Cardi B has been the talk of the town this season. And not only because she gave birth to her third child a few weeks ago, because Libra season is upon us, or because she announced her continued butt injection removal. On top of all of this, she delivered next level beauty looks throughout her rendezvous at Paris fashion week.
From avant-garde bangs at Rick Owens and Mugler to pretty and punk makeup at Vivienne Westwood and Rabanne, it was clear the rapper didn’t come to play.
That said, below, hairstylist Sandrine Diah (in collaboration with Davontae’ Washington) and makeup artist Erika La’ Pearl break down all seven of her front row beauty looks from the spring/summer 2025 shows in Paris.
Rick Owens
At Rick Owens, Cardi B’s dichotomic look—featuring a toupee-like hair piece with a pricked ponytail—and butterfly lip liner paired down her caped assemblage at the show.
“The hair is sculpted into a high ponytail with precision, showcasing a smooth, tightly pulled crown that emphasizes the clean, bold lines of the facial structure,” hairstylist Sandrine Diah— who used products like Got2b Glued Freeze Blasting Spray to keep the spikes still—tells ESSENCE. “The ponytail itself, styled with a textured feathering at the ends, adds a dynamic contrast to the sleekness of the base and complement the architectural lines of the outfit.”
Married with codes of strength and refined beauty, makeup maven Erika La’ Pearl tapped PAT McGRATH LABS for every look. “I love Pat McGrath makeup,” Erika says. “You can’t go wrong when using her line,” she says, pulling out Skin Fetish: Divine Blush in Desert Orchid and PermaGel Ultra Lip Pencil in Deep Void. “Of course finishing each look by adding iEnvy lashes helps tremendously.”
Alexander McQueen
Three words: iconic, wealthy, presidential. On the front row at Alexander McQueen, “this hairstyle is a statement of controlled drama and sophistication, designed to complement the texture and colors of the outfit,” Diah says. “The cut was classy but bold; it definitely gave what it should.” Part mob wife, part Car-mala Harris, the makeup followed suit with beige-brown lip liner and PAT McGrath LABS LUST: Gloss™ in the shade Nude Venus.
Vivienne Westwood
“This hairstyle is a masterful display of structured chaos, designed to mirror the bold and unconventional elements of the ensemble,” Diah says about her look at Vivienne Westwood. “The choice to go with an updo that combines tousled texture with strategic placement reflects a deliberate intent to complement the eclectic and vivid patterns of the outfit with the classic direction of class.”
With a cigarette between her mani-ed fingers, Cardi took a drag through her deep void lipstick. “I love a soft eye with a bold lip,” La’ Pearl says, as we’re hypnotized by her gray colored contacts and Luminous Legends: Mega Eye Shadow Palette eyes.
Rabanne
Cardi, Cardi, let down your hair! In a “stunning display of voluminous, cascading waves,” Diah says, she struck both the glamor and the bold at Rabanne. “The wig has been meticulously chosen to enhance the wearer’s natural beauty and charisma, featuring a lush honey-blonde color with darker roots for a striking yet somewhat natural gradient effect,” she says. “This choice in coloration adds depth and dimension, giving the hair a sun-kissed, vibrant look that is both eye-catching and flattering.”
Mugler
At Mugler, the makeup hidden behind her sliced curtain bang couldn’t be disguised. “Kollin Carter [Cardi B’s stylist] told me what look he thought would go well with the clothes and I started to brainstorm from there,” Erika La’ Pearl says. “I just wanted the makeup to be pretty with a touch of edge.” Maintaining the exact products—and sleek bun—from Rick Owens, the back-to-back shows delivered a near identical and avant-garde beauty moment.
However, unlike the other show keyed by hairstylist Sandrine Diah, Cardi B’s hair piece was snatched right off the catwalk directed by lead wigmaker Zhou Xue Ming (but executed on the rapper by hairstylist Davontae’ Washington). In honor of the 50th anniversary of the House, the blinding, sharp-cut wig was an ode to Mugler’s archival past.
Messika
For Messika, La’ Pearl used the PAT McGRATH LABS Luminous Legends Eye Shadow Palette: Starfall Seduction with Pink Moonstone on the lid with a Sunkissed Rose crease. Highlighter was a key point in the look, swiping on both the Skin Fetish: Highlighter + Balm Duo and Divine Glow Highlighter in Golden Moonlight. Her cheeks were sculpted with Divine Blush in Cherish, which complimented the diamond piercing under her left eye and her beehive banged updo.
Balmain
Balmain required a change of pace pairing a winged liner, pink lip, and headband with a Balmain couture coat and heels from Vivienne Westwood fall/winter 1993. Just hours after the Rabanne show, she removed her golden tresses for a black low ponytail covered with a leather band at the front. As for her makeup, Cardi B reveled in a light nude lip liner and sealed with a vinyl clear gloss.
