2021 MTV Video Music Awards: The Best Celebrity Hair + Beauty Looks
ICYMI: The VMAs Hair + Beauty Trend Recap
Our fave celebrities understood the assignment at the 2021 MTV Video Music Awards. 📝 With NYFW, the Met Gala and the annual awards show all happening in NYC on the same week—celeb stylists showed up, did the work and delivered enough looks to keep our group texts buzzin’. Keep scrolling for a recap of the night’s best red carpet looks!
Not only did we round up the highlights, but we did you one better—we’re including some of the tips, tricks and tools that were used to achieve these looks directly from the hairdressers who created them!
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1. Doja Cat
Ladies and gentleman… HER! Doja Cat gave us main character energy as the host of this year’s VMAs—she literally wore a chair on her head at one point, ascended from the sky with an aerial performance of her latest tracks and served look after look thanks to her stylist Jared “JStayReady” Henderson (@jstayready_).
Want Doja’s color formulas? We thought so. Here’s a fast breakdown of TWO of our fave looks from the night. ⬇️
Look #1: Red Carpet
- Prep: Joico Defy Damage ProSeries 1: Bond-Protecting Color Optimizer
- Formula A: Joico LumiShine LUMI10 10 Minute Permanent Color 1N + LUMI10 Accelerator
- Formula B: Joico Color Intensity Ruby
- Post-Treatment: Joico Defy Damage ProSeries 2: Bond-Strengthening Color Treatment
Pro tip for styling curls: Jared used Joico JoiWhip Design Foam and diffused the curls with a dryer. He finished with Joico Power Spray and a little Joico Blonde Life Brilliant Glow Brightening Oil for shine and hold.
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Look #2: Platinum Bob
- Prep: Joico Defy Damage ProSeries1: Bond-Protecting Color Optimizer
- Formula A (lift): Joico Blonde Life Lightening Powder + 10-volume LumiShine Developer
- Formula B (tone): Joico LumiShine Demi-Permanent Liquid 10V + 10SB + 5-volume LumiShine Developer
- Post-Treatment: Joico Defy Damage ProSeries 2: Bond-Strengthening Color Treatment
Styling cheat sheet: Using Joico K-PAK Color Therapy Luster Lock as a cutting lotion, Jared cut a texturized bob. He applied JoiWhip Design Foam and combed the hair back and away from the face, scrunching to create texture and waves. Then, he finished with Joico JoiMist Medium Finishing Spray to hold the style in place.
Photo Credit: Instagram via @joico
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2. Olivia Rodrigo
Pop’s favorite teenager and the VMA’s prom queen—aka 2021 Best New Artist Of The Year Winner—Olivia Rodrigo was dressed to steal our hearts with a dreamy hair look by Clayton Hawkins (@claytonhawkins).
Here’s a quickie breakdown:
- Prep with Matrix Total Results A Curl Can Dream Lightweight Oil on damp hair and blow-out with a boar bristle brush.
- Wave the hair with a 1-inch curling iron and lock in with Matrix Total Results High Amplify Flexible Hold Hairspray.
- Add a tiny drop of Matrix StyleLink Overachiever to the hairline part and secure behind the ears with bobby pins.
Photo Credit: Getty Images courtesy Matrix Professional.
3. Simone Biles
We’re giving all of our goal medals to Simone Biles for her VMAs glam: Waist-length waves tucked behind the ears by Ashley Stewart (@ashley.stewart.beauty). Can you guess how many tools this style took?! Okay, fine—we will spill: THREE! Here’s the breakdown.
- Blow-dry the hair straight with RUSK SpeedTitanium Professional Hair Dryer
- Press the hair silky straight with RUSK SmoothTitanium Professional Flat Iron 1-Inch
- Add loose waves throughout with RUSK CurlTitanium Spring Iron 1.25-Inch
Photo Credit: Instagram via @ashley.stewart.beauty
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4. Dixie D’Amelio
If you already binged “The D’Amelio Show” in one day like us, you’re in luck—our girl Dixie served a punky Y2K sleek-and-spiky topknot by Laura Polko (@laurapolko). Expect your Gen Z clients to be requesting this Lizzie McGuire throwback look ASAP.
Pro styling tips:
- Slick the hair back with Aquage CBD Medium-Hold Styling Gel and blow-dry to lock the hair in place.
- Once the hair is pulled back, twist and lift up the ponytail and secure with pins. Leave the ends out and positioned up toward a diagonal.
- Brush the ends with a fine-tooth comb and apply Aquage Finishing Spray. While the hair is still damp from the spray, use a flat iron to make sure the ends stay up and stiff!
Photo Credit: Instagram via @laurapolko
5. Megan Fox + Machine Gun Kelly
“New York, I need you to get extra loud for our future baby daddies.”—did Megan Fox deliver this year’s biggest mic-drop statement at the VMAs? We think so. This couple continues to give the internet a LOT to discuss: PDA, spicy IG captions and consistent red carpet fashion moments.
Andrew Fitzsimons (@andrewfitzsimons) gave Megan wet, mermaid waves á la “Jennifer’s Body” iconic pool scene with Living Proof No Frizz Vanishing Oil. For MGK’s look: Amy Komorowski (@akgroomer) styled his hair with punky texture and Kirin Bhatty (@kirinstagram) applied pearl accents on our pop punk prince’s face—we’re obsessed.
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6. Lil Nas X
*Us patiently waiting for “Montero” to drop this month.* He really meant it when he said, “This one’s for the champions!”—not only did Lil Nas X win the 2021 Video Of The Year Award, his ~plus one~ to the red carpet was this curly mullet by Evanie Frausto (@evaniefratusto).
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7. Hailey Bieber
“There she is.” – @jenatkinhair 🌟 We know your clients are saving this pic to their camera rolls: Hailey Bieber styled by Jen Atkin with MUA by Mary Phillips (@maryphillips). We are living for this glossy eye and swept-up upstyle with soft, face-framing pieces.
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8. Chlöe & Halle Bailey
“HAVE MERCY” is right! Chlöe may have made her debut solo performance on the VMAs stage, but the iconic sister duo—Chlöe x Halle Bailey—hit the red carpet together with hair by Tinisha Meeks (@sparkyourhair) and MUA by Christiana Cassell (@beautybychrisc). The platinum locs, gem embellishments and the glam—we LOVE!
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9. Madison Beer
The next time your client requests a blowout, here’s some inspo straight from the VMA red carpet. The “Reckless” singer and Gen Z favorite Madison Beer was the moment thanks to stylist Scott King (@scottkinghair) who created this romantic, bouncy blowout that perfectly frames the face.
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