All the Best Beauty Looks from the 2023 VMAs

From Cardi to Taylor.

Forget low-rise jeans and celebrity perfumes—one of the most Y2K things you can do is to pop off at an awards show. Specifically, at the MTV Video Music Awards, which, back in the day, was just as much of a sign that an artist has “made it” as having some air time on TRL. For almost forty years, celebrities have flexed their best performances (see: Madonna dressed as Marie Antoinette while performing “Vogue” in 1990), and their coolest beauty looks (hello, Naomi Campbell’s glitter lips in 2016 or Lady Gaga's iconic meat dress).

For this year's VMAS, the stars carried on the tradition and arrived in their best beats—from red chrome nails to spider lashes and body glitter, here are the best beauty looks at the 2023 VMAs.

Cardi B

Silver and chrome have been all over NYFW this year, and Cardi B, who always has her finger on the pulse, was decked out in head-to-toe chrome. Cardi was up for the Best Hip Hip Music Video award this year, wearing a dress made from an overwhelming amount of hair clips. To match her look, manicurist Jenny Bui used the Aprés Gel Couleur ($15) in shade Birnam Wood with a chrome topper to create extra-long square-shaped nails. To add warmth to her look, Cardi wore a soft-matte latte makeup look with an exaggerated wing. She added jet-black pin-straight hair parted down the center to tie it all together.

Doja Cat

At this point, we’d be surprised if Doja Cat arrived at any event wearing a classic gown. But that’s why we love her—and she definitely did not disappoint at the VMAs. For the red carpet, Doja paired her custom white Monse spiderweb dress with spider lashes and a frosted white eye look, further embellished by rhinestones. She added to the brightness with an icy blond buzz cut and matching blonde brows but then added a touch of earthiness with brown glossy lips and amber jelly nails, courtesy of nail artist Saccia using Aprés Nail products. Doja’s always thinking outside the box, and her win for Best Art Direction for “Attention” was well-deserved.

Selena Gomez

Gomez received three nominations for Rema’s “Calm Down”: Best Song, Best Collaboration, and Best AfroBeat, the last of which she won. She arrived in a stunning red Oscar de la Renta halter gown that features leaf motifs throughout. Her hand-stitched sequin dress glistened, and manicurist Tom Bachik matched the vibes with a “Golden glaze fire” manicure that featured a red glazed color throughout. As for the rest of her glam, makeup artist Hung Vanngo created a moody espresso makeup look using all Rare Beauty products, relying on the True To Myself Eyeshadow Palette, the Soft Pinch Dewy Liquid Blush ($23) in shade Worth, and the Kind Words Matte Lipstick ($20) in Humble.

Taylor Swift

It's been the year of Taylor Swift, so of course she arrived at the VMAs in style. She wore her classic Taylor bangs-and-waves in a stunning French twist and matched her '80s-inspired dress with stark black wings and a nude glossy lip. She was also decked out in tons of gold jewelry and mirrored her accessories with a gilded manicure and pedicure.

Saweetie

What happens when the Flinstones meets Barbiecore? You get Saweetie’s stunning VMAs red carpet look. Saweetie’s outfit was camp through and through, and she wore a pink halter gown covered with rhinestones and bone accessories at the neck and waist. She matched the dress with a matte pink smoky eye plus soft pink blush and lips, and wore a mismatched pink and chrome French manicure, courtesy of nail artist Temeka Jackson using Aprés Nail products.

Megan Thee Stallion

I don’t often use the word “statuesque” to describe people, but Megan Thee Stallion deserves the title. She looked striking in a black sheer Brandon Blackwood gown with a diamond choker, diamond earrings, and a thick diamond bracelet. Her makeup artist Lauren Elise Child used all Revlon products to create a two-toned glossy brown lip and an elongated matte smoky eye. Megan wore long lipstick-shaped nails—which is her go-to shape—and her nail artist Coca Michelle revealed that she encapsulated a beige snake print fabric inside her sheer iridescent nails. Her whole look was very '90s-glam, and hairstylist Kellon Deryck topped it off with slicked-back hair that emphasized her baby hairs.

Nicki Minaj

Let us never forget that Nicki Minaj is the OG Barbie. She solidified her status in an all-pink bridal look that featured a satin corset and a lace skirt. It was giving Monica Belluci for Anna Molinari, and peering through Minaj’s veil was a bright pink cut crease that was accentuated by a dramatic black wing and pink glitter on her lids. She matched the vibes with her bright pink lips and cheeks and finished the look with a French manicure that featured a baby pink base and gem-encrusted tips.

Chloe Bailey

Chloe Bailey never misses an opportunity to turn a look, and everything about her VMAs glam was a 10. She wore an off-the-shoulder dress made from denim and bright blue velvet (very Carrie Bradshaw in her Aleksandr Petrovsky era) and paired it with a matching skinny scarf. She wore her hair braided along her hairline, creating a halo effect, and the rest of her hair flowed in gorgeous '70s curls. She finished the look off with siren liner and a nude glossy lip, plus a soft pink manicure with gem French tips.

Coco Jones

And last but definitely not least, Coco Jones arrived ready to snap necks. She wore a two-piece gown with a skirt that resembled a black leather moto jacket and a thick black belt bandeau top. She wore a side part with feminine flippy ends to soften the black leather and silver hardware in her outfit and wore a stunning black patent manicure. Her nails sat at a medium length and featured silver hoops and stud accents on each nail.

Up Next: Blake Lively's Handbag-Inspired Nails Have a Hidden Detail

Read the original article on Byrdie.