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A live version of the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show returned after a six-year hiatus Tuesday night at the Brooklyn Navy Yard. In addition to lace underwear and larger-than-life angel wings, models including Gigi and Bella Hadid, Adriana Lima and Tyra Banks graced the star-studded runway in a series of beauty looks that wowed fans online.

Bombshell waves – the signature voluminous curls that have become synonymous with the VS show – were rare. Senior hairstylist Duffy, who previously worked on Marc Jacobs' Fall 2024 runway, took a slightly different direction with this year's hairstyle, combining slicked-back, high ponytails and cool, short cuts with carefree waves, as well as a series of teased wigs and Extensions.

While many of us are there bazaar While the models' sleek ponytails and more slicked-back hair symbolized the modernity of the times, it left some viewers longing for the big, swinging hair of yesteryear. Adriana Lima's sleek ponytail made her look strong and fierce, but bouncy waves added an element of bounce and hair choreography that some fans missed. The sweep of an extended ponytail was often hidden by the models' angel wings.

“I like that there was more variety in hairstyles and there were some hairstyles that literally killed it, but can we phase out the slicked back hairstyles?” says one TikTok user. “Even a lot of the regular blowouts weren't as voluminous as I remembered. Get the girls some extensions.”

Others understood that the models' high-gloss, sleek hairstyles helped highlight the beautiful features of top models like Candice Swanepoel and Anok Yai. “Because this show was for girls,” another TikToker commented. “We appreciate a deadly face card.”

As for the makeup at last night's show, it was more reminiscent of history than bombshell, featuring a sultry smokey eye with a hint of shimmer, as well as nude lips and tanned, glowing skin.

“We're doing a beautiful brown smoky eye this year,” Mical Klip, Diane Kendal's first assistant, explained backstage before the show. “Every person gets a version that is tailored to their eye shape and color and has different levels of intensity. It's Victoria's Secret, so there's going to be a little bit of glitter with some pale gold and a glittery overlay, and then it's almost like, “To make everyone's skin look tanned and radiant, to catch the light in all the right places.” Kendal and his team applied dark brown eyeliner pencils to the models' eyelids, which served as the basis for their eye looks. Next, they applied a sheer, shimmery shadow to the base to let the depth of the pencil shine through.

Although much was made of the runway's hair and makeup, the nails were less polarizing and intentionally expertly polished. The runway nail looks for the show were kept clean and minimal with a series of nude manicures. “We wanted all the girls to stay chic, beautiful and shiny,” explains lead nail artist Dawn Sterling. “Our team makes a natural, transparent manicure, not too pink, not too white, that shines with the light and her wings. There's so much to do with the colors and diamonds, so we just wanted to create a minimalist but fabulous nail moment.”

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