Makeup All Stars hairstyles: How to Recreate Red Carpet Celebrity Looks at Home

Every awards season, a short list of hair and makeup looks steals the spotlight — and then floods salon request books for months afterward. The good news is that the most iconic Makeup All Stars hairstyles are far easier to recreate at home than they appear under the klieg lights. We're talking glass-smooth low buns, vintage-glam side-swept waves, and romantic braided buns that hold from the first photo to the last dance. Celebrity makeup artist Charlotte Tilbury and Glamsquad creative director Giovanni Vaccaro laid out the full playbook on Good Morning America ahead of the Academy Awards, and their step-by-step methods still define Makeup All Stars hairstyles today.

What Exactly Are Makeup All Stars hairstyles?

Think of Makeup All Stars hairstyles as the all-star roster of red carpet hair: the polished, camera-ready styles that professional stylists get asked to recreate more than any others. When Vaccaro's team previews client requests, the pattern is unmistakable — people arrive clutching red carpet photos and ask their stylist to customize the look for their own hair type, length, and face shape. That's the real secret behind star hair. It's less about copying a photo pixel-for-pixel and more about borrowing the underlying technique.

The techniques below come from that Good Morning America segment, which you can revisit in the original ABC News red carpet makeover feature. Here's the core lineup at a glance:

Proof that these techniques translate across hair types came during the segment itself, when three volunteers with completely different everyday routines were transformed on the spot:

Notice the pattern: each woman kept her identity but borrowed one signature element. That's exactly how you should approach the Makeup All Stars hairstyles below — adapt, don't imitate.

Look 1: The Sleek Low Bun, Step by Step

The sleek low bun is the workhorse of Makeup All Stars hairstyles — modern, severe in the best way, and surprisingly forgiving once the prep work is done. It works for galas, weddings, job interviews, and any night you want your outfit to do the talking.

Beginner tip: second-day hair actually helps here. A touch of natural oil at the roots gives slippery strands extra grip, which keeps the ponytail from sagging before you pin it.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Touching or "fixing" the side part after spraying it
• Pinning the bun while the twist is still loose — twist until it resists
• Skipping the diagonal face-framing sections, which is what keeps the style from looking costume-like
• Forgetting shine spray at the end; sleek hair should reflect light, not absorb it

Look 2: Sideswept Retro-Inspired Waves

Nothing says old Hollywood like a curtain of uniform waves swept dramatically over one shoulder. It's a perennial favorite among Makeup All Stars hairstyles because it flatters nearly every face shape and photographs beautifully from any angle.

Budget roughly 30 to 40 minutes for the curling phase on long hair — every section needs the same barrel and the same direction, so this is a pour-the-coffee kind of styling session. The payoff is a look that survives dancing, hugging, and a full night of photos.

Look 3: The Braided Low Side Bun With Finger Waves

For weddings, galas, and long evenings where the style simply cannot fail, the braided low side bun is the most romantic entry in the Makeup All Stars hairstyles canon. Bonus: it's explicitly designed to be built on day-old hair, which means less washing and better hold.

The finger waves at the front are what elevate this from "weekend bun" to "red carpet." Those brushed-out waves frame the face while the braided bun handles the back, so you get softness and structure in a single style. Freshly washed hair is the one real enemy here — slippery strands slide out of pins, while day-old texture grips and holds.

The Makeup Rules That Complete the Look

Hair is only half the equation. Tilbury — whose clientele has included Gisele Bündchen, Demi Moore, and Alicia Vikander — follows a strict order of operations that makes makeup look like luminous skin rather than a layer sitting on top of it. Pair these rules with any of the Makeup All Stars hairstyles above for a complete head-to-toe finish.

Your At-Home Styling Kit

You don't need a trailer full of tools to pull off these looks. This short list covers all three hairstyles:

The through-line across every one of these Makeup All Stars hairstyles is prep: smooth the canvas, set the structure, and only then add the finishing details. Skip the prep and no amount of hairspray will save the style.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long does it take to recreate Makeup All Stars hairstyles at home? With practice, the sleek low bun takes about 30 minutes including the blowout, the braided side bun runs roughly 35 minutes on day-old hair, and retro waves are the longest at 40 to 50 minutes because every section must be curled and then brushed out. Expect your first attempt at any of these to take about double — so do a trial run before the big event.

Will these looks work on fine or shoulder-length hair? Yes, with adjustments. The diagonal nape sections in the sleek bun create an illusion of fullness on thinner hair, and a small padding or bun form inside the twist adds body. Retro waves need some length for the side sweep, but the braided bun works well on medium-length hair as long as you gather the ponytail low.

Do I need expensive professional products? No. Technique matters far more than price tags — any quality strong-hold hairspray can set a side part, and drugstore bobby pins hold just as well as salon-brand ones. If you splurge on one finishing item, make it a shine spray; it's the product that gives these styles their camera-ready glow.

Which Makeup All Stars hairstyle should a complete beginner try first? Start with the sideswept retro waves. They're the most forgiving of the bunch because the brushed-out wave pattern disguises small imperfections in sectioning or pinning. The sleek low bun, by contrast, demands the cleanest execution — save it for your second attempt once your hands know the routine.