The 24 Best Beauty Moments of 2022

At the end of the year, we always love reflecting on the best beauty moments. And thankfully, there's plenty of makeup and hair inspiration to ruminate on. Over the last 12 months, our favorite celebrities showed up to award shows, premieres, and performances with some of the most head-turning looks. Case in point: Dua Lipa debuted platinum blonde hair at the Grammy's, Jenna Ortega brought goth glam to the Wednesday red carpet, and Mary J. Blige dominated the Super Bowl stage in a full face of Fenty Beauty.

As we were compiling our end-of-year roundup, there were undoubtedly lots of stunning celeb beauty looks to sift through. However, we managed to narrow down our 25 favorites below. Keep scrolling for all of the best beauty moments of 2022. 

Lupita Nyong'o

Lupita Nyong'o looked incredible on every red carpet (per usual), but her Oscars look landed at the top of our list. Her sculptural updo—created by longtime hairstylist Vernon François using Matrix products—was clearly the star of the show. "The hairstyle is partly inspired by African figures in classical Greek art," François previously shared. "It is a sister locks updo with a soft, graceful, glamorous feel influenced by what Lupita is wearing." 

The actress' go-to makeup artist Nick Barose created a complementary look inspired by Lupita's dress. He specifically used Lancôme's Idôle Liquid Liner ($22) and L’Absolu Rouge ($32) in shade Mademoiselle Lupita.

Lily James 

Lily James' transformation into Pamela Anderson for Hulu's highly-anticipated series, Pam & Tommy was spot on. To achieve Anderson's voluminous curls, hair lead Barry Lee Moe used vintage Remington hot rollers. Makeup lead David Williams recreated the bombshell's thin brows and slightly overdrawn lips using Charlotte Tilbury's Pillow Talk ($24), Stila liners, and Tom Ford smoky eye palettes.

Zendaya

Zendaya's Emmys look was an outstanding nod to Old Hollywood glamour. The actress' makeup artist Sheika Daley reached for Lancome products to achieve her soft, natural glam. For her hair, Zendaya worked with Tony Medina, who is known for creating vintage-inspired styles. Medina styled her hair using products from Tangle Teezer and Aunt Jackie's Curls and Coils Grapeseed collection.

Sheryl Lee Ralph 

Sheryl Lee Ralph accepted her first Emmy in style, gracing the stage with a blinged-out braid. Hairstylist Moira Frazier thoughtfully placed the silver gems all over her hair and throughout the braid. To complement the 'do, Ralph's makeup artist Mila Thomas carefully added a few gems around her eyes. 

HoYeon Jung

Squid Games actress HoYeon Jung also pulled inspiration from the Old Hollywood era, opting to hit the red carpet wearing a short wavy bob. Hairstylist Jenny Cho prepped and styled her hair using Augustinus Bader products. She also chose to accessorize the look by placing a floral barrette on her center part.

Jennifer Coolidge 

The Emmys were a big night for Jennifer Coolidge as she won the Emmy for outstanding supporting actress for her role in The White Lotus. So, of course, her makeup and hair had to match the occasion. Hairstylist Marc Mena gave the actress 60s-inspired va-va-voom waves, prepping her iconic blonde hair with Better Not Younger products. Emmy-award-winning makeup artist Gregory Arlt finished Coolidge's look with soft glam.

Alicia Keys

Alicia Keys collaborated with hairstylist Fesa Nu to create this embellished ponytail for the Met Gala. The front of the 'do is simple and sleek, decorated with a few bejeweled swoops around the edges. However, the real focal point of the style is in the back. The lengthy braided ponytail is accessorized with nine jewel-encrusted discs.

Tessa Thompson

Tessa Thompson is always a source of beauty inspiration. Her monochromatic raspberry makeup at the MET Gala is one of those looks we instantly screenshotted. Makeup artist Maud Laceppe used Armani beauty products to bring the look to life—using the Neo Nude A-Blush in 51 on her cheeks and Lip Power Lipstick in 200 on her lips.

Kendall Jenner 

Bleached brows have been trending all year, with countless celebrities co-signing the look. Kendall Jenner is one of them, and she debuted her barely-there brows at the MET Gala. To keep her brow hairs in place, makeup artist Mary Phillips made sure to apply Kylie Cosmetics' Kybrow Gel.

Lizzo

Two words describe Lizzo's mesmerizing look at the VMAs: grungy glam. The musician's makeup artist created the statement navy lip by layering Charlotte Tilbury's Rock ‘N’ Kohl Eyeliner in Bedroom Black ($28) and Eye Colour Magic Liner Duo in Super Blue ($32). To keep the focus on the makeup and dress, hair artist Shelby Swain created slicked-back cascading waves using Matrix Vavoom Extra Full Freezing Spray ($26) and Matrix Instacure Anti-Breakage Porosity Spray ($24).

Lady Gaga

This year, Lady Gaga was nominated for two Screen Actors Guild Awards for her performance in House of Gucci. Her look for the ceremony channeled old Hollywood glamour with a modern twist. Gaga's longtime MUA Sarah Tanno used Haus Labs products to achieve her exaggerated white eye and creamy pink lip.

