Iconic beauty and fashion moments are born at the MTV Video Music Awards. Think Think Lil’ Kim’s purple wig in 1999, Lady Gaga’s meat dress and hair piece in 2010, and the many paperboy hats that shaped an entire generation in the early aughts after queen of pop Britney Spears chose to wear one down the carpet.
The 2025 Video Music Awards is no exception when it comes to beauty inspiration. The bigger the hair, the better was the motto, with Doja Cat’s teased-to-the-heavens mullet and Ashlee Simpson’s super-long copper mermaid waves. And makeup is all about vibrant, bold, and fun colors, as seen on KATSEYE’s Yoonchae Jeung and Meg Stalter, both rocking versions of cherry blossom blush.
This year, the show is hosted by rapper and nominee for “Best Hip-Hop Video” LL Cool J at the UBS Arena in New York. On top of fun performances from Lady Gaga, Sabrina Carpenter, and Doja Cat, and paying homage to the great Mariah Carey, who is the 2025 recipient of the Video Vanguard Award, we are being served many major looks. From modern spins on Old Hollywood glam to bold celebrations of color in hair, makeup, and nails, we’ve rounded up the best beauty looks of the 2025 VMAs. Scroll through and see if your favorites made the list.