Awards season came and went in the months-long whirlwind of diamonds, frills and unnecessarily long acceptance speeches. And while some of you may still be debating the “best and worst dressed” game with friends and co-workers, many of us have unknowingly disregarded a huge part of celebrities' looks– the grooming aspect.

It’s not just the lovely ladies who make celebrity news by making sure that every hair follicle is in place and camera-ready; men have to tediously manage their manes, as well. Besides a few lesser-knowns that seemed to have taken style tips from Gandalf, (ahem, Claudio Miranda) most of this year's awards ceremony attendees looked tidy and trim on the Red Carpet— and many have Diana Schmidtke to thank.

A Los Angeles-based freelance stylist who specializes in men’s grooming and hair care, Schmidtke has a long list of A-list clients— including George Clooney, Robert Pattinson, Alexander Skarsgard, Orlando Bloom, Matt Damon, and Chris and Liam Hemsworth. Schmidtke has appeared on Oprah and the Today Show as the go-to expert for “manscaping” and “man makeovers,” but this February she hit the jackpot with her gig as Oscar host Seth MacFarlane’s groomer. Being a part of the Academy Award pandemonium, Schmidtke was able to get an up-close-and-personal view of what grooming trends were popular for male celebrities this year.

To prepare Seth MacFarlane for Oscars night, Schmidtke started with his face. If you're going to go clean-shaven for a big event, it's important to make sure that you attain the closest cut possible to avoid bothersome stubble. “As you know, everyone goes to parties after the Oscars, so it's a long night and no one wants that 5 o’clock shadow to appear at 1 a.m.," she says. "You want to keep that clean-shaven look all night, and a straight razor shave from a professional barber will do this!”

To ensure that Seth’s clean shave would last into the wee hours of the morning, Schmidtke sent him for a Royal Shave at The Art of Shaving. She also reminds us that one of the most commonly forgotten steps when men shave is to properly moisturize the skin— and in doing so, you can increase your likability for getting the closest, longest-lasting shave.

After Seth’s beard was properly shaved, Schmidtke began working on the rest of his look. Since Seth is notorious for his fearless humor and slightly quirky attitude, Schmidtke chose to style and groom his hair but kept it casual and fun to reflect his personality. We don’t generally think of men wearing makeup, but for nerve-racking events like the Oscars it is important to take the proper steps to prevent shine. “I opted for anti-shine because it’s long-lasting, and Seth was on stage for four hours,” she reveals.
This year was clearly the “Year of the Beards,” as determined by the scruff sported by George Clooney, Ben Affleck, and Justin Theroux. However, Schmidtke has some advice for men who want to try this look at home. “Trim or shave up under the neck and create lines that are straight around the ear, neck and nose," she says. Schmidtke's trick to help you get camera ready like her celebrity clients? "Spray your comb with hairspray and then run it through your beard to keep the wild hairs at bay. Don't forget to check— and perhaps trim, if needed— your nose hairs, ear hair, and eyebrows, as well." As we all know, beards are sexy, but only if they're groomed!

Bradley Cooper's look at the Academy Awards is a terrific example of a Red Carpet-worthy beard. Cooper acknowledged that it was a black tie event and groomed accordingly. “The edges were shaved and cut to complement all around his face," Schmidtke said. Part of this heartthrob's appeal is his scruffy, just-rolled-out-of-bed style, and it was interesting to see his transformation into a dashing Red Carpet gentleman. We love how Cooper kept his famous scruff but made sure it was immaculately trimmed to reveal his face and jaw line.
Schmidtke also points out that many men opted for clean and groomed styles with hair that was slicked back or in a dapper side part. Jeremy Renner is one particular celeb that chose this style and we think he looked dashing. Schmidtke comments, “His hair was full, groomed, and perfectly styled. He had volume in the front and a great side part." Renner is one man that doesn't have to do much to look good; however, we must say that his entire Oscar ensemble was exactly the kind of Old Hollywood glamour that we adore seeing at these award shows.

So the next time you're getting ready for a Red Carpet-worthy event, make sure to keep Schmidtke's four easy grooming tips in mind: moisturize, indulge yourself in a straight razor shave, get haircuts on a regular basis and use anti-shine to prevent that dreaded, greasy look.