Billie Eilish

Billie Eilish is no stranger to switching up her hair color—she's done blonde, turquoise, and lilac, to name a few. However, a few months before the Grammys, the singer brought her jet-black hair back. Her hairstylist created a spiky updo complete with lash-grazing bangs for the award show.

Dua Lipa 

Dua Lipa surprised everyone when she showed up at the Grammy's with platinum blonde hair. The singer previously went partially blonde in 2019 amid the release of her Future Nostalgia album and returned to her signature dark hue in 2020. Hairstylist Chris Appleton helped turn her into a blonde once more for music's biggest night, leaving a touch of darkness at the roots.

Doja Cat

Doja Cat's Paris Fashion Week looks were unforgettable. Around that time, the musician had shaved her head and brows and was playing around with her new look in creative ways. For Givenchy's Spring/Summer 2023, she rocked platinum blonde hair, bejeweled eyebrows, and a bold black lip.

Michelle Obama

All eyes were on Michelle Obama's gorgeous goddess braids during The Light We Carry book tour. The former First Lady showcased the versatility of the protective style, wearing them in several different styles (like this high bun). Obama has recently opened up about her decision not to wear braids while living in the White House, telling Revolt: "To be honest, we were the first [Black president and first lady in the White House]. They gotta get used to us. Now I could show up in braids, and now that's all we talk about. When we did a fist bump with each other, they turned that into a terrorist act. It's just who needs the hassle? Let me just straighten my hair. I wore weaves, extensions, and protective styles because you get your hair done every day and sometimes twice a day. I would not have any hair on my head if I straightened it as much as I had to straighten it."

Joan Smalls

The jellyfish haircut became one of the most hate-it-or-love-it hairstyles of the year. But, model Joan Smalls pulled the dramatic look off effortlessly at the American Music Awards. Hairstylist Andrew Fitzsimons styled her hair using products from his brand—including the AF1 Restructuring 10-in-1 Leave-In Conditioner ($14), Prism Shine Softening Crème ($14), Hard Strong Hold Hairspray ($14) and Prism Shine Invisible Shine Hair Spray ($14).

Taylor Swift

When Taylor Swift first hit the scene, she was always wearing tight curls. Soft waves have been her thing as of late, but she brought her classic style back for the American Music Awards. Her hairstylist slightly tweaked the look for the event, brushing the curls out for added volume and creating a faux side bang.

Jenna Ortega

Jenna Ortega's Wednesday era has been full of goth and grungy looks. Of course, her glam for the show's premiere was one of the standouts. She hit the red carpet with a fitting smokey eye, nude lip, and striking contour. Her straight, voluminous hair completed the look.

Zoe Kravitz

Zoe Kravitz's swooped baby bangs are everything. While she was promoting Catwoman, Kravitz graced several red carpets sporting the style. Of course, her longtime hairstylist Nikki Nelms is the visionary behind the ultra-chic look.

Anya Taylor Joy

Anya Taylor Joy's hair looks often get us buzzing, especially these sophisticated pigtails. The actress' hairstylist and Pureology Global Artistic Ambassador, Gregory Russell, achieved the style by securing her waist-length locks into two low ponytails. Russell then wrapped strands of her hair around each pigtail, giving the look another elegant touch.

Sydney Sweeney

Euphoria's Sydney Sweeney traded in her trademark blonde hair for a new strawberry-blonde hue. She enlisted the help of Nikki Lee for the transformative dye job, a celebrity colorist and hairstylist who often works with Selena Gomez, Emma Roberts, and Hilary Duff. Sweeney showed off the new look at the Film Independent Spirit Awards. Florido Basallo styled this particular look, giving the actress soft curtain bangs.

Rihanna

Rihanna has been serving us unforgettable beauty looks since the 2000s, but her pregnancy glam was next level. We especially loved her retro flipped ponytail and Diamond Bomb-inspired makeup at Fenty Beauty's Ulta Beauty launch. Fenty Beauty's global makeup artist Priscilla Ono relied on products like the Pro Filt’r Soft Matte Longwear Liquid Foundation in 330 ($38), Diamond Bomb All-Over Diamond Veil in How Many Carats?! ($40), Snap Shadows Mix & Match Eyeshadow Palette in True Neutrals ($28), and Slip Shine Sheer Shiny Lipstick in $uga Kiss ($24).

Mary J. Blige

Mary J. Blige was the only female performer to hit the stage at the Super Bowl Halftime Show this year. She, of course, donned her signature blonde locks that were curled to perfection. However, her makeup was another focal point. The singer's MUA Porsche Cooper used all Fenty Beauty products to create a bold smoky eye, natural-pink lip, and glowy copper highlight. You can recreate Blige's look at home using the Snap Shadows Mix & Match Eyeshadow Palette in True Neutrals ($28), Icon Refillable Lipstick in Motha Luva ($20), Gloss Bomb Universal Lip Luminizer in Fenty Glow ($20), and Liquid Killawatt Fluid Freestyle Highlighter in Honey Hawtie ($28).