There were so many hair and makeup looks worth “oohing” and “ah-ing” about on the 66th annual Grammys red carpet, but if we had to choose one that stood out to us the most, it had to be Miley Cyrus’s. Sure, her Maison Margiela dress was stunning, but her big, brushed-back hair was the first thing we noticed (it gave us 80s Jane Fonda vibes in the best way). Then, we looked closer, and we saw her golden, glowing skin. That was what really made us stop and stare…and demand to know exactly which beauty products were used to achieve it. Luckily, we got the deets. Makeup artist James Kaliardos was the expert behind the look. “I wanted her to glow like a golden goddess, a touchable beauty,” he said in a press release. “Miley and I collaborated on her skin today (and literally on everything) for her fresh-faced look! The end result is just gorgeous with perfected shapes and a tonal palette with golden goddess punctuations.” Keep scrolling to see the exact beauty products he used to create this look, from skin prep to makeup!
As any makeup artist will tell you, a flawless makeup look actually starts with skin prep. Kaliardos used three products to cleanse and moisturize Cyrus’s skin—all from the iconic drugstore brand, Cetaphil. “For major events with Miley such as the Grammys, I need to use products that I know work and are suitable for sensitive skin, so for this look, I used a true favorite, Cetaphil. I wanted the skin to feel clean, hydrated, and soothed,” he says. He began by cleansing her skin with this budget-friendly foaming face wash. He chose it because it “has aloe and vitamin B, which leaves the skin feeling refreshed.”
Next, Kaliardos applied this moisturizer-sunscreen hybrid to Cyrus’s skin since it’s a “lightweight, fragrance-free lotion which nourishes the skin and has SPF 35.” He says it’s “perfect” under makeup and doesn’t clog pores. “I worked in some massaging tools to help relax the facial muscles to help get it ready for the intense red-carpet lights and television.”
Even Cyrus’s long, glowing limbs were thanks to a Cetaphil product—this moisturizing lotion. Kaliardos chose this one to “smooth, hydrate, and create a perfect skin texture for the red carpet and stage.” The secret is ingredients like avocado oil, vitamin B5, and vitamin B3. “I’ve been using it forever and love that it leaves the skin looking velvety with a subtle glow,” he says.
As for makeup, Kaliardos exclusively used products from Pat McGrath Labs. And, interestingly enough, he started with concealer rather than foundation, applying it under Cyrus’s eyes and on the cheekbones almost as a highlighter.
“Next I applied a sheer veil of Skin Fetish: Sublime Perfection Foundation – Light 4, keeping it blended and light to reveal her naturally gorgeous skin,” Kaliardos says.
Her golden, sun-kissed glow came courtesy of this powder bronzer, which Kaliardos applied under her cheekbones and around her temples.
“To add a bit of color I dabbed Divine Blush: Legendary Glow Colour Balm in Forbidden Fleur on top of the cheekbones, onto the temples, and a tiny dab on the nose to keep it all fresh and healthy,” he says.
To finish off the complexion, Kaliardos applied this highlighter onto Cyrus’s cheekbones, temples, and nose, “being careful to control where it was placed.”
We’re not sure exactly which shades Kaliardos used on Cyrus’s eyes, but we know they came from this palette. We’re assuming it was the golden shade on the top right, called Astral Gold Lust.
After the base eye shadow was applied, Kaliardos used the ChromaLuxe Artistry Pigments in Twilight Temptation (warm golden bronze) and Golden Seductress (yellow gold) to illuminate the inner corners of Cyrus’s eyes.
“I lined the eye super tight, close to the lash bed with PermaGel Ultra Glide Eye Pencil in Xtreme Black and added a smudged-out version under the lower lashes.”
Kaliardos lined the top lash line with this liquid liner for even more definition and intensity.
“I finished with two coats of Dark Star Mascara working from root to tip, brushed well with an applicator to a fluffy intense lash look,” Kaliardos says. “This is all her lashes, no additional lashes were needed.”
Finally, it was time for the lips. Kaliardos followed Cyrus’s lip line with this lip pencil in a nude-rose shade because it’s long-wearing and “won’t move during performance.”
Finally, he swiped this honey-colored lipstick across Cyrus’s lips, and the “golden goddess” look was complete.
