Look of the Week: Kate Hudson is Pretty-Messy

By Beauty Snob Tina

December 2, 2011

The always-effortless Kate Hudson tends to favor long, loose, California-girl hair, but it looks like she can pull off a city-slicker updo with just as much ease. While everyone is buzzing about the cutout Stella McCartney number she wore to the British Fashion Awards on Monday, I’m focused on the lovely beauty look she sported. This is classic retro-chic with a modernized spin. The hair, though up, is perfectly undone, and the face is an even balance of polish and naturalism. How to get the fresh-faced, not-so-innocent ingénue look yourself? It’s as easy as 1, 2, 3…and 4!

1) Eye: The emphasis is on the eyes, the only feature with any darkness to it. Play up the top lid with a thick yet controlled swipe of black liquid liner and let it fan out past your eye in a flirtatious fashion. Dior Style Liner Intense Liquid Liner lets you be the judge of how bold you want the line to be. On Amazon for $30.

2) Cheek: For a rosy glow that looks flushed, not doll-like, you want to smile big and apply blush to the apples of the cheek (the fattest part). Use an apricot-hued blush (it tends to look more genuine than pink), like Benefit’s Georgia Peach and top it off with NARS’ The Multiple in the enduring shade Orgasm, which will add a hint of glowing shimmer. Benefit Georgia Peach, on Amazon for $28.

3) Lip: Remember, this look is all about “pretty.” The lip should remain nude and slightly matte, for a natural cast. Bobbi Brown’s Rich Lip Color in Bare Pink is naturally alluring and bears a likeness to your true lip hue. At Nordstrom for $23.

4) Hair: Essentially, this is a simple topknot…gone wild and windblown. Gather sleek, manageable hair (either blown out with some smoothing product or second-day and product-free) into a soft bun on the top of the head, and then shake it out. Pull a few tendrils down around the face and at the nape of the neck. Loosen the bun even more with your hands, until it hangs freely. A swift spritz of hairspray, and you have a revived take on the messy updo.