Fairytale beauty inspiration

Whether you’re a fan of the more traditional Mirror Mirror, the darker Snow White & The Huntsman or television’s Once Upon a Time, we show you how to unleash your inner Snow White (or Evil Queen).

Lately there have been quite a few interpretations of the Snow White fairytale. Lily Collins and Julia Roberts give a sweet, Disney rendition, Kristen Stewart and Charlize Theron go head-to-head in a 13M adventure-action flick, while Ginnifer Goodwin and Lana Parrilla are cursed to live in our reality on television. And with each version come different styles.

Here’s how you can copy their looks…

SNOW WHITE

Lily Collins
If you’re not afraid of a little maintenance and you don’t already have bangs, ask your hair stylist cut a short, side-swept fringe. Then pull your hair back into a high chignon or bun, smoothing and tucking away any stray hairs with pins. Moving to your face, begin with a full-cover foundation (Elizabeth Arden’s Ceramide Ultra Lift and Firm, R345) to make sure you’re the fairest in all the land. Add additional coverage with a concealer like Bobbi Brown’s Creamy Concealer Kit, R325. Because you’re going with a bold lip, we recommend YSL’s Rouge Pur Couture Vernis A Levres, R365. Keep your eyes minimal by lining to the top (Essence Gel Eyeliner, R40) and slicking your lashes with a lengthening and volumising mascara (Lancome Hypnose Doll Lashes, R295).

Kristen Stewart
Make-up artists kept Kristen’s make-up to a minimum for her role as Snow White in Snow White & The Huntsman, but it’s her braids which are lighting up the silver screen. Don’t begin attempting this style with hair that’s just been washed or gone over with a straightening iron. If your hair’s too ‘fresh’, the braids will fall out. Create a side part in your hair, and on the side with the most hair, begin plaiting a side-fringe braid. Stop when you’ve reached just above your ears, and secure the braid with a small hair elastic. Gathering half your hair (the hair above your ears, as if you were doing a half up-do) and plait it into a ponytail. Now gather the bottom half and start plaiting this hair into a ponytail as well, working the top half’s ponytail into the bottom one. Secure your final ponytail with a small hair elastic, and then carefully cut away the side braid’s elastic.

Ginnifer Goodwin
A more modern take on Snow White sees Ginnifer Goodwin with a layered pixie crop and bangs that fall over her eyebrows. Tip: If you want this cut, always bring along pictures from more than one angle so your stylist can see exactly what it is that you want – from all angles. The secret to Snow White’s look really is a perfect complexion, but to make sure your foundation stays in place for longer, use a primer like Stay Don’t Stray by Benefit, R258 – after moisturizing, but before applying foundation. A subtle, daytime smoky eye (Catrice Smoky Eyes Set) will suffice with a slick of mascara (Clarins Instant Definition Mascara, R205). But instead of a dramatic blood-red lip, opt for a nourishing modern nude, we recommend Revlon’s ColorBurst Lip Butter, R115. Add a touch of colour to your cheeks with a bronze blusher (Avon’s Glow Bronzing Pearls, R140).

THE EVIL QUEEN

Julia Roberts
What would an evil queen be without gravity-defying hair? Begin by creating ringlets with a styler (Remington Pearl Pro Styler, R529). You can either pile them high on your head and secure with bobby pins or let them hang loose for a softer finish. A medium coverage foundation will suffice but make sure you nix any lines, spots or dark under-eye circles with a corrector or concealer like Chanel’s Eclat Stomp, R300. Use a pencil to line both top and bottom lids – be very careful when going over the waterline on your bottom lid (Lancome Le Crayon Khol, R260), creating a slightly thicker line on your top lid. A few waves of your magic mascara wand (Couleur Caramel Mascara, R225) and slicking on a neutral lip colour that has a slight pearlescent shade to it (Maybelline Colorsensational Pearls, R90), and viola!

Charlize Theron
Braids are definitely all the rage this winter season. Recreate Charlize’s milkmaid style by dividing your hair into a centre part and plaiting each half into pigtails – start at your ear. After securing the ends with small elastic bands, pull the braids up and cross them over the top of your head. Pin in place. Forget a black or brown smoky eye, find a silver eye shadow palette like Avon’s True Colour Eyeshadow Quad, R123, and begin blending. Don’t be afraid to mix the darker and lighter shades until you find the perfect balance. Again, put down the pink blush pot and try a peach or bronze shade like Kanebo Sensai’s Designing Duo, R430. Round up the look with a neutral lip (Clarins Rouge Hydra Nude Lipstick, R210).

Lana Parrilla
Add colour to a pale complexion with a bold lip that matches your eye shadow. After priming your skin and applying foundation and concealer, line both top and lower eyelids. Essence’s 2in1 Eyeliner Pen, R40, has a thin brush for a fine, elegant line and a thicker one for a bolder, more dramatic line. If you can’t find an eye shadow that’s the same red shade as your lipstick, use your lipstick and gently blot the colour onto the outer crease of your eyelid with your ring finger. Use an eye shadow brush (Catrice’s Smoky Eyes Brush) to blend and stretch the colour. Next, we recommend a good lip liner like Avon’s Glimmerstick, R88, to prevent your lipstick from bleeding and to keep it in place.