gown, standing awkwardly naked during a spray tan appointment, and spending hours at the salon for root touchups or even a dramatic color change, to name a few activities you’d find in an A-lister’s iCal. It all leads up to a final sprint: the pre-red carpet glam session. When hairstylists and makeup artists are conjuring up a star’s beauty look, the inspiration always circles back to The Dress. And Reese Witherspoon’s 29th Critics Choice Awards makeup is no exception. It just further demonstrates why The Morning Show star is considered a red carpet hall-of-famer at this point.

When mapping out Witherspoon’s makeup for the night, celebrity makeup artist, Kelsey Deenihan, decided to juxtapose the softness of the actor’s sleek black strapless Celine gown, which features a voluminous bow detail. “We wanted the makeup to counteract the sweetness of the dress by having a little edge,” Deenihan exclusively tells TZR. “We decided to achieve that with a warm smoky eye, full voluminous lashes, and a deep coral lip.”

Deenihan reached for a handful of products from Ilia while working with Witherspoon. On the eyes, she used an array of shades from The Necessary Palette in Warm Nude because it’s a versatile palette with “shades [that] range from matte to shimmering and light to rich – everything you could need to complete a look.” In lieu of perfectly matching the lips to the eyes, the Deenihan went with a deeper coral shade, resulting in a fresh take on classic monochromatic makeup. “The other standout product [of the look] is the Color Block Lipstick in Cinnabar,” she says. “I needed a shade that would complement the eyeshadow but still have its own moment, and Cinnabar is a gorgeous, deep coral that did just that.”

While Witherspoon doesn’t shy away from a glam makeup moment, her base always has a natural finish, adding an effortlessness to the overall vibes of her red carpet looks. Deenihan says this all comes down to skin prep. “I loved using The Base Face Milk [on Reese] because it is a lightweight moisturizer that is not only formulated to hydrate and smooth the skin’s texture, but is created to be worn under and work with makeup to keep the skin looking flawless and fresh all day,” she shares. “The same can be said for the Bright Start Activated Eye Cream.” Deenihan recommends using an eye cream to hydrate the skin around the eye in order to prevent concealer from creasing and cracking.

Witherspoon’s hair drove the edgy yet sweet theme home. Using L’Oréal Paris products, celebrity hairstylist Lona Maria Vigi gave the actor a smooth blowout, created a sharp center part, and tucked the front sections behind her ears. We’re just two shows into the 2024 awards season, but there’s no doubts Witherspoon and her beauty team have the endurance to make every red carpet just as glamorous.

The Key Products Of Witherspoon’s Makeup Look