Chris Martin is a lucky man! The Coldplay rocker’s leading ladies — collaborator Rihanna and wife Gwyneth Paltrow — paused for a hot shot Sunday night while backstage at the Grammy Awards, showing off their slim figures and similar, slinky gowns. Rihanna worked the room in custom Giorgio Armani (she’s currently a face of the designer’s denim and underwear lines), while Paltrow wowed in a long black number with a solid gold belt.

Later in the night, Rihanna joined Martin and his bandmates for a medley of her “We Found Love” and their “Princess of China” and “Paradise.” Rocking leather shorts and a crop top — plus her new blonde do — the singer got the excitable crowd going. Meanwhile, Paltrow introduced the night’s big winner, Adele, before the beloved Brit took to the stage for a highly praised rendition of “Rolling in the Deep.”

Rihanna and Paltrow were among the night’s few style standouts; Adele and Carrie Underwood were both red carpet winners, too, though many stars failed to impress (or shock) this time around. Though Nicki Minaj’s slightly sacrilegious look drew mild criticism, no one seemed to go too crazy this year — not even Lady Gaga (and that’s saying a lot). Check out our best dressed here, then vote on the night’s biggest risk takers here. Then tell us: What did you think of the 2012 Grammys style?

CATCH UP ON ALL THE LATEST GRAMMY NEWS AND PHOTOS

Country music’s finest came out to celebrate at the CMA Awards in Nashville Wednesday night — and their outfits did not disappoint.

Entertainer of the year Taylor Swift had an ethereal red carpet moment in J. Mendel, while Miranda Lambert opted for a glimmering black Haute Hippie gown. LeAnn Rimes added some drama in a ruffled, patterned peplum gown, and Kellie Pickler picked a silver Pamella Roland dress.

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Also on the carpet, host Carrie Underwood glimmered in golden Reem Acra, and Faith Hill made a similarly stunning statement in a white column dress. Sugarland’s Jennifer Nettles added a pop of color in a sea-foam halter, while American Idol runner-up Lauren Alaina went short in a gem-encrusted Mandalay frock. The ladies all looked lovely, but which star dressed the best?

SEE ALL OF THE CMA AWARD STYLE STARS

Carrie Underwood is ready to lather up in her latest Olay commercial — but she’s skipping the soap and opting for cleanser. The singer — Wednesday night’s CMA Awards hostess — is breaking down beauty myths in her latest campaign for Olay, which debuts tonight during the CMA Awards on ABC.

“For my beauty prep, I like my skin to be really clean, but ‘squeaky clean’ isn’t the goal — that sound actually means your soap left residue behind on your skin,” she says in a release. “If you don’t have a healthy palette to work on, it won’t matter what you do. My skincare routine is … all about proper cleansing and sunscreen.”

In addition to pampering her skin, the singer tries to prevent damage to her hair, too. “I love a big-barrel curling iron,” she admits. “So to keep my hair healthy and manageable, I use a leave-in conditioner; without a spritz of it first, it would take me forever to get a brush through my hair.”

And to stand out on the red carpet, Underwood says adding shimmer eyeshadow to her look is a definite do. “A little goes a long way and helps really play up your eyes,” she shares. “I like to top it off with mascara. I never leave my house without it and feel naked without it on! One coat makes me look like I spent time on my makeup — even if I didn’t.”

Catch Underwood on the CMAs tonight, and in the meantime, enjoy a little Olay humor courtesy of her co-host, singer Brad Paisley.

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She’s stuck to a fairly signature, side-swept style for years, but Carrie Underwood really let her hair down over the weekend, debuting big bangs at the AARP Drive to End Hunger Benefit Concert in L.A.

Stepping on stage in a glimmering long-sleeved mini dress by Zuhair Murad, the country star paid tribute to birthday boy Tony Bennett and helped to promote his new album, Duets II (she joins him for a take on “It Had to Be You” on the record). Stevie Wonder performed during the show, held at the Staples Center, too.

Underwood is the second big star to cut bangs this season; last week, Bridesmaids actress Rose Byrne added them to her brunette do, too. Is this a fall hair trend in the making? 

