GTL – Get the Look, not Gym, Tan, Laundry, duh!
The Grammys are one of my favorite award shows to tune into annually, not just because of the slew of artists I know and love will take to the red carpet but also because it allows everyone (whether they can rock the mic or not) to go a bit bolder when it comes to their beauty looks. And they didn’t disappoint! Alongside the wild fashion, many of the attendess, including Lady Gaga, Cardi B, Kelly Clarkson, Halsey, SZA, and more carried white roses in support of the Time’s Up and #MeToo movements against sexual harassment and gender inequality while Lorde (who wasn’t offered a solo slot to perform while her fellow male Album of the Year nominees did) added her own spin by wearing a note of solidarity stitched onto her gown. It’s a problem which has plagued the industry (and many others) for decades but has come to light in recent years with Taylor Swift‘s recent win against a DJ who groped her and Kesha‘s ongoing legal battles. In fact, Kesha brought the issue into the spotlight with an incredibly moving rendition of her rallying cry “Praying,” singing with the likes of Cyndi Lauper, Camila Cabello, Andra Day, and the Resistance Revival Chorus.
With the night’s mix of glamor and girl power, I decided to share the details on the some of the eye-catching looks from the stars’ glam squads just in case you want to snag those tips for yourself for anything special coming up on your social calendar.
Lady Gaga — Gaga always offers something spectacular when it comes to her red carpet looks, but this time, it took her turning around to stun us all. It was all thanks to the corset braids that Frederic Aspiras laced up for the event. After prepping the hair with a dose of John Frieda’s Luxurious Volume Full Hydration Detangling Mist and Luxurious Volume Perfectly Full Mousse before blow-drying. He then used the brand’s Frizz Ease Clearly Defined Gel to keep the strands smooth as he braided, tying the ends together before stitching the black ribbon between them and sealing the look with a blast of hairspray.
To keep the glamorous gothic look going, Sarah Tanno created a starry night sky across Gaga’s lids with the help of Marc Jacobs Beauty’s Highliner Gel Eye Crayon Eyeliner in Blacquer 42 and sharpening the shape with the Magic Marc’er Precision Pen Waterproof Liquid Eyeliner in Blacquer. Tanno added shimmer to the look by patting on the glittering black hue from the Eye-Conic Multi-Finish Eyeshadow Palette in Edgitorial over the liner, the peach shade from the Glambition palette from the crease to the brow bone, and an extra sprinkle of silver glitter. To polish her pout, Tanno layered the Le Marc Lip Crème Lipstick in Cream & Sugar (which hits shelves February 9th) over a nude lip liner.
Cardi B — It seems like every time Cardi steps onto the red carpet she not only looks like a princess, she steals the entire show (and I couldn’t love her more for it)! To complement her ethereal Ashi Studio gown, hairstylist Tokyo Stylez created a romantic updo with a few tendrils framing her face. Makeup artist Erika La Pearl kept it neutral yet glowy, adding a luxurious touch using KISS’s Lash Couture’s 5th Avenue Collection in Grandeur. But what took the glitz of the look tot he next level was her Swarovski crystal-encrusted mani which came courtesy of her go-to mani maven, Jenny Bui.
Lana del Rey — del Rey loves to channel beauty icons of by-gone eras (ex: Priscilla Presley, Veronica Lake, etc.), but this time around she looked to technological innovator and Hollywood heroine Hedy Lamarr. While del Rey stuck to her signature lengthy liner and nude lip, Gucci custom made a constellation of stars to surround the songstress’s smoothed strands to mimic Lamarr’s look in the “You Stepped Out Of A Dream” sequence from Ziegfeld Girl to ensure she sparkled on the red carpet.
Andra Day — Speaking of channeling others, Day stepped out with a colorful take on AbFab’s own Patsy Stone. In fact, the star called it out on her Instagram. Hairstylist Tony Medina (whose work I’ve recently become utterly obsessed with) sculpted the iconic French twist, fastening it with a hairpin. Makeup maestro Porsche Cooper color coordinated Day’s lips and lids to go along with her Victoria Hayes gown with a vibrant wing of purple made of dried flowers and a plush red pout.
