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  5. The Best Beauty Looks on the 2016 VMAs Red Carpet

The Best Beauty Looks on the 2016 VMAs Red Carpet

ErinLukas
By Erin Lukas Updated Aug 29, 2016 @ 11:15 am
Each product we feature has been independently selected and reviewed by our editorial team. If you make a purchase using the links included, we may earn commission.
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Taylor Hill 
Credit: Dimitrios Kambouris/WireImage

Last night, the 2016 MTV Video Music Awards descended upon Madison Square Garden in N.Y.C., and as to be expected, the stars didn't fall short on delivering a lineup of new hair and makeup looks that redefine our beauty #goals. Kim Kardashian's effortless messy waves, Naomi Campbell's sparkling take on the classic red lip, and Britney Spears's signature smoky eye and loose, piece-y waves, are just a few of the standout looks that the stars unveiled at the 33rd edition of the awards show. Here, we have our favorite beauty looks from this year's MTV Video Music Awards red carpet.

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Beyoncé

Beyoncé
Credit: Dimitrios Kambouris/WireImage

Beyoncé's fresh blonde shade that she slicked back with braids, and paired with an out of this world highlight, was the definition of #flawless. 

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Alicia Keys 

Alicia Keys 
Credit: Nicholas Hunt/FilmMagic

Alicia Keys walked the red carpet makeup-free and completely goregeous. 

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Ashley Graham

Ashley Graham
Credit: Dimitrios Kambouris/WireImage

Wet hair has never looked as good as Ashley Graham's textured bob. To bring out Ashley's natural waves, celebrity hairstylist Renato Campora applied a dollop of Dove Curl Defining Mousse ($4; target.com) from roots to ends and scrunched it around. Then, he ran Dove Regenerative Nourishment Serum-in-Oil ($6; target.com) throughout to seal the hair's cuticle and really amp up shine. As for the supermodel's glowing complexion that was the perfect base for her smoky eye and nude lip? Makeup artist Vincent Oquendo used a duo of EX1 Invisiwear Foundation in 4.0 and 5.0 ($17 each; lookfantastic.com), and EX1 Concealer in D200 ($12; lookfantastic.com) to mask any imperfections. 

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Amber Rose 

Amber Rose 
Credit: Dimitrios Kambouris/WireImage

Bad MUVA alert: Amber Rose rocked her signature bold, red lip and platinum blonde short cut on the red carpet. 

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Britney Spears

Britney Spears
Credit: Kristina BumphreyREX/Shutterstock

Oops! Britney Spears did it again with her signature beauty look. The 35-year-old "Make Me" singer proved yet again that she's not only one of the reigning queens of pop, she's also the master of the smoky eye and loose, tousled waves. Brit's all-over glow that shone through her cut-out dress came courtesy of Westmore Body Coverage Perfector ($36; westmorebeauty.com). "This is such a perfect body make up.It covers yet has a illuminating finish," Britney's makeup artist Melissa Inglessis said of her pro-pick. "This long wear cream body make up doesn't  rub on cloth once it dries, even outs skin tones and covers imperfections."

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Ariana Grande 

Ariana Grande 
Credit: Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic

Ariana made a serious case for crimped hair's comeback. The singer updated her signature sky-high ponytail with a few textured pieces throughout. To create the texture, celebrity hairstylist Aaron Light sprayed Ariana's ponytail with Matrix Style Link Rough Me Up Salt-Infused Spray ($13; jcpenney.com). Before crimping random pieces of the pony from top to bottom, Light dusted his fingers with Matrix Style Link Mineral Texture Builder ($14; jcpenney.com) and ran them through Ariana's hair for even more volume and texture. 

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Chloe X Halle 

Chloe X Halle 
Credit: Kevin Mazur/WireImage

Beyoncé's protégées' pierced braids were the coolest plaits we've ever seen. 

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Halsey

Halsey
Credit: Kevin Mazur/WireImage

There's no better time than the VMAs red carpet to debut a total hair makeover. Halsey looked completely unrecognizable with glamorous chocolate brown waves and a wine-stained lip; a complete departure from the technicolor shades and short length she usually rocks.

