With the end of the 2023 award season near, we can all agree there is one person who consistently serves a beauty moment: Janelle Monáe. If you've yet to take stock of some of their best red carpet beauty looks so far, allow us to walk you down memory lane.
For the 2023 Oscars, Monáe donned three jumbo cornrows with metallic detailing intertwined throughout the braids. However, instead of using quintessential tinsel, a metallic thread was what gave the peekaboo effect. For the Critics' Choice Awards, she rocked a similar three-cornrow style, but this version had a cobweb-like effect, which highlighted her sheer Vera Wang gown perfectly. It also set the stage for her bat-winged eyeliner that looked sharp enough to cut you. Let's also not forget their gravity-defying ponytail for the CFDA Awards, accompanied by a thematic black-and-white graphic eye that felt reminiscent of their "Electric Lady" days.
"When people message me ahead of a big event and say they can't wait to see what I come up with, a lot of times I'm thinking, 'Me too.'"
That is only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the beauty narrative Monáe has managed to craft for herself. Many of the looks the star has become known for were created by their go-to hairstylist, Nikki Nelms, and makeup artist, Keita Moore. Many of Monáe's best beauty looks can be described as nothing short of art, so the duo behind them broke down exactly how they come up with these masterpieces, as well as what it's like working with one of the biggest names in entertainment.