If there’s one thing Chappell Roan will do at the 68th annual Grammy Awards taking place Sunday, February 1, it’s make the look her playground. Stepping onto the red carpet with her signature fire-red hair and a barely-there, sheer Mugler dress, Roan delivered what’s already shaping up to be one of, if not the most, talked-about moments of the night. That tracks, considering tonight, she arrives not only as a presenter, but as a double nominee—up for Record of the Year and Pop Solo Performance for “The Subway.”
The beauty, however, was deliberately restrained—and that was entirely the point. Created by go-to artist Andrew Dahling in partnership with MAC Cosmetics, where Roan serves as the Global Brand Ambassador, the makeup was designed to honor the dress and the story embedded in the look rather than compete with it, Dahling tells MC.
“We started with this very archival, full, bare moment,” Dahling says. “Once the tattoos came into play, everything became very medieval, but in a real way. It’s still fantasy and something otherworldly, but grounded.”
Rather than leaning into the exaggerated glam Roan is often known for, Dahling approached the makeup as a supporting character—one that allowed the intricate faux tattoos, jewelry, and sculptural details to take center stage. “There was so much going on—the tattoos, the prosthetic nipples, all of it, but overall we wanted everything to feel cohesive and really honor the dress and the medieval world we were living in,” he says. “The glam came from that.”
To strike the balance, Dahling opted for a smokey, sultry eye that felt intentionally dialed down for her. “We still wanted to bring some Chappell and some glam to it, so we added a little bit of MAC metallic liner detail just to bring some pop and some glamour and glitz to her eyes to tie in with the jewelry.” And for the lips? Dahling labels them as a “nude-red.” (Likely a trend that street style will draw inspiration from through the rest of winter.)
“This makeup may be a little underwhelming and unexpected for her fans who expect something extremely intense,” Dahling admits. “But it was about honoring the history, the designer, and the direction Genesis (her stylist) created. We wanted to let other elements of the look shine.”
Naturally, one look simply wouldn’t cut it. The Midwest Princess switched things up over the course of the evening, wearing an angelic draped gown. As for her glam? “We’re using shadow sticks and dazzle shadows and lavender blush. It’s giving drama, but in a very quick, cool-girl way.”