Hailee Steinfeld — It wasn’t just her mighty purple boots that had everyone doing a double take — her peacock blue smoky, blended to perfection via Mary Phillips, was equally showstopping! To balance the vibrant makeup, hairstylist Gregory Russell gave the singer tousled tresses worthy of a rock star by first blowdrying in John Frieda’s Luxurious Volume Perfectly Full Mousse, brushing in a bit of the brand’s Luxurious Volume Forever Full Hairspray, and then adding waves with a one and half-inch curling iron with a few blasts of the Luxurious Volume Volume Refresh Dry Shampoo and Frizz Ease Secret Weapon Touch Up Crème on the ends for a piecier finish.
SZA — The singer-songewriter looked so ethereal, according to Glossier she didn’t need anything to even out her gorgeous skin tone — just a skincare cocktail of the brand’s Super Glow serum and Priming Moisturizer! The brand revealed via Instagram that Samuel Paul only needed a dab of the brand’s Cloud Paint in Beam, Boy Brow in Brown, and a slick of its Lip Gloss. Randy Stodghill made her hair look even more heavenly, enhancing her natural texture with a small curling iron to make every curl look perfectly defined.
Rihanna — I couldn’t get enough of Riri’s voluminous disco curls before I found out that it was the exact same way that hairstylist Yusef Williams described his inspiration for the look. It got an initial boost with a dollop of volumizing mousse before getting blow-dried in and he used the new ghd Gold Professional Styler to smooth out the roots. He then curled the entire head with the CURVE Classic Wave Wand before gently brushing them for added volume and sealing the style with a spritz of hairspray. But the Studio 54 vibes didn’t stop there as Priscilla Ono used Fenty’s Match Stix in Mocha to contour and shade the songstress’s lids, blending the hue with the Espresso Match Stix, and layering the Shawty Mattemoiselle Lipstick under Glossbomb for her with Kendrick Lamar. Ono bumped up the color for the performance by adding layer of purple shadow (most likely Space Owt from the Galaxy Shadow Palette) on her lids and a more metallic finish to her lips.
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Patrick Starrr — Surprisingly, the YouTube star didn’t do his own makeup for music’s biggest, instead leaving his visage in the hands of Steven Tabimba. And it turned out vibrant and colorfully coordinated, featuring a soft wash of a shimmering peachy pink on the lid, hot pink lining the lower lashline with a sprinkling glitter just under the irises and a matching glossy lip. And there was no need to worry about the hair, as Starr swept them up in a hot pink turban. Manicurist Mindy Hardy kept the glitz going with glittery hot pink nails dotted with crystals and gems for an extra dose of shimmer before Starrr stepped out on the red carpet.
Janelle Monáe — The Electric Lady herself looked back towards the sixties with a completely Twiggy-inspired look from her cropped pixie, dyed for a Cruella De Ville effect, to the lush Eyelure Luxe Silk Trillion Lashes that Jessica Smalls applied (with a few extra coats of mascara for good measure). Smalls made Monáe’s face glow before a drop of makeup touch her skin thanks to the Kiehl’s Turmeric & Cranberry Seed Energizing Radiance Mask she used the night before and a slew of skin saviors from the brand. The makeup master increased the depth of the singer’s eyes with a blend of the Lingerie Lover, Haute Couture, and LBD Buxom Cosmetics Eyeshadow Bar Single Eyeshadow shades, dusting the Twilight Tryst shadow along her lower lash line. Her pout received a dose of hydration with the Kiehl’s Lip Balm #1 before Smalls layered the Stealth Plumpline Lip Liner under the Megan Full-On Lip Polish
Kali Uchis — I wish I knew who to credit for this Studio 54/Star Trek/Selena-inspired look from the R&B crooner. Her half-up pony has become a red carpet trend in recent months, but the subtle waves and volume give it a retro twist to go along with her jumpsuit’s silhouette. Her cut-creased eye and glossy, lined lips, on the other hand, pull in the hues of her ensemble directly.
Beyoncé — Queen B had spent most of the Grammy weekend usually her fashion to make a statement with nods to the Black Panther movement in each outfit and had actually skipped the Grammys red carpet. Many suspected her goddess braids, which often take between two to four hours to complete with extensions, were the reason the Carters were late to the ceremony, but the look was well worth the wait. Aside from her gorgeously glowy skin, her purple pout paired with her dark shades instantly drew attention. If her go-to makeup artist Sir John‘s Instagram is any indication, she likely wore YSL’s Tatouage Couture Liquid Matte Lip Stain in Fuchsia Intime.