Last night, for the first televised performance of “WAP,” Cardi B took to the Grammys stage in an armor-like bikini and a fresh beauty look: a bubble-gum pink pixie cut—all the better to accompany her gravity-defying choreography.
“We wanted to do something pretty and light to frame her face,” hairstylist Tokyo Stylez tells Vogue. “We actually did that hairstyle the night before the performance and Cardi liked it so much we just did it again in pink.” The transformation was made possible by a Kendra’s Boutique wig which was lightened with Joico’s Blonde Life Powder Lightener with 20 Volume LumiShine Developer. The color itself was Color Intensity Rose Gold. To style the wig day of, Stylez used Blonde Life Brilliant Glow Brightening Oil and JoiMist Firm Finishing Spray while using the Dyson Supersonic with styling Concentrator attachment on its low heat setting. “I always love short hair on Cardi because it brings out her pretty features and we also agreed long hair with her performance outfit would have been too much,” Stylez notes. (Cardi herself noted that her ensemble, designed by Rey Ortiz and styled by Kollin Carter, was “heavy,” calling for some lightness above the neck.)
For makeup, artist Erika La Pearl created a glowing complexion with Pat McGrath’s Sublime Perfection Foundation and Skin Fetish Ultra Glow Highlighter. Cardi’s eyeshadow played off her hair with a rose gold pigment, made all the more stage-ready by Perma Precision Liquid Eyeliner. And those statement brows? Artist René de la Garza worked his magic with help from Thuya NYC brow lamination product, NaturaverdePro wax, and Tweezerman tools.
“To create a new look along with the adrenaline rush is my favorite part of doing award shows,” says La Pearl, though this year’s performance was pre-recorded, offering a more relaxed glam prep session for the team. “This was less action than before. Grammys is a high stakes job and you always get nervous no matter how many times you do it. But this year was really relaxed, no audience and no rushing,” Stylez adds. “I actually miss the old days of hectic shows but I’m sure we will get back to that soon, so I will enjoy this while it lasts.”
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