Last Week’s Best Beauty Looks Balanced Extravagant Glam With Quiet Elegance

Last week, beauty and pop culture collided in the most dazzling ways. From powerful heritage tributes to daring editorials and unforgettable red carpet appearances, Black celebrities showed up in beauty looks that spoke with grace, drama, and precision. Each offering struck a distinct chord, at times whispering elegance, at others roaring with unapologetic flair, but always radiating a sense of fresh, fearless energy.

With each appearance, these women commanded attention with hair and makeup that did more than turn heads—they made bold, intentional statements. As we settle deeper into summer, their standout beauty moments are shaping the season’s most captivating trends, from vivid lips and rich sculpting to culturally rooted hairstyles that blend tradition with innovation.

The Looks

Makeup

Legendary supermodel Tyra Banks reminded the world of her iconic reign with a stunning cover feature for Harper’s Bazaar Vietnam, timed perfectly ahead of Vietnam’s Next Top Model 2025. Her beauty look was nothing short of a masterclass in soft glam with maximum impact. At the center of it all was a warm-toned smoky eye, meticulously defined by a ring of black eyeliner and cool gray shadow, strategically designed to spotlight her signature “smize.” Paired with a vivid matte red lip that popped against her softly sculpted complexion, Tyra’s look embodied editorial beauty at its finest: confident, commanding, and effortlessly powerful without ever raising its voice.

Meanwhile, shifting from soft glamour to full-on edge, Joy Sunday brought bold drama to the London premiere of Wednesday Season 2. In a moment that blended gothic-modern elegance with unapologetic attitude, the Netflix star served a look that was both daring and refined. A sharply lifted brow emphasized her pierced arch, while intense cat-eye eyeliner added moody definition. She completed the look with a matte black lipstick—a striking, unexpected choice that nodded to her character’s darkly chic world while remaining unmistakably red carpet ready. With every detail, Joy proved that beauty can be both fearless and fashion-forward.

Hairstyle

You simply can’t have a “queen of glam” roundup without Cardi B. A true hair chameleon, she redefined glossy luxury with a long, layered hairstyle that fused structure with movement. Her tresses, sleek at the crown and cascading into soft waves, flowed past her shoulders with a fluid, effortless charm. What set the look apart was the expertly blended face-framing highlights: blonde and honey brown melting into a rich, dark base. The center part added symmetry, while the strategic color blocking offered modern contrast. Altogether, the look struck that rare balance between drama and precision—bold, yet beautifully controlled.

On the other end of the beauty spectrum, Ciara delivered a powerful moment rooted in cultural pride and heritage. At a historic citizenship ceremony in Cotonou, Benin, where she was granted citizenship under the West African nation’s new diaspora law, the singer embraced her roots with intention. Her look centered on a regal, voluminous afro crowned with an intricate headpiece made of cowrie shells and other traditional ornaments. It was more than a beauty statement. It was a moving tribute to ancestral legacy and a celebration of Black identity in its most majestic form.

Meanwhile, Lizzo channeled pure fantasy in her Paper Magazine shoot, serving ethereal energy in every frame. Her larger-than-life platinum blonde waves, styled with a middle part and flowing with luxurious volume, framed her face and shoulders like a halo. The glam echoed the mood: softly radiant skin, defined brows, bold winged liner, and a grounded nude lip. Altogether, the look was a dreamy reinvention of early-2000s pop goddess glam.