How to DIY the VMAs' Most Unbelievably Gorgeous Beauty Looks

The singer, who took home Video of the Year, slayed the red carpet with one seriously dramatic cat-eye. While a subtle feline flick is Swift’s go-to look, she took things to the next level with a more heavy-handed application that involved accentuating the entire eye with inner and outer corner wings. In lieu of her signature red lipstick, the star finished things off with a shiny nude gloss. 

We couldn’t help but adore Delevigne’s flawless skin last night—and it turns out, beginning with the right skin care was key. “To start, I prepped Cara’s skin with Jurlique Rose Water Spray ($24; jurlique.com)," says makeup artist Molly R. Stern. Next she massaged in RéVive Defensif Renewal Serum ($235; nordstrom.com), which, Stern explains, "offers an antioxidant infusion.” For the final step, “I finished off her prep with lightweight, yet richly textured Natura Bissé Oxygen Cream ($88; barneys.com).”

The model's sophisticated slicked-back strands stole the night. GHD hair stylist Jennifer Yepez wanted to create a simple ‘do to better show off her glamorous dress. After drying the hair with the GHD Air Hairdryer ($225; ghdhair.com), she began to create the effect. “Once I got to the section surrounding her ears, I applied mousse and thickening spray near roots and teased the hair to create a glamorous look straight from the ‘70s,” Yepez says. “The secret to her sleek, slicked back style was the GHD platinum styler ($249; ghdhair.com). [It] straightened the hair [while] styling at the optimal temperature of 365 degrees." The result? A longer lasting look and added shine.

Allowing Selena Gomez’s sheer black Calvin Klein dress to be the center of attention, makeup artist Jake Bailey decided on simple makeup that spotlighted glowing skin and voluminous eyelashes.  After smoothing the star’s complexion with a few drops of Ren Instant Firming Beauty Shot Serum ($54; sephora.com), he traced CoverGirl Perfect Point Plus Eyeliner in Black Onyx ($7; ulta.com) along the upper lash line. “I then used Nars Velvet Shadow Stick in Shimmering Peacock ($28; lordandtaylor.com) all over her lids and lower lash lines and also blended it out with a small soft shadow brush for a smoky effect,” he tells InStyle. "I finished the sultry eyes look with a coat of CoverGirl The Super Sizer Mascara by LashBlast ($7; covergirl.com) to create dramatic, show-stopping lashes.” After warming up her face with a coral cream blush, a swipe of nude lipstick completed the look. 

The reality star (and possible future First Lady) complemented her shimmery eye and nude lip with a sleek, high-fashion hairstyle. To get the look, hairstylist Michael Silva applied Moroccanoil Volumizing Mousse ($28; moroccanoil.com) and Moroccanoil Styling Gel ($20; moroccanoil.com) to Kardashian’s wet hair, using a boar bristle brush to blow dry her strands away from her face. Once her hair was completely dry, he flat ironed 2- to 3-inch sections at a time, spritzing the Moroccanoil Glimmer Shine Spray ($28; moroccanoil.com) for a super-smooth touch. To finish, he brushed her hair back, starting from the hairline and down to the nape of the neck. A generous mist of the brand’s Luminous Hairspray Extra Strong ($23; moroccanoil.com) held the style in place throughout the big night. 

Aside from her parade of risqué outfits, the night's host rocked dreadlocks were show-stopping on their own. To create her fun ‘do, hairstylist Gregory Russell began by applying a generous amount of TIGI Bed Head Hard Head Gel ($15; drugstore.com) to her wet strands. Next, he tightly combed the hair towards the crown to create and secure a ponytail, drying the gel base with a diffuser. Next, he applied TIGI Bed Head Joyride Texturizing Powder Balm ($30; ulta.com) to the ponytail for instant second-day texture. After blowing out the ponytail using a flat brush, he applied a pearl-sized amount of TIGI Bed Head Hard to Get Texturizing Paste ($10; ulta.com) to 2- to 3-inch sections of the hair ponytail band to ends. Once the hair was prepped a ready for the final touches, he then twisted each section around itself and used a comb to tease the twist. Repeating this technique through the ends created a “dreadlock” look. He set it all in place with TIGI Bed Head Hard Head Hairspray ($10; ulta.com).