VOTE ON STAR HAIR CHANGES IN ‘WHAT’S HER BEST HAIR?’

Carrie Underwood‘s squeaky-clean image and girl-next-door charm make her the perfect ambassador for Olay, and in her most recent campaign for the brand, the star helps women dive skin-deep into solving their own beauty mistakes.

In the clip above, Underwood — who has always been generous about sharing her get-glam secrets — sets the record straight about some common skincare blunders. “Before I got involved with Olay, I would just wash my face with a washcloth and a bar of soap,” she says. “What I did not realize was that I was taking off makeup, which is good, but I was leaving behind residue, which is bad.” Now she uses products to exfoliate, and her face “feels soft and clean.”

Underwood was first announced as the North American Global Ambassador for the brand back in fall of 2010. For more information, visit olay.com. Tell us: What’s your best skincare secret?

—Kim Peiffer

CHECK OUT THE FAB FALL BEAUTY TRENDS YOU NEED TO TRY

Which of Hollywood’s style stars had readers buzzing this week? Don’t miss our top stories!

–Reese Witherspoon forgoes traditional bridal white and walks down the aisle in a pretty pink wedding gown. READ IT

–Michael Bublé’s wife dons three (!) wedding dresses as the couple ties the knot. READ IT

–Twilight‘s Bella Swan gets married in Breaking Dawn — and we get a sneak peek at what the bride-to-be might look like on her wedding day. READ IT

–Carrie Underwood works three different dresses at the Academy of Country Music Awards. READ IT

–Zac Efron transitions from clean cut to scruffy as he continues to grow out his facial hair. READ IT

Talk about a quick-change artist! Though she didn’t take home a trophy Sunday night, Carrie Underwood still made quite an impression at the Academy of Country Music Awards in Las Vegas, wearing three different outfits during the star-studded ceremony. The country cutie arrived at the MGM Grand in a floor-skimming, royal purple Jean Fares Couture gown, accented with sparkling straps and some elegant baubles (including her gorgeous engagement ring!). Later, for a duet of “Undo It” and “Walk This Way” with American Idol judge Steven Tyler, Underwood slipped into a custom WTB bolero of black silk suiting, with pink metallic mesh trim and black Swarovski crystals (the line is designed in part by Bon Jovi guitarist Richie Sambora). To take the look even further, she added some pink highlights to her hair — and shared a kiss with Tyler! Afterward, Underwood went green in a strapless sequin A-line mini cocktail dress from Farah Angsana, paired with nude Brian Atwood heels and a black Swarovski clutch — perfect for post-ACM Awards partying. We think she looked stunning in all of her dresses, but we want to know what you think. –Kate Hogan

SEE ALL THE BEST DRESSED STARS AT THE ACM AWARDS HERE!</a

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Carrie Underwood wasn’t the only A-lister to bring her Hollywood style to Nashville at last night’s star-studded CMA Awards. Taylor Swift heated things up in a red-hot custom Monique Lhuillier gown. Nicole Kidman kicked her style up a notch in scarlet booties and white lace Dolce and Gabbana. And for Kellie Pickler it was all about flashing her engagement-bling sparkler while spotlighting her curves with Marilyn-Monroe-esque sequins and a bold bouffant. See all the night’s hottest looks in our CMA Awards style blow-out. Which star’s look did you love the most?

Just two months after announcing her role as Olay Skin Care’s first-ever North American celebrity ambassador , a glowing Carrie Underwood is glamming it up for the cameras in a brand new ad campaign for the beauty brand—and giving PEOPLE a sneak peek! The print and TV spots, part of Olay’s Challenge What’s Possible campaign, catch the newly married country star mostly makeup-free as she washes her face with Olay Facial Cleansers. And while the print ads, which were shot earlier this fall in N.Y.C., won’t hit magazines until February, Carrie’s television commercial, featured above, will air later this week. You can also catch the five-time Grammy award winner in a special ad that will run during this week’s Country Music Awards, which Carrie is co-hosting with Brad Paisley. To see more of the singer, check out Carrie’s print campaign below, and tune in to the CMA Awards on Wednesday at 8/7 central on ABC. –Jessie Goldberg

