VMAs 2018: The Best Skin, Hair and Makeup Looks on the Red Carpet

MTV's annual Video Music Awards, a.k.a. the VMAs, took place this week... and there were two schools of thought on the red carpet!

One group went artsy with fashion-forward eye appliqués, unconventional shadow colours and runway-inspired hairstyles. The other embraced false lashes, contour and exaggerated brows—I think you know where I stand on those!

Take a look for yourself, and let me know how you feel:

Rita Ora

Rita's super-luminous skin makes the perfect canvas for decorative eye appliqués and thick fringe of lashes. Slicking her hair back and doing the lips nude and glossy keeps it all in balance. Rita is wearing: Toner • Face mask • Eyeshadow in Entrapment • Eyeshadow in Gilty Pleasure • Blush in Blaze Bronze • Highlighter in Show Divine Glow • Eyeliner in Xtreme Black • Eye appliqués in Frou-Frou • False lashes 

Blake Lively

Blake paired a menswear-inspired outfit with medium pink lipstick and clean eye makeup—just mascara and a bit of highlighter at the inner corners. I'd just fill in her brows some more in the centre, so the shape is more tapered.

Blake is wearing: Highlighter

Jasmine Sanders

Jasmine's matte blackberry lipstick, silver smoky eyes and tight top knot are my favourite look of this event—maybe even the entire year! And her skin... how can it be so smooth and flawless?! 

Jasmine is wearing: Foundation in Honey 43 • Lipstick

Amandla Stenberg

Amandla made her eyes pop with a metallic reddish-copper shadow, framed by full brows. I'm glad she went with a pinky gloss instead of something orangey. I also love her new bob and bangs!

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Amandla is wearing: Makeup palette in Bronze Seduction

Olivia Munn

Rather than black, which would have been too heavy, Olivia did a swipe of bright purple liner underneath her lower lash lines to match her dress. The fun vibe continues with her beachy hair and fine highlights.

Olivia is wearing: Foundation • Concealer

Anna Kendrick

Anna did smoky eyes, but in purple instead of the usual browns and charcoals. But then she made it interesting by wearing it with a warmer-toned peach blush and lipstick. I'm very into the smooth hair she's been wearing lately! 

Shanina Shaik

Shanina rocked bold inner corner highlights, long lashes, rosy lipstick and long, piecey curls. (Is piecey hair coming back? I think it might be!) I could stare at her face for days. 

Bebe Rexha

I can't help but like Bebe's bleached-blonde shag cut... some people just look good with damage, you know? I think the baby-pink lipstick and heavy smoky eye are working for her as well. 

Kylie Jenner

Kylie did pink blush, rosy-nude lipstick and a neat, sleek updo. Her skin looks really goood, but I'm not so into the drawn-on "Instagram eyebrows" and grown out, bleached blonde hair.

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