Archive copy by Jenni Baden Howard

‘The secret is styling serum, which I run through Nicole’s hair when it’s soaking wet after shampooing,’ says Australian hairdresser Kerry Warn, who styled Kidman’s hair for the ceremony. (It was Kerry who cunningly gave Kidman a shorter look for last year’s Globes, by curling her hair up into the bob that had everyone asking “did she cut her hair?”).

This year, Kerry gave Kidman a long, straight look, which he swept back off her face. ‘To get the smoothest results, I squeeze the excess moisture out of the hair with a towel before applying John Frieda’s Frizz-Ease Serum - rubbing the hair just makes it frizzy - before blow-drying. I use straightening irons as a finishing tool only, to avoid damage. Or tongs, if we’re going curly.’ Kerry isn’t giving away any clues about which way Kidman will go for the Oscars: ‘We won’t decide until we sit down together and look at the outfit,’ he says.

Sarah Jessica Parker, meanwhile, wore her recently-chopped, jaw-length bob - the handiwork of New York stylist Serge Normant - super-smooth, with an off-centre parting. A silk flower provided the funky finishing touch (very Carrie B.). Make-up artist Laura Mercier wielded her brushes, giving Parker kohl-lined eyes and pretty pink lips.

‘Sarah Jessica loves a smoky look on the eyes - I just smudge a little bit of my Eye Colour in Black Smoke on the top and bottom, but without elongating the eyes. She has very long lashes, so we use lots of black mascara to emphasise the m,’ says Mercier. ‘For the lips, her favourite kind of colour is a sheer, glossy rose. I gave her my new lipstick in Courtisane, a shimmery pink (part of the Romantic Story spring collection, available next month), when I was still working on it in the labs.’

Cate Blanchett enlisted the expertise of make-up artist and Stila cosmetics founder Jeanine Lobell on Sunday. Lobell gave Blanchett’s naturally fair skin a flawless, porcelain finish with Stila’s Complete Coverage Makeup (a lightweight base, which can be layered to achieve the desired coverage) in shade B, and Pressed Powder, in Pale. Her eyes were defined with the Eye Shadow in Twig, and shaded with Auburn and Jezebel. But it was the strong, dark raspberry lips that really made Blanchett’s striking look (Stila’s Lip Colour in Julie).

Cameron Diaz also went for a statement-making mouth. Her glossy fuchsia lips complemented her pink and blue dress and sexy, surf chick waves perfectly. To recreate the look, try Make Up For Ever’s gorgeous, ultra-glossy new Liquid Lip Color in No. 4 (tel: 020- 7529 5691).

Like the little black dress, the classic chignon was also out in full force at the Globes. Angelina Jolie, Jennifer Connolly (who scooped Best Supporting Actress for A Beautiful Mind), Debra Messing (of Will & Grace) and Jennifer Aniston all opted for variations on the “up-do” theme.

Whether worn up or down, wavy or straight, condition is crucial - Tinseltown Tresses have to shine. British hairdresser Charles Worthington flew out to Los Angeles last week, to set up his own, pre-Globes salon within the L’Hermitage hotel in Beverly Hills. He also gave away giant gift boxes filled with his Dream Hair products (at Boots).

Meanwhile, to save nervous nominees from unglamorous shine, Estée Lauder presented all actresses in the running with a rhinestone-encrusted Golden Glow powder compact. Created especially for the occasion, each was filled with Lucidity Light-Diffusing Transparent Pressed Powder. The next best thing? Estée Lauder’s simple, golden After Hours Compact (a snip at £25), guaranteed to give any make-up bag a touch of Hollywood glam.