Did Hollywood Just Kill Maximalist Makeup for Good?

If awards season is a crystal ball for beauty trends, then 2025 has made one thing clear: bold, statement makeup is on life support. Across the Oscars, the Vanity Fair afterparty, the Grammys, the SAG Awards, and the Critics Choice Awards, a common thread emerged—pared-down beauty ruled the red carpet. The era of hyper-contoured faces, razor-sharp liner, and overdrawn lips has been put on pause, making way for skin-first, effortless glamour.

Even the usual beauty risk-takers—celebrities who have historically served on the red carpet—toned it down. Miley Cyrus, who did experiment with bleached brows at the Grammys and at the Oscars, offset the boldness with a soft, neutral makeup look and her signature voluminous blonde waves. Ariana Grande, a maximalist in her own right with her signature feline flicks and dramatic lashes, embraced a more understated aesthetic this year, with soft pink lips and a subtle eye at the Oscars and the after party.

Even among beauty’s most recognisable staples, there was a noticeable absence. Where was the classic red lip? Selena Gomez was one of the few to embrace it at the SAG Awards, pairing her Rare Beauty ‘Devoted’ Matte Lipstick with a bronzed smoky eye. Mikey Madison also gave a nod to the timeless power of red at the same event, her plush Armani Beauty Lip Maestro 400 and 402 combo standing out in a sea of muted hues. But beyond these few exceptions, barely-there lips reigned supreme, with stars like Kerry Washington and Demi Moore opting for muted, beige tones instead.

Art Imitating Life?

For once, it feels like Hollywood is taking cues from the real world, rather than the other way around. The obsession with “skin minimalism”—a beauty philosophy that prioritises hydrated, luminous skin over layers of foundation and powder—has made its way from social media straight onto the red carpet.

We’ve spent the last year watching brands pivot from full-coverage, ultra-matte formulas to “barely-there” serums, skin tints, and barrier-repairing skincare. The consumer shift toward real skin—textured, glowy, unfiltered—has forced the industry to rethink the need for transformative makeup. Now, the red carpet is mirroring that sentiment, making beauty feel less about high-impact colour and more about effortless enhancement.

Even the most theatrical events of the season, like the Grammys, saw artists move away from aggressively sculpted looks. While some played with colour—Kaitlyn Dever’s lavender lids at the SAG Awards were a perfect example—even those moments were soft, blurred, and intentionally undone.

The ‘Quiet Luxury’ Effect on Beauty

This shift in beauty aligns with fashion’s ongoing quiet luxury movement. Just as logos and flashy embellishments have given way to subtle tailoring and timeless silhouettes, beauty has followed suit. It’s no longer about excess or transformation—it’s about looking expensive, polished, and seemingly effortless.

Celebrities who have previously leaned into theatrical beauty—Florence Pugh, Zendaya, Lady Gaga—kept things subdued. Tracee Ellis Ross and Joan Smalls, though still polished, opted for classic, sleek beauty instead of pushing boundaries. Hair, too, remained classic—Kerry Washington’s Old Hollywood waves at the SAGs were a reminder that traditional glamour never really goes out of style.

But here’s the real question: is this shift a new beauty standard, or just a pendulum swing before maximalism makes its inevitable return?

Where Does Beauty Go From Here?

Minimalism may be the red carpet’s current mood, but let’s not mistake it for permanence. Beauty is cyclical, and restraint is often followed by rebellion.

The real takeaway? If you’re still reaching for full glam, take notes—Hollywood’s biggest names are moving differently. This awards season didn’t just confirm that skin-first beauty is in—it challenged whether makeup, as we’ve known it, is even necessary anymore.