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Beauty

How To Get Shay Mitchell’s Seriously Flawless Teen Choice Awards Beauty Look

We are obsessed with her “pierced” topknot

While the Teen Choice Awards are known for bolder fashion choices, for some reason celebs tend to tread on the side of tame when it comes to their beauty looks. More so this year with long locks, pretty blowouts, and minimal makeup predominantly ruling the red carpet, providing little hairstyle inspo for our own special occasion looks. That is until we caught the sight of Shay Mitchell. The Pretty Little Liars star showed up to the event and blinded everyone in her all-gold ensemble from Cavalli. The accessory that we couldn't stop obsessing about, though? Mitchell's hair, a loose topknot accented by a line of hoops that seemingly pierced the back of her head.

Celebrity hairstylist Christopher Appleton created the one-of-kind updo after being inspired by the dress. “I wanted to bring some of the gold into her hair. The task was not going over the top with this, as the dress already stood out," Appleton tells us. “I decided to add detail at the back of her hair and braided a middle section that almost looked like it was part of Shay's spine.Then the hoops added all the detail and upgraded the topknot into something fresh and young."

To create the look, Appleton used Ouai's Soft Mousse on Mitchell's wet hair, before blow-drying it (if you are not good at creating volume with a blow dryer, he suggest using large heated rollers). He next took two-inch sections of the hair at the nape of Mitchell's head and braided the tresses up to the crown, tying the rest of the hair into a ponytail, which he backcombed for volume.

Finally, Appleton twisted the hair into a topknot, looped in the hoops that he custom-made (you can use earring hoops), and used Oribe Superfine Hairspray to seal the look. “I wanted the hair to be sexy and soft, so I went for a textured top knot," says Appleton. “It was important to keep the texture and volume so the look didn't become harsh." He suggests using a small comb or a toothbrush (his favorite trick) to pull out all the baby hairs at the end.

Her makeup was fire too, created by celebrity makeup artist Patrick Ta using Smashbox. The unexpected reddish smoky eye extended along the length of her eyebrows, making Mitchell's eyes pop and contrasting dramatically against the gold color. Ta kept the rest of the makeup elegantly subdued with a neutral nude lip (created using Smashbox 'Rosebud' Lipliner and 'Rose Nude' Lipstick, and topped off with clear lip gloss), glowy skin (achieved using Smashbox's Photo Finish Primer, as well as two different L.A. Lights Blush and Highlight Palettes), and seemingly endless Smashbox Full Exposure Mascara-coated lashes.

It's safe to say that we'll be using her beauty look as the inspiration for our next event.