Paying homage to her Indigenous roots, every aspect of Lily Gladstone’s Oscar night appearance incorporated her heritage. The Killers of the Flower Moon Best Actress nominee made her Oscars debut in style, ensuring that indigenous designers and beauty brands took center stage alongside her.
Rooted in Tradition
Gladstone proudly stands as the first Native American woman to be nominated for the Best Actress award. To honor her heritage, she donned a custom Gucci gown crafted in collaboration with Joe Big Mountain of Ironhouse Quillwork.
“The dress is very formal and because it’s such a historic moment. We wanted the hair to be something that was going to last,” said celebrity hairstylist Marc Mena. “Something that was going to look great now and 20 years from now.”
Mena gave Lily a soft wave using Indigenous hair-care brand Sister Sky along with Better Not Younger. He started by misting her hair with Sister Sky Minkisoft Nourishing Mist. He then layered on Better Not Younger Lift Me Up Hair Thickener ($37) and No Remorse Heat Protection & Taming Spray ($33). “The smoothness is important because it creates shine that allows the light to bounce off the hair,” says Mena. “We wanted the light to reflect off the hair.”
Earthly Elegance
For her glam, celebrity makeup artist Fiona Stiles worked her magic to prepare the Best Actress Oscar nominee. Stiles blended Chanel with the Cheekbone Beauty’s Indigenous-inspired Every Day palette to enhance Gladstone’s natural beauty for the momentous night. Cheekbone Beauty is an Indigenous-owned cosmetics brand known for its dedication to sustainability and clean beauty. Stiles shared on Instagram that she used the palette to contour Gladstone’s cheeks.
Stiles applied Chanel Les Beiges Healthy Glow Foundation ($65), complemented by the Le Blanc Rosy Light Drops ($54). To accentuate her cheeks, Stiles chose the Joues Contraste Powder Blush in Rose Ruban ($52), finishing off the look with Rouge Allure Velvet Luminous Matte Lip Colour ($48) to enhance Gladstone’s lips.
While she may not have taken home the award, Gladstone’s gesture leaves a lasting impression on the night’s celebration of talent and diversity.