Courtesy Olay

Being named Olay’s first North American celebrity ambassador isn’t a title Carrie Underwood is taking lightly. Just before the big announcement, we sat down with the country superstar to get her thoughts on her new beauty role and more. “It’s such a great partnership because it’s something I have been using for at least a decade now,” she tells PEOPLE in this exclusive video interview. And while Carrie admits it’s hard to pick just one product from the brand, she does reveal that she can’t live without Olay’s Daily Facial Cleansing Cloths. “At the end of the day, no matter what I’m doing–whether it’s a photo shoot or being on stage–I’m sweaty and have makeup caked all over and it gets all the gunk off,” she says. As for her secret to great skin? “Mainly to pay attention because there’s no magic formula. I feel like everyone has to go out and try things for themselves because my skin is not like your skin and your skin is not like her skin,” she says. To hear more from Carrie on her new partnership with Olay as well as her plans for the upcoming Country Music Awards, which she will co-host in November, watch this exclusive interview. –Andrea DeSimone

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Marking her first beauty contract, Carrie Underwood is announcing in New York City this morning that she’s been named Olay Skin Care’s first-ever North American celebrity ambassador. And for the five-time Grammy award winner, who has been using Olay products for “at least a decade now,” there couldn’t be a better brand to break into the beauty business with. “As a little girl I remember my mom always using the original Olay Beauty Fluid and encouraging my sisters and I to take care of our skin. I love that Olay has managed to change with the times, yet stay in touch with women of all ages who want affordable skin care products that do what they promise,” Carrie says in a statement. The country music superstar, who is about to kick-off her “Play On Tour” this fall, will appear in print and television ads for Olay’s “Challenge What’s Possible” campaign, scheduled to debut later this year. Check back for an exclusive behind-the-scenes interview with Carrie. Tell us: What do you think of Carrie Underwood’s new role as Olay Ambassador?–Andrea DeSimone

Simone & Martin Photography

Carrie Underwood’s summer wedding in Georgia called for some creative moves to keep the bride looking cool, says Underwood’s make-up artist Melissa Schleicher. “It was really, really hot and it was raining around 4 o’clock, just before the wedding, so I had to think of the humidity,” she says. “The hair was a concern so I did kind of an updo. I just it curled it all over and just pieced it up and pinned it with bobby pins all over, real simple.” The wedding day do was created on the spot, she says. “We didn’t practice before the wedding or anything – we’ve done so many award shows and so many hairstyles, so she just lets me do what I do.” One element of her look that did require a bit of homework, however, was Carrie’s lush set of false eyelashes. The “very full lash that can be dramatic or natural” was created specially for her by Schleicher and Stephen Moleski of Smoke and Mirrors Beauty, whose lashes are “easy to put on and undetectable,” she says. Want to try out Carrie’s look yourself? The limited edition “Heart” lash, based on Underwood’s custom design will soon available for sale on Molesky’s web site. For more exclusive details and photos of Carrie’s wedding, pick up the new issue of PEOPLE Country, on stands now. –Eileen Finan

She may not still be rocking her custom Monique Lhuiller gown, but there was no mistaking Carrie Underwood’s honeymoon glow as she hit the Today show stage Friday morning to not only perform hits like “Undo It” and “Cowboy Casanova”, but also flaunt her sparkling new wedding band. After tying the knot with hockey player Mike Fisher, 30, in a Southern style wedding earlier this month, Underwood has swapped a diamond band by jeweler Jonathon Arndt for the yellow diamond engagement ring he had also designed for her. So how’s married life treating the country queen? “It’s a lot like dating life,” she said, which includes continuing their long distance relationship with hockey player husband Fisher in Canada, where he plays for the Ottawa Senators. “It’s good,” she says. “We’re both very busy people and understand each other’s life, so we’re okay with it.” –– Alison Schwartz

