2015 was the year of dewy lips, matte lips, and so much more. These leading ladies redefined beauty for 2015 and for years to come.
2015 was the year of dewy lips, matte lips, and so much more. These leading ladies redefined beauty for 2015 and for years to come.
Ave DuVernay pairs charcoal lids with shadowed mauve lips for a looks that equal parts edgy and chic.
Nicole Richie adds a feminine touch to a rocker look by dusting her lids with a metallic shadow.
HTGAWM star, Aja Naomi, distinguishes herself from her character, Michaela Pratt's nude lip and opts for a matte red instead.
Creative crooner, Solange Knowles, ups the ante on a graphic liner by adding an electric-hued streak to her lower lash line.
Everyone from Kylie Jenner to Beyonce got on board with the lip contouring trend. This year, beauty was all about "bigger is better."
2015 was the year of the red carpet pink lips, proving that pink isn't just for Sunday brunch. We love this bight, creamy shade sported by Emmy winning actress, Regina King.
Celebs gave plain-Jane smokey eyes a rest this year and opted to play with color instead. We love this shimmery, midnight blue graphic smokey eye on Alicia Keys.
Understated beauty was the red carpet trend of the year. Celebs took a less is more approach and scored award winning looks. We love this easy-to-copy look on Aja Naomi, pairing blue shadow with matte skin and nude lips.
ESSENCE 2015 Streetstyle Star, Gabrielle Union stole the red carpet on more than one occassion this year, but one of our favorite beauty looks she rocked was this bright-eyed girl-next-door look that paired dewy skin with flushed cheeks and feathery lashes.
Triple-threat artist, Ciara shined this year and kep her beauty looks pretty simple. We love this red carpet combination of warm, sultry shadows and balmy lips.
Some looks jsut never get old. Classic beauty looks still reigned supreme in 2015. Ava DuVernay seen here sporting an everhreen beauty look: red lips an djohl-lined eyes.
What red carpets lost in elaborate makeup this year, they made up with lashes. Lengthy, spidery lashes we all the rage in 2015. Check out these lengthy lashes on Christina Milian! For an added dose of oompf, top your falsies with a coat of volumizing mascara.
Red carpets honed in on the popular highlighting trend, Strobing as cheek bones, forheads and Cupid's bows were on fleek world wide. Star Wars collection CoverGirl, Janelle Monae lead the pack with this luminous look.
Ciara and her A-lister counterparts honed in on the sculpting trend, adding depth and dimension to lips by contouring the lips and adding a light dusting of a complimentary highlighter to thecenter of lips.
Bright lipsticks like this fuchsia pink on Jada Pinkett-Smith took center stage all year long.
Chirstina Milian wans't the only one upping the ante on her glow factor this year. 2015 was also the year of the ""golden girl."
90's beauty ruled the year with lippie favorites like gloss and fronsted lipstick making a comeback. We love this frosted baby pink shade on our girl crush, Gabrielle Union.
If your lipstick wasn't brown in 2015, it was defintiely marroon. Vampy lips like this one on Joan Smalls ruled the red carpet this year.
Of course there was no shortage of cult-beauty favorite, the feline flick. Jill Scott paried hers with berry lips and groomed brows.
Jennifer Hudson offers a lesson in chic. If you're wearing an elaborate outfit or statement earrings, keep your makeup on the neutral side. Peachy-Pink lips look polished, but not overdone.
Jourdann Dunn proved that dewy skin is fitting for any and every occasion.
Ciara proved that dark, smokey lids and berry lips will always be a winning combination.
Rihanna never disappoints. We were the only ones who bsessed over her Met Gala beauty look. Red hair, flat brows and the beauty beauty mark. Teach us your ways, RiRi!
Purple lipstick made a shot at earning the number one spot on the colorful lippie trend this year..
Runway queen, Joan Smalls, proved a little goes a long way with feathered lashes and nude lips.
Karrueche Tran stepped in to the spotlight thsi year and made waves in the beauty scene juxtaposing elaborate hair dues against soft, pretty makeup.
ESSENCE cover girl, It Brit and Bond girl, Naomi Harris, made her debut proving that kohl-lined eyes will forever be a beauty staple.
Keke Palmer became a beauty chamelion proving beauty has no rules. We're loving this crop cut and ombre lip duo.