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Dascha Polanco 

Dascha Polanco 
Credit: Dimitrios Kambouris/WireImage

Dascha isn't in Litchfield anymore. The Orange is the New Black star's side-swept waves and length-defying lashes were the definition of glamour. 

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Hailee Steinfeld

Hailee Steinfeld
Credit: Dimitrios Kambouris/WireImage

To create Hailee's tousled bohemian braids, Dove celebrity hairstylist Mark Townsend prepped her hair with Dove Curl Defining Mousse ($4; target.com) and used a Harry Josh Flat Iron ($200; dermstore.com) to create S bend waves once strands were dry. Then, he followed up by spritzing and teasing Hailee's roots with Dove Volume Dry Shampoo ($4; target.com), and pulled the front of her hair back into an "almost braid", securing it with a Blax elastic. The finishing touches: Adding in random braids throughout and weaving in leather and velvet. 

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Hailey Baldwin

Hailey Baldwin
Credit: Jamie McCarthy/Getty

The secret to Hailey's layered, textured lob? A few bobby pins. After spraying Hailey's hair with Honest Beauty Honestly Uplifted Volumizing Spray ($24; honestbeauty.com) to create body, Jennifer Yepez, Honest Beauty's Brand Ambassador, divided her dry hair into sections, and teased each at the root. Then, she fastened the hair with bobby pins, leaving the ends out to create the desired length. Her pro-tip: Make sure the top layer covers the hair that's pinned up.

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Kim Kardashian 

Kim Kardashian 
Credit: Dimitrios Kambouris/WireImage

Although she could be considered the spokeswoman for all things glam, Kim Kardashian proved that she can work an effortless beachy wave hairstyle just as good as the rest of them. To enhance Kim's natural hair texture, celebrity hairstylist Michael Silva spritzed Kim's hair with Kenra Professional Platinum Texturizing Mist ($22; ulta.com) and worked it through with his hands. Once he dried her hair with ghd Air Hairdryer with a diffuser attachment ($199; ghdhair.com), Silva used ghd's Platinum Styler ($249; ghdhair.com) section by section to smooth out any pieces and perfect her wavy texture.

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Naomi Campbell 

Naomi Campbell 
Credit: Kevin Mazur/WireImage

Naomi is the latest celeb to rock a glittery lip. The iconic supermodel's ruby red glittery lip made for a sparkling take on red carpet beauty, and came courtesy of Pat McGrath's new Lust 004 Glitter Lip Kit ($60; sephora.com).

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Nicki Minaj 

Nicki Minaj 
Credit: John Shearer/Getty

Nicki paired her cat-eye of epic proportions with a sleek and skiny waist-grazing blowout. 

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Rita Ora

Rita Ora
Credit: Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic

Who said punk's dead? Rita's rebellious 'do was the work of celebrity hairstylist Brent Lawler. "Her outfit was inspired by British punk, so I gave the hair an edge with a mohawk, but still keeping it chic and sophisticated," Lawler said. He used ghd's Platinum Styler ($249; ghdhair.com) to amp up Rita's texture, and used bobby pins to to secure sections of the ponytails on her head to create a edgy mohawk effect. 

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Stella Maxwell 

Stella Maxwell 
Credit: Dimitrios Kambouris/WireImage

Stella made wearing red eyeshadow (which can often be intimidating) look completely effortless. 

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Taylor Hill 

Taylor Hill 
Credit: Dimitrios Kambouris/WireImage

The Victoria's Secret model took her top knot to new heights with a frace-framing strands left out, and an exaggerated onyx smoky eye that really made her baby blues pop. 

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    1 of 17 Beyoncé
    2 of 17 Alicia Keys 
    3 of 17 Ashley Graham
    4 of 17 Amber Rose 
    5 of 17 Britney Spears
    6 of 17 Ariana Grande 
    7 of 17 Chloe X Halle 
    8 of 17 Halsey
    9 of 17 Dascha Polanco 
    10 of 17 Hailee Steinfeld
    11 of 17 Hailey Baldwin
    12 of 17 Kim Kardashian 
    13 of 17 Naomi Campbell 
    14 of 17 Nicki Minaj 
    15 of 17 Rita Ora
    16 of 17 Stella Maxwell 
    17 of 17 Taylor Hill 

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