At 26, singer and actress Mandy Moore exhibits such composure and poise as to set her apart from her peer group. Moore's grounded sense of self and her mature demeanor are atypical in the current tween pop and film landscapes, both of which are overpopulated with sex-crazed, foul-mouthed, beer-swigging, trouble-making hellions (Lindsay Lohan and Ke$sha come to mind). So, while "starlets" like Vanessa Hudgens and Miley Cyrus tend to look out of place at glamorous events like the Academy Awards, as if they were dressed for some over-the-top prom rather than Hollywood's most exclusive awards ceremony, Moore fits right in with the silver screen's elite. No time was this more evident that at the 2011 Oscars, when Moore donned an ethereal Monique Lhuillier gown featuring a pale nude, ultra-thin, near-sheer bodice with a practically seamless scoop neckline and snug, elbow-length sleeves, as well as clustered gold and silver sequins adorning the bustline, upper arms, and hip and torso region. The gown's skirt, meanwhile, flared ever so slightly into a dreamy cloud of creamy nude-colored tulle and chiffon.
Since Moore's dress was so soft and dreamy, makeup artist Kayleen McAdams added a hint of color to the overall look, focusing on Moore's luscious lips. McAdams relied on NARS Cosmetics products to create the dazzling look.
First, McAdams applied the new NARS Pro-Prime Pore Refining Primer (available exclusively at Sephora), which creates a matte surface and controls oil production so the complexion won't look greasy or shiny. Next, she applied the NARS Sheer Matte Foundation to give Moore a light bit of coverage, blending it with the new NARS Illuminator, a light-reflecting liquid that infuses skin with a lit-from-within glow, in the Copacabana shade, a warm, translucent pink.
McAdams then prepared her lids with the NARS Pro-Prime Smudge Proof Eyeshadow Base to create an even surface that would lock in color and prevent creasing. In keeping with her gown's luminous effect, she applied the NARS Corfu Cream Eyeshadow to lids, a shimmering taupe hue. She followed with the NARS Coconut Grove Single Eyeshadow, brushing the taupe-ish brown shade onto the crease and outer corners to contour Moore's big doe eyes. Last, she coated Moore's lashes with the heavily pigmented, vitamin E-enriched, conditioning NARS Larger Than Life Mascara.
The key touch, however, was the matte, stain-like tangerine pout McAdams created to make Moore's face pop and prevent her from washing out under the beaming lights forming a canopy-like formation over the red carpet. To create the look, she applied the NARS Velvet Matte Lip Pencil in Red Square, a vermilion shade that, when blotted, looks like a reddish tangerine. The lip pencil's matte texture, meanwhile, makes the color look like it was melted onto lips for a vibrant yet natural effect.
