Just days ago the impossible happened: The always-perfect Angelina Jolie arrived at “The Normal Heart” premiere with noticeably stark-white setting powder splotched all over her face.
Eek! It was an embarrassing moment, and a cautionary tale for all of us. No matter how perfect you think you look, always do a 360 in the mirror and a final flash photography test.
Angie is just one name in a long list of red carpet beauty offenders.
Here, we name the beauty crimes and their accompanying fixes.
Angelina Jolie’s wild powder placement
Jolie is known for having luminous skin that can sometimes err on the side of being too oily. It’s obvious she wanted to combat a greasy appearance and went overboard with her setting powder.
The fix: After applying foundation, blush, etc., go over the face again with a large, fluffy powder brush just to make sure everything is well blended. The talc ingredient found in high-definition powder can reflect brightly when captured by huge cameras. Take a shot on your own camera with the flash to reveal any lingering mistakes. You can carry a small kabuki brush in your purse and do a quick blend when no one’s looking.
Melissa Joan Hart’s cakey forehead
Sadly, Melissa Joan Hart suffered a similar offense at the “Frozen” movie premiere in November 2013. The actress sported a weird patch of white powder on her forehead that resembled a half moon.
The fix: We get it; no one wants to be the shiny disco ball on the style blogs the next day. Melissa could have dealt with her oily mishap by taking a sheet of blotting paper to her face directly after applying foundation. This removes extra makeup and keeps the setting powder from looking too cakey. If there’s a napkin handy at dinner, split it in half and blot the oily areas.
Nicki Minaj’s oil-slick eyebrows
Granted, Nicki Minaj has come a long way from the days of glittery green eye shadow and powder pink lipstick, but there is still room for growth. Specifically, in the eyebrow area. Nicki Minaj’s thick, oily, dark brows clashed with her new understated look.
The fix: A rule of thumb for brunettes is to use a brow powder that is lighter than their hair color. Nicki can stand to go up a shade and set her full brow with a brow gel for a more natural look.
Kelly Osbourne’s fake tan overload
As a commentator on E! network’s “Fashion Police,” Kelly Osbourne should know better. For most of 2013, the fashion critic was lost in the fake spray-tan matrix, and her lilac hair only highlighted her over-bronzed troubles.
The fix: A bad spray tan has been known to keep women locked up in their homes for days until their natural complexion returns. It’s hard to defeat the effects of a bad glow on the red carpet, but there are a few tricks. Use a corrector cream to color-correct, adjust and brighten trouble spots. There are also neutralizing powders on the market to further balance out the faux glow. For longer-term solutions, mix lemon juice and baking soda to create a body scrub, and exfoliate.
Taraji P. Henson’s ultra-bright under-eye concealer
Blame Kim Kardashian for making every celeb in Hollywood chase after that bright under-eye effect. Unfortunately for Taraji P. Henson, this look didn’t translate too well.
The fix: The idea is to banish dark eye circles, but bad application can present other problems. Taraji should use a darker setting powder that is closer to her natural skin tone.
Lil Kim’s bizarre blush
There are many places to start with this one, but we’ll avoid stating the obvious. Expectant mommy Lil Kim showed up to her baby shower looking like she lost a fight with a blush brush. And her dramatic faux eyelashes and sloppy red lip added to the horror.
The fix: Blush application is one of those things that can make or break a beauty look. In this case it is completely broken down. For a quick red carpet fix, Lil Kim could take a face powder and use a kabuki brush to blend out the unnatural flush of color. It’s better to start with a small amount of blush and build if necessary.
Tyra Banks’ wild, black smoky eye
As a supermodel, Tyra Banks has always been the queen of all things avant-garde. But this dramatic look was a little overdone for the occasion.
The fix: Being overly generous with heavy eye makeup application can make some look like a raccoon. Tyra should take a handy sampling of her face powder and use her finger to blend this bold eye shadow down.