MTV VMAs 2016: The Best Red Carpet Hair and Makeup Looks You Need to See Up Close
There was no shortage of epic moments at the 2016 MTV VMA's (Beyoncé and Blue cuteness? Rihanna's next-level performances? Crying.) But the hair and makeup was just as on-point. Celebrities like Naomi Campbell, Jojo, and Nicki Minaj debuted fall's hottest beauty trends (glitter lips! Bronze hair! Highlighter!) and Ariana Grande and Cassie threw it back to the '90s with their insane-yet-awesome looks. Here, we recap the best red carpet beauty looks, and give you a close-up look at how these celebrities nailed it.
Getty Images1/17Beyoncé
Queen B kept her makeup look fairly minimal (to offset her feathery dress perhaps?) but it's no less #flawless.
Getty Images2/17Taylor Hill
If you thought topknots were O-U-T, let Victoria's Secret Angel Hill persuade you otherwise. Paired with a thick sweep of eyeliner (we spy a hint of sparkle, too) and a just-bitten lip color, re-create her romantic look for date-night perfection.
Getty Images3/17Naomi Campbell
It was only a matter of time before glitter lips made their way from the runway to the red carpet. The buzziest lip trend of the moment, made possible by makeup legend Pat McGrath who perfected the look and is dropping the glitter Lip Kit of your dreams this week, made its way onto supermodel Campbell; and she (in addition to seven of our own staffers) proves it's more wearable than you might think.
Getty Images4/17Jojo
Don't call it a comeback for nothing—Jojo is dropping a new album and stealing our hearts with her new beauty look. (Did you even recognize her?) Not only is she rocking brown lips reminiscent of a total '90s babe, her hair color is the definition of fall gorgeousness—and so the "bronze" hair trend continues.
Getty Images5/17Kim Kardashian
We had one question and one question only when we first saw Kim's look: What is that magical highlighter she's wearing? The answer, courtesy of her go-to makeup artist Mario Dedivanovic: Laura Mercier Face Illuminator Poweder in Addiction and Devotion.
Getty Images6/17Cassie
Not that we're adding highlighter yellow to our bucket list of hair colors to try any time soon, we have to give props where it's due. Cassie pulled this look off flawlessly.
Getty Images7/17Nicki Minaj
Minaj's royal blue cutout gown isn't the only thing we can't stop staring at—her sharp cat-eye and highlighter as bright as the sun have us incapable of looking away.
Getty Images8/17Alicia Keys
Keys continued her makeup-free movement, which if you haven't heard, is pretty freaking awesome.
Getty Images for MTV9/17Alessia Cara
Like Keys, singer Alessia Cara also went bare-faced—a trend we most certainly can get behind.
Getty Images10/17Stella Maxwell
If the thought of wearing bright fuchsia eyeliner makes you feel sick, take notes from VS Angel Stella Maxwell. Line eyes with black first, then choose a bright, blue-based pink and blend around it. The cool undertones will make you look less tired and more edgy.
Getty Images11/17Rita Ora
Next time you do a dark smoky eye, blend it all the way around your eye (not just the top) for extra drama. Got brown eyes? Gray and charcoal shades will really make them stand out, as evidenced on Ora, here.
WireImage12/17Ariana Grande
Grande is still on her crimped ponytail kick. She's been channeling the '90s and wearing the look for the past week, and we're not hating it.
Getty Images13/17Hailey Baldwin
After Baldwin cut her hair into a Rachel-esque shag, we got serious scissor envy. But now that it's growing out seamlessly into an easy-breezy lob, we're definitely asking our stylist for this look, STAT.
Getty Images14/17Hailee Steinfeld
In order to get the perfect beachy texture, Dove celebrity stylist Mark Townsend sprayed Steinfeld's ends with a combination of Ouai Wave Spray and Oribe Apres Beach Wave and Shine Spray. The result? Messy-yet-polished strands.
Getty Images15/17Joan Smalls
Makeup artist Patrick Ta (who works with the Kardashians) calls this look "sunset eyes" due to the rustic tones that just so happen to match Smalls' top and highlights.
Getty Images16/17Ashley Graham
Two's a trend? Like Kim Kardashian, Graham sported the just-got-out-of-the-shower wet hair look. The main product you need to copy it, according to stylist Mark Townsend, is a $4 mousse. (Sorry, no, it's not actually just-out-of-the-shower-hair.) "I massaged it into her hair and began scrunching and moving it around to really bring out her natural wave," he said. Try Dove Curls Defining Mousse, $4, target.com.
