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Lizzo pulled off three hair looks for the Grammys with help from trusted glam squad hairstylist Shelbe Swain

Getty Images
Getty Images

When you’re nominated for eight Grammys, one beauty look simply won’t do. Especially when you're Lizzo.

The ‘Truth Hurts’ singer is as bold with her beauty choices as she is with her music, sporting everything from bright purple hair to rhinestone embellished eyes onstage. For the 2020 Grammys, Lizzo called on her trusted glam squad, which included hairstylist Shelby Swain.

“I’ve been working with Lizzo for over three years,” Swain told us from the Staples Center between quick changes. “As a team, we all work together almost daily, and from hair to makeup to wardrobe, we work closely with Lizzo to come up with looks that will be complementary,” she said about stylist Marko Monroe, makeup artist Alexx Mayo and nail artist Eri Ishizu.

(AFP via Getty Images)
(AFP via Getty Images)

To kick things off on the red carpet, Lizzo and team went retro with a strapless white Versace gown, Lorraine Schwartz jewels and a shimmering smoky eye. “We wanted to go with something that was timeless and with a nod back to the roaring '20s,” Swain said of her red carpet style.

For the hair, that translated into retro waves that were styled with the GHD Curve Curling Iron and a cocktail of Matrix High Amplify Proforma Hairspray and Matrix High Amplify Flexible Hold Hairspray to add shine and hold to the curls.

“Cher was a huge reference for me,” Swain said of her overarching inspiration for the night. “Some of her bigger hair looks - and when I say big, I mean in length and volume. Cher has a way of giving us volume and keeping it sleek at the same time, and so I was really inspired by that.”

For her onstage performance, Lizzo opened with a sparkling Christian Siriano gown and an entirely different hairstyle. “We went from elegant, dry waves to wet, pliable performance hair,” Swain said of the more relaxed style. “To help that come across and keep the hair without any flyaways or looking dry, I used the de-frizzing gel and leave-in conditioner.”

(Getty Images )
(Getty Images )

But after her performance (and after she collected her first Grammy of the night for Best Pop Solo Performance), it was right back to work for team Lizzo.

“There is no time, it’s adrenaline pushing us through,” Swain said with a laugh about the switch-ups. “We did one of those changes as soon as she got off stage,” she added, referring to Lizzo’s post-performance crystal fringe Versace gown and waist-length ponytail.

(Getty Images)
(Getty Images)

“Every environment we’re working in is different, but with award shows, we have that heat from the lights to deal with, so we have to make sure the hair is prepped,” Swain said of the importance of keeping hair moisturized and conditioned. “That comes down to the shampoo and conditioner, and the products you use,” she said about the hydrating and toning combo she used prior to styling.

Lizzo’s makeup stayed largely the same (minus a bold lip for her onstage performance). Mayo focused on a smoky eye, blending shades Cayenne, En Fuego and Ashes from the Urban Decay Naked Heat Eyeshadow Palette.

For the lips, Mayo mixed finishes, opting for a matte lipstick with Urban Decay Vice Lipstick in Heartless, and a hint of shine with Hi-Fi Shine Ultra Cushion Lip Gloss in Snitch.

One aspect that didn’t change throughout the night was Lizzo’s manicure. Ishizu used Christian Louboutin Nail Colour in Madame Est Nue for a neutral base, painting a metallic number ‘8’ to the nails (as a nod to Lizzo’s nominations for the night) with Goldissima and adding even more sparkle with teardrop crystals pierced through the tip of each nail.