The youngest Kardashian-Jenner sis experimented with blunt bangs for the occasion, which, we can confirm, was only a wig and not the real deal. To ensure her faux tresses looked fabulous for the occasion, Jenner turned to hairstylist Scott Cunha. With a T3 SinglePass 2 Flat Iron ($160; sephora.com) in hand, the pro worked through sections of hair for smooth, shiny results. 

Chrissy Teigen may have left little to the imagination in her sheer black number, but her flawlessly dewy skin and bronzed glow also turned heads. To perfect the supermodel’s skin tone, makeup artist Mary Phillips used Giorgio Armani Luminous Silk Foundation ($62; nordstrom.com), before switching to Giorgio Armani Fluid Sheer in #12 ($62; nordstrom.com), a deep bronze hue. “There’s a hint of red in this bronze, which makes it really nice on warmer yellow-undertone coloring,” she says. After adding Giorgio Armani Fluid Sheer in #10 ($62; sephora.com) on top for a customized tan, the pro switched to the brand’s Fluid Sheer in #7 and used it as a highlighter to create a subtle “strobing” effect. 

Hairstylist Chris Appleton prepped Ora’s platinum layers with Matrix Biolage Cleansing Conditioner Anti Frizz leave-in Lotion ($23; ulta.com), and to get a smooth, sleek look, blow dried her hair with a flat, rather than round, brush. After dividing the hair into sections, he created six interconnected ponytails, and applied Matrix Style Link Heat Buffer ($18; ulta.com), before flat ironing out her look. “We finished it off with some [more] spritzes to ensure that the look stayed put all night,” Appleton says. 

The Pitch Perfect star’s pink strands weren’t the only standout of her look. Her modern, rock-and-roll makeup added extra edge. To create her bright pink lip, makeup artist Matthew VanLeeuwen created a base by lining and filling the lips with Urban Decay 24/7 Glide-On Eye Pencil in Anarchy ($20; urbandecay.com). He finished off by layering a generous coat of Urban Decay Matte Revolution Lipstick in Menace ($22; urbandecay.com) on top for a bold, long-lasting effect. 

For the actress and singer, makeup artist Stephen Sollitto aimed for a look that was bold and colorful without going over the top. After prepping the star's skin, Sollitto grabbed Laura Mercier’s Longwear Crème Eye Pencil in Noir ($25; lauramercier.com) and used an angled brush to create an elongated cat eye. He then traced over the liner with Laura Mercier Baked Eye Colour in Lagoon ($24; sephora.com), starting at the inner crease and down to the lash line. Next, the pro brightened things up by applying Laura Mercier Caviar Stick Eye Colour in Sugar Frost ($28; sephora.com) along the bottom lash line and inner corners.  Last but not least, a soft, pink pout added a final touch. 

The singer’s curls looked undeniably effortless. After prepping the hair with Matrix Biolage Cleansing Conditioner ($26; ulta.com), hairstylist Chris Appleton applied Matrix Style Link Volume Builder ($18; ulta.com) at the roots of her wet strands. He followed with a generous amount of Matrix Style Link Smooth Setter ($18; ulta.com), adding a few drops of Matrix Style Link Volume Booster ($20; ulta.com) from roots to ends. He sectioned hair into a deep part before amping up her curls. “Take 2-inch sections of hair and twist them into ropes. Diffuse gently without disturbing the twists, until the hair is completely dry,” Appleton advised. “Using your hands, shake the hair out at the roots to boost volume and separate the curls slightly. If any areas need a boost, now is the time to use a medium-sized curling iron to touch up waves—make sure to keep the natural movement in the hair. Don't make every section uniform!” He finished with Matrix Style Link Volume Fixer ($18; ulta.com). 

To create actress’s feline liner, makeup artist Jo Baker traced Maybelline New York Eyestudio Lasting Drama Waterproof Gel Pencil in Sleek Onyx ($8; maybelline.com) in her inner water line. As a little trick, Baker used a Q-Tip to blend upwards and outwards, creating sooty black intensity. Once the liner look was complete, Baker added a minimal amount of the deep brown shadow from Maybelline’s The Blushed Nudes Palette ($12; maybelline.com). To bring a little attention to her lashes, she simply swiped on a single coat of Volum' Express the Colossal Chaotic Lash Waterproof ($8; maybelline.com).