No fairy tale is complete without a dress fit for a princess! And in the case of Carrie Underwood‘s ultimate story book wedding, to Canadian hockey player Mike Fisher, make that two dresses both custom-created by designer Monique Lhuillier. “[Carrie] wanted something grand and magical. She wears evening gowns all the time but this had to be really special,” Lhuillier tells PEOPLE. For Carrie’s trip down the aisle, Lhuillier designed a one-of-a-kind, drop waist, custom ballgown–complete with a corseted bodice made of Chantilly lace and covered in silk flowers and crystals. The gown–which took over 400 hours to create!–was cinched with a blush pink sash and topped with a chapel-length circular veil encrusted with clear and pink crystals. “For the party, she said ‘I want to dance and have fun’. I saw she had gorgeous legs so I thought why not show them off?” says Lhuillier, who put the country superstar in a strapless, corseted, jeweled-bodice cocktail dress with delicately frayed organza skirt. And the gorgeous gowns didn’t stop with Carrie, with Lhuillier creating four different silk chiffon goddess gowns for Carrie’s eight bridemaids. And to top off their looks, Carrie gifted her bridesmaids an assortment of jewelry from Swarovski, including a pendant cross necklace and crystal earrings and bracelets. Combined with perfect hair and makeup, Lhuillier says, “I thought she looked like one of the most gorgeous brides I ever worked with–she has this spark in her eyes and a confidence, she owned that look.” –Andrea DeSimone

FOR ALL THE DETAILS AND EXCLUSIVE PHOTOS FROM UNDERWOOD’S LAVISH SOUTHERN WEDDING, PICK UP THIS WEEK’S ISSUE OF PEOPLE, ON NEWSSTANDS NOW.

When Carrie Underwood walked down the aisle on July 10 with her Canadian hockey player beau Mike Fisher, she looked the part of a fairy princess, from her Monique Lhuillier gown and sparkling tiara, to the final piece of the puzzle–her perfect makeup. “It was the most beautiful wedding I’ve ever been to–and I’ve been to a lot of weddings,” the country star’s makeup artist (and bridesmaid!) Melissa Schleicher tells PEOPLE. “Everywhere you looked there was sparkle.” To balance out the shimmer, Schleicher went with a neutral palette, explaining, “Usually on award shows, we really vamp it up, and Carrie looks beautiful but [we] toned down a little bit. We just took it down a notch.” Getting the look flawless despite the sweltering Georgia weather began with creating a base using the Temptu AIRbrush Makeup System. “It was so hot there that [many] foundation[s] would melt off, and airbrush is really great for heat,” she explains. To define Carrie’s eyes, Schleicher used colors from Too Faced’s Eye Kit. “It’s amazing. It has all the colors you need. And I wet it to get that shimmery look and to get the golds to pop out and it makes it stay put.” She then made Carrie into the proverbial blushing bride with one of the star’s favorite products, M.A.C blush in Pink Swoon, “It’s just a beautiful bride blush–it gives that beautiful pinky color.” To get Carrie’s lips ready for her first legally-married kiss, Melissa went with Barely Legal Glamour Gloss by Too Faced over M.A.C lipstick in soft pink Hue. Tell us: What do you think of Carrie’s bridal look? What is your favorite wedding makeup style?

–Katherine Kluznik Rentmeester; reporting by Eileen Finan

FOR ALL THE DETAILS AND EXCLUSIVE PHOTOS FROM UNDERWOOD’S LAVISH SOUTHERN WEDDING, PICK UP THIS WEEK’S ISSUE OF PEOPLE, ON NEWSSTANDS FRIDAY.

