Red carpets are the Olympics of beauty and Cannes is the ultimate arena. This year, it wasn’t just the couture turning heads. With the ban on naked dresses, those sheer barely-there looks that usually dominate the carpet were nowhere to be seen and celebrities had to find another way to make a statement. So, attention shifted to the details: hair, make-up and beauty moments designed to go viral. From unexpected transformations to nostalgic nods, Cannes 2025 was proof that bold beauty can be just as headline-worthy as a risqué dress.
Of course, the Croisette isn’t just about beauty. It’s a major fashion moment, too. Zoe Saldaña wore black Saint Laurent, Heidi Klum went full bombshell in sequinned Elie Saab, and Halle Berry floated down the carpet in a Celia Kritharioti bubble gown. And with an exciting line-up of premieres - from Tom Cruise’s Mission: Impossible The Final Reckoning to French comedy Partir un Jour and Diane Kruger’s haunting new thriller Dossier 137 - there were plenty of reasons to bring main-character energy.
Bella Hadid led the charge, debuting a buttery blonde hue that instantly lit up the carpet. Then came Irina Shayk, bringing back the 2010s with a half-up donut bun that somehow looked straight off a runway, not a throwback post. And they weren’t alone. From power ponies to smooth skin and brushed-up brows, this year’s glam was full of intention and impact. Sometimes, the face does all the talking. Ahead, the beauty moments from Cannes 2025 living in our heads rent free.
Bella Hadid
Bella Hadid made a striking return to Cannes, showcasing her lightest hair colour in years - a honey-toned blonde. For the red carpet, she opted for a sleek, straight style, complemented by bronzy make-up and elegant soap-polished nails. Bella Hadid’s brunette-to-blonde transformation was masterminded by celebrity hairdresser Jacob Schwartz, who said: 'Bella's hair transformation took two days of colour and a whole lot of Olaplex. Proper planning, product, and patience are the three things that I rely on most to always deliver. Olaplex is always key. I am more of a confident artist because I can trust and rely on its ability to maintain strength for each of my clients, every time without fail.'
www.lookfantastic.com
Currently on sale, the Olaplex No.3 Hair Perfector is a pre-shampoo treatment powered by Olaplex Bond Building Technology. It's this technology that has amassed fans the world over. Devotees swear by its bond building prowess for smoother, healthier hair in the long run.
Pros
- Leaves hair feeling soft and shiny
- A little goes a long way
Cons
- Expensive
- Small bottle
www.lookfantastic.com
Schwartz says: 'I always recommend clients to maintain their hair by shampooing and conditioning with Olaplex’s number four and five. It also just came out with a line for fine hair. Now you can cater to your hair’s thickness the way Olaplex tailors its formula for each type.'
Pros
- Now available in a lighter option
- Long lasting
Cons
- Expensive
Irina Shayk
Irina Shayk channeled early 2010s nostalgia with a half-up, half-down donut bun that felt both retro and new. She kept things simple on her face, with a small winged eye to add edge to the look, proving that classic styles can be reinvented for today’s red carpet.
Hannah Waddingham
Hannah Waddingham kept it effortless on the carpet with a natural blonde up-do. Her glow was soft-focus, her lashes light, and the whole look whispered Old Hollywood. No heavy contour, just a fresh but timeless look.
Diane Kruger
Diane Kruger, Grazia's latest cover star, hit the carpet in full Prada Beauty by celebrity make-up artist Mary Wiles. The look was fresh and clean with a natural lip colour and old-Hollywood waves, created by hair stylist John Nollet. Wiles also used Sothys skincare products on Kruger to prep her skin for the red carpet, including these eye patches to boost freshness and radiance.
www.lookfantastic.com
We are almost certain that Kruger wore this shade on her lips.
Pros
- Arrives in refillable casing
- Buildable pigment
Cons
- Can be drying
Julia Garner
Julia Garner's cropped wavy pixie crop always serves It-girl energy. Teamed with a barely-there base and frosted lids, her make-up was executed by Zoë Taylor with Gucci Beauty.
Alessandria Ambrosio
Alessandra Ambrosio just showed off the perfect high ponytail – and she's just the latest celebrity to choose this style for the red carpet, proving its popularity for 2025. She kept her make-up bronzed with a light smokey eye to add the finish touch of glamour.
Halle Berry
At 58, Halle Berry has never looked better thanks to her glorious skin and natural make-up. She wore her signature shoulder-grazing bob with soft waves paired with sun-kissed skin, a warm brown smoky eye, and a glossy nude lip.
Andie MacDowell
Andie MacDowell looked beautiful with loose silver waves and natural make-up (there's clearly a theme this year). The glam was just the right mix of sultry and soft, like a vintage film star.
Eva Longoria
Eva Longoria brought the heat with her bronzed, bombshell glam for the opening ceremony, done by Harold James using only L’Oréal. Think warm tones, smoked-out shadow, fluttery lashes, and a velvet nude lip. Her waves were pure screen siren energy.
www.lookfantastic.com
This is the hero product responsible for Eva’s glowy base.
Pros
- Brightening formula
- Comfortable to wear all day
Cons
- Limited shade range
Heidi Klum
Serving face (and then some), Heidi Klum showed up with voluminous, face-framing curls, a dramatic silver smoky eye, and a matte pink lip. Klum teamed this look with an Ellie Saab sequinned dress, for a full-on ‘90s bombshell moment at the Mission Impossible red carpet.
Zoe Saldana
Zoe Saldana kept things chic and minimal with a slicked-back bun, fresh, dewy skin, and a flush of pink on the lips and cheeks. Her soft-focus glam let her Saint Laurent gown shine and she looked radiant.
Renee Washington, Grazia's digital fashion and beauty writer, lives online. With a penchant for wispy lashes and streetwear, she writes about the worlds of fashion and beauty from the viewpoint of the modern fashion girlie..