Although the Make-Up Artists & Hair Stylists Guild has five categories, only the special make-up effects really has any bearing on Oscar as the others are not things the typical Academy voter even looks at when voting in the Makeup & Hairstyling category, in spite of the name change. It doesn’t help that the branch members who nominate films select nominees that are mostly heavy on prosthetic makeup. Here are our predictions and comments on the five categories being handed out Sunday night.

Best Special Make-up Effects

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2
Darkest Hour (Wesley, Tripp, Thomas)
The Shape of Water (RU:Peter)
Star Wars: The Last Jedi
Wonder (Peter, RU:Wesley, RU:Tripp, RU:Thomas)

Wesley Lovell: When they say “Special Make-Up Effects,” they really just mean best prosthetic work. The rest of the categories are focused on traditional makeup and hair effects. This is the closest category to the Oscars and two of the three nominees are here. That means there are likely only two winners. Darkest Hour is the Oscar frontrunner and everyone has praised the makeup work in the film, so it will likely win, but don’t count out Wonder as both focus mostly on a single character.
Peter J. Patrick: The adorable kid in Wonder takes this one over the creature in The Shape of Water.
Tripp Burton: I’m going with one of the two Oscar nominees, and the impressive Winston Churchill makeup of Darkest Hour will probably win everything it can.
Thomas LaTourette: I think the two Oscar nominees will be the main players here, with Darkest Hour having the upper hand. I would not be surprised by an upset by Wonder, though do not consider it too likely.

MAKE-UP ARTISTS & HAIR STYLISTS GUILD AWARDS

Best Period and/or Character Make-up

Blade Runner 2049 (RU:Peter)
Bright (RU:Tripp)
Darkest Hour (Wesley, Peter, Tripp, Thomas)
The Greatest Showman (RU:Thomas)
I, Tonya (RU:Wesley)

Wesley Lovell: I look for here, the film with the most unique makeup effects and while I might expect Darkest HourI, Tonya could make a play as could any of the others.
Peter J. Patrick: Let’s go with the highly lauded Darkest Hour for the win and the interesting Blade Runner 2049 for the upset position.
Tripp Burton: Darkest Hour is the only Oscar nominee on this list, and is the frontrunner, so should easily win here.
Thomas LaTourette: These two films, along with Blade Runner, probably use the most makeup, so I would think one of them would be the winner. I’m going with the prestige nominee of Darkest Hour to win.

Best Period and/or Character Hair Styling

Atomic Blonde
Beauty and the Beast (Wesley, Tripp, Thomas)
Blade Runner 2049 (RU:Peter)
Darkest Hour (Peter, RU:Thomas)
I, Tonya (RU:Wesley, RU:Tripp)

Wesley Lovell: On the hairstyling side, I’m going with Beauty and the Beast thanks to its vast number of fanciful and inventive styles. Any of the others could upset, but I lean towards I, Tonya over the others.
Peter J. Patrick: Probably Darkest Hour here as well, with Blade Runner 2049 again the spoiler.
Tripp Burton: Beauty and the Beast probably has the most hair of any of these nominees.
Thomas LaTourette: More work would have gone into the dozens of extras, which might give Beauty the edge over Darkest Hour.

Best Contemporary Make-up

Baby Driver (RU:Peter, RU:Tripp)
The Big Sick (RU:Thomas)
Ghost in the Shell (Thomas, RU:Wesley)
Pitch Perfect 3
Wonder (Wesley, Peter, Tripp)

Wesley Lovell: While I, Tonya would have dominated here, this group classified it as a period work whereas the Costume Designers Guild went contemporary. That leaves things open for any number of upsets. I give Wonder the lead because it will lose in the other category and they need to recognize it somewhere. Any of the others could win, though.
Peter J. Patrick: Again, Wonder, this time for Julia Roberts’s makeup, with Baby Driver its toughest competition.
Tripp Burton: Oscar nominee Wonder is probably the safest bet here.
Thomas LaTourette: Ghost in the Shell was on the Oscar shortlist, so I will pencil it in to win.