Cardi B wears a gold mask under a black veilGetty Images

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Can you believe it was only three years ago that Cardi B was nominated for the American Music Award for New Artist of the Year? And look at her now — a huge superstar andhostof the 2021 AMAs. Even if she was showing up as a guest or nominee, you know Cardi would’ve brought the glam, but as host, she had multiple opportunities to show off amazing looks that we’ll be talking about until next year’s ceremony.

At first, we thought we might have another Kim Kardashian Met Gala situation on our hands when Cardi B arrived on the red carpet with her face completely hidden by a gold mask. Although we couldn’t see her makeup yet, we know for a fact that her skin was doused in Algenist products, including the Algae Niacinamide Moisture Veil and Genius Liquid Collagen Lip, which served as prep for the makeup that would soon be revealed.

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Luckily, it wasn’t long before we got to see what makeup artist Erika La’Pearl did for Cardi. Nearly every product we saw on her was from Pat McGrath Labs. Her flawless complexion was achieved with entirely Skin Fetish products: Sublime Perfection Foundation, Sublime Perfection Concealer, Sublime Perfection Setting Powder, and Sublime Perfection Blurring Under-Eye Powder.Cardi B wears a purple feathered gown while talking into a microphoneGetty Images

For most of the night, we saw Cardi’s lips covered in PermaGel Ultra Lip Pencil in Night Fever and Lip Fetish Balm Divinyl Lip Shine in Divine Rose II. For her eyes, La’Pearl used the Mothership I: Subliminal Palette and three different liners: PermaGel Ultra Glide Eye Pencil in Blk Coffee and Xtreme Black, and Perma Precision Liquid Eyeliner. Her lashes, however, were not Pat McGrath Labs — they were actually a $5 drugstore favorite: Kiss Lash Drip Lashes in the style Drop.

Cardi B sticking out her tongue in a chartreuse gownGetty Images
We’d be remiss to not call out Cardi’s next-level mullet, with blunt bangs and a generally short cut up top, and super long, straight hair down past her butt in back. And you can’t say the look isn’t versatile, considering she wore several elaborate headpieces that worked perfectly with it.Cardi B wears a black fanlike headpiece while talking into a microphoneGetty Images

Cardi B wears a black headpiece while talking into a microphoneGetty Images
Our favorite beauty look of the night, however, would have to be the one she wore to accept the award for Favorite Rap/Hip-Hop Song. She looked like an elegant winter bride in her sparkling off-white hood, which framed her stunning makeup. That red lip? Perfection. You can get the look with Pat McGrath Labs MatteTrance Lipstick in the shade Elson 2.Cardi B holds an American Music Award while wearing a white sparkly hooded gown