Before Lady Gaga took the stage at the NRG Stadium in Houston, Texas during the Super Bowl 51 halftime show, many wondered what the Kermit-loving, meat-toting singer-actress would wear. While she wasn't carried in via an egg-like structure, she didn't disappoint, literally throwing herself off the roof of the stadium in a Dawid Bowie-inspired, sparkling, long-sleeve bodysuit before changing into an equally dazzling pair of shorts and a padded shoulder crop top for the second part of the show, all courtesy of Versace Atelier.
It is, of course, not surprising that Gaga turned to Donatella Versace (who also attended the game) to design what will inevitably go down in history as one of the Super Bowl's most iconic looks. Gaga has worn the designer on numerous occasions; Versace, in turn, recruited the star for the label's campaigns. Still, given that Gaga had to recently drop out of playing Donatella in Ryan Murphy's upcoming American Crime Story, chronicling the 1997 murder of Gianni Versace at the hands of Andrew Cunanan, it was a noteworthy choice on her part.
As for Lady Gaga's showstopping beauty looks (which included an updo-turned flowing mane, a crystal eye mask, and a bold red pout), you've got celebrity makeup artist Sarah Nicole Tanno and hair stylist Frederic Aspiras to thank for that.
"Earlier this week after we aligned on the style, we touched up her blonde to ensure it was bright for this big night. I used Matrix SoColor mixed with Matrix BOND Ultim8, which protected her hair bonds and prevented damage during the processing. I love it because it doesn't take any extra time, you can just add it to your color formula! We also dip-dyed her ends a pastel pink with Matrix Color Sync Watercolors," says Aspiras of the singer's newly lightened mane.
To "ensure her flowing hair tendrils stayed flowing and in place," Aspiras used Matrix Style Link Mineral Airy Builder Dry Texture Foam from root to tips on Gaga's washed and towel-dried hair and then Matrix Style Link Heat Buffer and Matrix Style Link Smooth Setter as he blow-dried her hair in sections and away from her face using a large boar bristle brush. After curling her locks and pinning away each curl as he went, he allowed Gaga's hair to cool before removing clips, brushing out her hair with a large paddle brush, and finally spraying Matrix Style Link Texture Builder Messy Finish Spray and Matrix Style Link Style Fixer Finishing Hairspray for gravity-defying texture and hold that would withstand her several-feet-long drop.
Tanno used Marc Jacobs Beauty to achieve that dramatic eye-lip combo that stole the show. “To create the look, I took inspiration from all of the iconic looks throughout Gaga’s career and just elevated it into something new. I wanted her to be able to look at this 10 years from now and have it feel timeless," Tanno says, who used a careful layering of Marc Jacobs Beauty's Twinkle Pop Stick Eyeshadow in Au Revoir 406, Highliner Gel Eye Crayon Eyeliner in Violet Femme 82, About Last Night Style Eye Con No 20 Eyeshadow Palette, and Style Eye Con No 7 Plush Eyeshadow Palette in The Tease 202 for the eyes alone.
After creating the eye base, she lined the lash line and created the cat eye wing using Marc Jacobs Beauty's Highliner Gel Eye Crayon Eyeliner in Blacquer 42 and Magic Marc’er Precision Pen Waterproof Liquid Eyeliner in Blacquer before employing Highliner Matte Gel Eye Crayon Eyeliner in Pink of Me 59 on the water line to widen Gaga's eyes. She finished by adding multiple layers of Marc Jacobs Beauty's Beauty Velvet Noir Major Volume Mascara (Tanno's favorite) to the top lashes and Feather Noir Ultra-Skinny Lash Discovering Mascara on the bottom ones for an overall look meant "to complement Gaga’s crystal eye mask for the beginning of the show and keep the eyes classic and feminine for the latter part."
And, as for that perfect shade of red that became the focal point after Gaga removed the crystal mask, it came courtesy of two layers of Marc Jacobs Beauty Le Marc Lip Crème Lipstick in Dashing 206 and a touch of Enamored Hi-Shine Gloss Lip Lacquer Lipgloss in 332 Hot Hot Hot.
We don't know about you, but this beauty look has just become the source of inspiration for our next night out.
