It may seem like celebrities just appear on the red carpet Cinderella-style—perfectly coiffed and impeccably assembled with just the flick of a magic wand, but the prep work leading up to a major awards show like the Golden Globes is actually far more painstaking and expensive than you may think. As we all know, the designer gowns and glittering jewels that celebrities wear to big events are typically loaners (a.k.a. free), but that’s just a portion of what’s required to create a memorable red carpet arrival. It takes an entourage of people for an actress to execute a flawless look, and the top players in the biz come at a hefty cost that starts multiplying weeks before the event takes place. I am only going to mention how much Hollywood A-listers pay for beauty in this blog, but be sure to read till the end to see the total amount for everything!
Makeup: $5,000
Top makeup artists will charge at least $1,500 per hour for their transformational services and when it comes to a celeb’s face, subject to intense scrutiny and glaring flashbulbs, top expertise is essential. (White powder disaster, anyone?) Celebrities will typically have a consultation and trial of their beauty look beforehand. This prep time, combined with the hour minimum it takes to create that camera-ready visage the night of, and you’re looking at around $5,000.
Hair: $6,000
Celebrity hairstylist Chris McMillan, who created Jennifer Aniston and Julianne Moore’s tresses at last year’s Golden Globes, reportedly has a daily rate of $2,000. Span approximately three days to allow for consultations and test-runs, plus the night of the event, and the bill will run about $6,000.
Nails: $300
With hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of jewelry adorning your fingers and wrists, nails are not to be forgotten. Stars can expect to shell out $300 for a house-call appointment with a celebrity manicurist to make sure every tip is polished to perfection.
Stylist: $10,500
Tailor: $2,500
Jewelry: Gratis
Security and Insurance: $20,000
Grand Total: $44,300
Apparently, it takes a lot of green to walk the red carpet.