Stars like Keke Palmer dropped statement jewelry for stament lipstick instead. Creamy pastels never looked so chic!
Braids still maintained their red carpet shine in 2015. Here, Kelly Rowland opts for simple makeup and an eviably chic fishtail milk maid braid.
Cascading curls and bronzed skin are the perfect mesh of west coast cool and black girl magic. This beauty look is red carpet ready and Rihanna approved!
America's favorite ballerina and ESSENCE cover girl, Misty Copeland, makes a case for lush brows and cherry tinted lips.
Kerry Washington proves metallic shimmer shadow can be subtle and chic when paired with balmy rose lips.
Seriously, has olive shadow ever looked so chic? Lala's deep set eyes and sculpted features make this look a winner.
OITNB can't dull her shine. Laverne Cox offers a lesson in contouring done right, highlinght her gorgeous features.
January cover girl, Lupita Nyong'O, rocks a merlot lip like no other; further evidence that dark lips are perfect year-round.
Not all red carpets require glitz and glam. Sometimes a good red lip and some killer lashes are enough to take the cake, just ask Meghan Good.
Kerry Washington proves that basic rules still apply to red carpet events. Dewy skin, a few coats of manscara and a soft lips will always look photo ready--this year, next year and every year that follows.
Hip-Hop's leading lady, Nicki Minaj, wasn't the only one rocking the two-tone lip trend.
Everyone from Rihanna to Kery Washington sported a brown lip this year, proving the trend can be classy and grunge.
A staple on the red carpet, sleek strands, berry lips and dramatic eyes are a match made in Heaven, and Gabrielle Union is proof!
North West proved top knots and balmy lips have major red carpet appeal.
Regina King taught us the perfect makeup to wear if we're ever nominated for an Emmy. Note to self: Matte red lips and lined eyes are always a winning combination.
Along with lip liner, lip gloss made acome back this year as celebs like Sanaa Lathan debuted an array of high schine, colorful pouts.
RiRi is known for setting and breaking the beauty mold. This year, however, the singer was one of a long line of stars to embrace the popular liquid lipstick trend. To match her gorgeous matte lip, try Anastasia Beverly Hills Liquid Lipstick.
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Glossy lids were popular on the runways and the red carpet this year. We love this amber-hued gloss on Solange's lid; it's understated, but super chic. To get the look, you can purchase an eye gloss or make one at home by mixing your faavorite shadow with vasoline and pressing it into your lid.
As minimalist makeup ruled the red carpet, stars embellished their beuaty look with bold lip colors. Luptia lead the beuaty pack proving that brown skin can rock any shade of lipstick flawlessly.
2015 was the year of the perfect contour-- nothing was off limits; lips, cheeks, and decolletage were are perfectly sculpted before hitting the red carpet. To complete the look, stars dusted their bodies with bronzer for a that ju-left-St.Tropez look.
Zendaya had a banner year and we basically wanted to copy all of her red carpet looks, but this look in particular is certainly most memorable. I mean, it earned her a Barbie!
Contoured cheeks, smokey lids and full brows get an edgy appeal when paired with teased roots and pulled back hair.
Zendaya upped the ante on girl-next-door beauty, sporting matte lips with ethereal cream shadow and winged liner.
Beyonce wasn't the only one rocking the hi pony trend. Yara Shahidi made a strng case for the braided high ponytail. For a super fresh vibe, she topped her lips with a rosy balm and dusted her lide with a opal shadow.
Cookie's round-the-way beauty is distinctly different from Taraji's red carpet style. On the red carpet, Taraji trades streetstyle do's for super chic beauty.
Zoe Kravitz never disappoints on the red carpet. Whether she's rocking graphic liner or gun metal shadow her beaty look is always the perfect mix of bohemian and rocker cool.
Zoe Saldana offered a lesson in mod beauty, while also brightening her eyes. The actress channeled Twiggy—and you can too— by lining the lower lash line with a cream or nude liner.
Empire star, Serayah McNeil, taught us to keep makeup minimal and let your lashes do the work.
The septum piercing was sported by everyone from Zoe Kravitz to Rihanna. Amandla makes the petite ring look chic with curls and winger liner.
Emmy award winning actress, Uzo Aduba, made us do a double-take with this gorgeous flush and matching matte lips.
