The amFAR Gala Delivers Today's Beauty Inspiration

Thursday night, a handful of celebrities congregated in L.A. for the 2013 amFAR Inspiration Gala to honor Aileen Getty, Goldie Hawn and the Hugo Boss Group for their humanitarian work in fighting against AIDS. Yet just because the event was small and about a very serious issue, it didn't stop the celebs who attended from giving it their all in the beauty department.

Analyzing the stars' various looks, there was one overarching theme of the night: balance. It's the most crucial beauty lesson, but it's one we often forget when we're caught up in trying to get the perfect cat-eye or making our eyebrows symmetrical. Balance means thinking of your looks as a whole, and remembering to keep only one or two elements as the focus. Crazy eyeshadow? Balance it with a natural lip. Bright lipstick? Then keep your hair simple. A wildly sexy dress? Keep the makeup minimal. Balance ensures that even when you take beauty or fashion risks, you'll still look classy. Check out these looks below and see what I mean.

Vanessa Hudgens

I'll admit I'm a little disappointed that Hudgens hasn't dyed her hair the color of a peppermint mocha. Nevertheless, her simple straight hair and boatload of mascara perfectly complemented the Morticia Addams vibe she was riding, without looking too severe.

Alessandra Ambrosio

Ambrosio's nude lipstick and bronzed face were so delightful, they caught people's attention despite her sexy, plunging-neckline Hugo Boss dress.

Zoe Saldana

Flawless as usual, Saldana kept it simple with a copper eye shadow, dark red lip, and the world most perfect, solitary curl. (Also, check out those earrings!)

Sharon Stone

Stone was almost 100 percent with this look. That lipstick color is what I call "old lady lipstick," but her bright eyeshadow is really fun. It's clear she was avoiding bright lipstick so all of it wouldn't overwhelm her face. However, the lip was a bit too dull. She did have some killer eyebrows, though.

Kelly Osbourne

Even if you're not a fan of topknots, you have to admit Osbourne's looked like a perfect purple Cinnabon sitting perfectly atop her head. Also notice how simple her lips were to balance out all her eye makeup.

Chelsea Handler

Either Handler doesn't drink as much as she leads us to believe, or she's found the world's best makeup artist. I mean, just look at her skin! What kind of person has skin that dewy in December? Naturally, she left everything else minimal so her complexion could be the focus.

So there you have it: balance. Remember that this weekend when you're getting ready. The goal of makeup is always to enhance your natural beauty, so balancing out any look will make sure the makeup doesn't take you out of the limelight.