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With brand new husband Mike Fisher by her side and a gorgeous wedding band gracing her left hand, it’s no wonder Carrie Underwood was all smiles as she was snapped passing through Los Angeles International Airport Sunday. En route to her honeymoon following the pair’s July 10 wedding at the Ritz Carlton Reynolds Plantation in Georgia, the country star–dressed casually in jean shorts, a striped tank top and cardigan–seemed to be playing with the stunning new sparkler that she said her ‘I do’s’ with just one day earlier. And while the sizeable Johnathon Arndt flawless yellow diamond engagement ring that Fisher proposed to Carrie with last year seemed to be taking the day off from Carrie’s hand, the beautiful wedding band and the newlyweds’ matching grins seemed to be giving off a glimmer all their own.”We could not feel more blessed to have found each other and to have shared this day with our friends and family that mean so much to us!” the newlyweds told PEOPLE in a statement. –Gillian Koenig

CHECK OUT CARRIE UNDERWOOD: FROM IDOL TO COUNTRY BRIDE!

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You know you’re smoking hot when Victoria’s Secret puts you on their annual Sexy List. The lingerie giant’s fifth annual What Is Sexy? 2010 list (the Bombshell Edition) names 16 steamy winners in categories honoring everything from body parts to style. Taylor Swift nabbed a spot for the Sexiest Hair, while Carrie Underwood received top honors for Sexiest Legs. Scarlett Johansson picked up the award for Sexiest Lips, while Padma Lakshmi was named the Sexiest Chef. And “momshell,” aka Sexiest Mom, was given to Camila Alves. Christina Hendricks made the cut for Sexiest Curves, Zoe Saldana for Sexiest Style, and for the first time ever, Facebook fans voted for actress Amber Heard for the “Sexiest Up-&-Coming Bombshell.” To see the entire list of winners from the What Is Sexy? list, check out VSallaccess.com today. Tell us: Do you agree with Victoria’s Secret’s picks? Who would be on your sexy list?–David Yi

PEOPLE Country

When it came to costumes for her “Play On” tour, Carrie Underwood was more than ready to shake up her good girl image with some seriously sexy looks. The country star called upon So You Think You Can Danceand American Idol resident costume designer Soyon An to help her create a smoldering stage look–including the opening act’s super-tight, black spandex catsuit.  ”She starts off with a white jacket on the top, and then she takes that off to reveal the Swarovski crystal criss-cross halter,” Soyon tells PEOPLE. While this sparkling catsuit may seem more J.Lo than Carrie, Soyon says that simply isn’t so.  ”She’s very fashion forward and very open to different types of clothing,” says the designer. “She wasn’t intimidated at all–she was ready for it. It’s a tough look but it’s her attitude–and obviously she’s got the body for it.” And to add an extra glam touch, Soyon designed a guitar strap encrusted with Swarovski crystals. “I designed [it] to match all three outfits in the [opening] segment. It was a very black-and-white formal and girly feeling.” Carrie wears a total of 14 separate costumes and 29 different looks throughout her “Play On” tour designed by Soyon, who got a major vote of confidence from the star. “[Carrie] is really fun to dress. She was very trusting,” says Soyon. “She was like, ‘You are in charge of my clothes and I want to focus on my music.’” For more on Carrie’s tour costumes, pick up the new PEOPLE Country issue on newsstands now.–reporting by Eileen Finan

CLICK THROUGH TO SEE AN EXCLUSIVE SKETCH OF CARRIE’S LOOK!

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Carrie Underwood and her fiancé, NHL hockey player Mike Fisher have been busy planning their nuptials since getting engaged in late December. And while the Grammy-winning country singer’s fans have been lapping up every detail–including her preference of cupcakes over traditional wedding cake, and her dog Ace as the ring bearer–we’ve all been waiting for her to spill on “The Dress”. “It’s in the works,” the bride-to-be told reporters at the Pedigree Adoption Drive yesterday at the Bideawee animal shelter in NYC. “It’s really pretty. It’s very in the beginning stages and it’s very me. It’s just girly and pretty, and it’s simple and glamorous at the same time.” Still yet to be determined is the exact wedding date, but it seems like the happy couple is simply enjoying being engaged. “We’ve never been in New York together, actually,” said Underwood, who’s juggling her own touring lineup with Fisher’s Ottawa Senators game schedule. “[Mike]‘s always here playing the Islanders or something like that, but we’ve never been here at the same time.” Might we suggest a Big Apple honeymoon? –reporting by Rennie Dyball