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Home · Beauty

3 Red Carpet Beauty Trends Every Black Girl Will Be Wearing This Spring

There has been no shortage of slayage on the red carpet this awards season. It was a clean sweep for three trends and one breakout beauty star. Keep reading to see the looks we'll be wearing as the weather heats up. 
3 Red Carpet Beauty Trends Every Black Girl Will Be Wearing This Spring
Getty images
By Nykia Spradley · Updated October 26, 2020
5188826245001

This feature originally appeared in the April 2017 Issue of ESSENCE Magazine.

01
Red Carpet Trends – Top Knots – 2

Some of our favorite starlets, including Taraji P. Henson, gave the easygoing up-do a glam upgrade.

3 Red Carpet Beauty Trends Every Black Girl Will Be Wearing This Spring
Jeffrey Mayer/Getty Images
02
Red Carpet Trends – Top Knots – 3

“A topknot is one of the easiest and quickest hairstyles to achieve. It can be worn casually or turned into a glamorous updo,” says celeb hairstylist Felicia Leatherwood, who has been an integral part of Issa Rae’s hair evolution including this look she crafted for the NAACP Image Awards. “Because Issa is Senegalese and African-American, I like to create hairstyles that would represent her culture from Africa to America.”

3 Red Carpet Beauty Trends Every Black Girl Will Be Wearing This Spring
Jason Laveris/Getty Images
03
Red Carpet Trends – Top Knots – 4

“You can change it up by adding a pompadour, a bang or even a little more texture if you have curly, kinky or wavy hair,” Leatherwood also shares. “However you choose to rock them, topknots are fun and look good on nearly everyone.”

3 Red Carpet Beauty Trends Every Black Girl Will Be Wearing This Spring
Jeffrey Mayer/Getty Images
04
Red Carpet Trends – Dark Lips – 1

In an ode to the nineties, brown and deep berry lips made a stunning comeback, proving that bold and sultry tints are timeless.

3 Red Carpet Beauty Trends Every Black Girl Will Be Wearing This Spring
John Shearer/Getty Images
05
Red Carpet Trends – Dark Lips – 3

“The key to picking a good brown for darker skin tones is to find one that has red or pink undertones,” says celebrity makeup artist Autumn Moultrie, who did the look seen here on Viola Davis for the Golden Globes.

3 Red Carpet Beauty Trends Every Black Girl Will Be Wearing This Spring
Steve Granitz/Getty Images
06
Red Carpet Trends – Dark Lips – 4

Moultrie also adds, “For darker skin tones, wine or berry is a great shade, but look for lipstick that is blue-based in a matte or shiny finish.” 

3 Red Carpet Beauty Trends Every Black Girl Will Be Wearing This Spring
Jason Laveris/Getty Images
07
Red Carpet Trends – Eye Lights – 1

Trophies weren’t the only things shining this season. Hints of highlighter at the inner corners of the eye made these looks award-worthy.

3 Red Carpet Beauty Trends Every Black Girl Will Be Wearing This Spring
Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Images
08
Red Carpet Trends – Eye Light – 2

“Highlighting the eyes can give the illusion that they are farther apart and generally make them appear more open and awake,” says makeup artist Niki Metz, who created this look for E! Live from the Red Carpet host Zuri Hall.

3 Red Carpet Beauty Trends Every Black Girl Will Be Wearing This Spring
Steve Granitz/Getty Images
09
Red Carpet Trends – Eye Lights – 3

“It’s not about highlighter all over, it’s about the placement of the highlighter. Place it where you see the brightness on your skin. For brown skin tones, apply a cream base highlighter first and powder on top to add,” says Metz. “For brown skin tones, apply a cream base highlighter first and powder on top to add dimension.”

3 Red Carpet Beauty Trends Every Black Girl Will Be Wearing This Spring
Rodin Eckenroth/Getty Images
10
Red Carpet Trends – Laverne Cox – 1

We’re crowning this trailblazer, the queen of drama. An all-around style winner this season, she has unquestionably nailed each of her strikingly different looks.

3 Red Carpet Beauty Trends Every Black Girl Will Be Wearing This Spring
Getty Images
11
Red Carpet Trends – Laverne Cox – 2

“Ms. Cox gets it! She loves and appreciates the process of getting “glam” and that comes across in the work we produce together,” says celebrity hairstylist Ursula Stephen, who, along with makeup artist Deja Smith, has been part of Cox’s style squad.

3 Red Carpet Beauty Trends Every Black Girl Will Be Wearing This Spring
Getty Images
12
Red Carpet Trends – Laverne Cox – 4

“Laverne really does slay! She has a beautifully multidimensional personality that contributes to her broad fashion sensibility,” adds makeup artist Deja Smith.

3 Red Carpet Beauty Trends Every Black Girl Will Be Wearing This Spring
Getty Images
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