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When someone is given the duty and honor of hosting a major award show, you can usually expect them to make several eye-catching, inspire-your-next-going-out-look wardrobe and beauty changes throughout the night. This is especially true of the BET Awards, where even during the pandemic, Amanda Seals kept bringing out stunning hair and makeup look after stunning hair and makeup look from a digital distance.
For 2021, with the BET Awards back up and running live and in-person, Taraji P. Henson is the host, so you just know she's going to be dropping jaws with her glam every time she returns to the stage. (She owns her own hair-care brand, so you know beauty is a high priority for the award-winning actor.)
Henson kicked off the night with a major switch from the magenta hue she's been frequently seen wearing over the last year or so. On the BET Awards red carpet, she arrived with super-duper long, straight, thick, middle-parted, nearly-black hair styled by Tym Wallace. He used Tangle Teezer’s Ultimate Detangler Naturally Curly while blow-drying, and kept the hair defended from damage with TPH by Taraji Hot Commodity Heat Protecting Spray while being straightened with the BaByliss Pro Ultra Thin Flat Iron.
The style cascaded over the glowy skin on her bare arms all the way to the middle of her tights, partially exposed by her beaded, corseted gown with a colorful sarong-style skirt. "I'm telling these designers to make dresses for ass and ribs," she told the hosts of the award pre-show.
For makeup, Henson showed up with an emphasis on the eyes: a bronze shadow swept all over the lids with a little gold toward the inner corners, black, winged liquid liner, and false lashes so dramatically long, they echo her hairstyle. She wore a mauve-y blush along her cheekbones, and a similar yet paler, matte hue on her lips. Her manicure was long and pointy, the tips covered in different-sized gems.
It wasn't long before Henson completely switched things up. Once the shows started, she made a very casual entrance on a gold swing that descended from the ceiling — one that perfectly matched her new '70s-inspired outfit. Her super long, straight hair was replaced with a voluminous, shoulder-passing Afro, complete with chic curly bangs. Wallace diffused the hair and used a micro iron to add definition to the curls, then brushing it out with the detangling brush to create volume and length and topping it off with Oribe Superfine Hair Spray and Mizani Thermasmooth Shine Extend. Her lashes became even more dramatic with retro, borderline-clumpy thickness on the top and bottom.
Only one commercial break passed before we were given yet another new look. Henson was still rocking a retro look, but this time she tried out a trendy, shoulder-skimming shag with lots of layers.
Henson was clearly inspired by H.E.R.'s mindblowing performance because the host's next look was literally a H.E.R. costume — though she called herself S.H.E. as she attempted to play multiple instruments at once. It might have been meant as a joke, but we're not mad at the extremely long, wavy hair and round sunglasses.
The long hair was long gone for her next return to the stage, with Henson bringing us a textured, middle-parted bob that barely met her jawline. Her deep, rich red lip perfectly played off her sparkly, red getup.
Her next look was classic glam: voluminous waves with a deep part and a stunning plum lip that looked just as timeless as her slinky, black gown.
Henson kept the costumes coming with tributes to Erykah Badu, Diana Ross, Betty Boop, and Tina Turner. For Badu, she wore knee-length, medium-brown braids, oversized sunglasses, and oodles of bracelets and rings. Her Diana Ross look recalled the legendary singer's short 1960s style, and she stayed short with Betty Boop's pinup-girl curls.
Her ode to Tina Turner was a true show-stopper, with the singer's instantly identifiable big, textured, blonde-highlighted mullet. The bright red lips sealed the iconic deal.
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It's been nearly impossible to keep up with all of Henson's quick changes, but we couldn't help but hope she'd keep 'em coming. Each one was more stunning and inspiring than the last.
More on Taraji P. Henson:
- Taraji P. Henson Has Been Practicing Being Her Own Glam Squad at Home
- Taraji P. Henson Is Teaching Herself How to Do Acrylic Manicures While She's Staying Home
- Taraji P. Henson Just Posted an Excellent Curly Faux Hawk Hair Tutorial
Now watch Taraji P. Henson's 10-minute beauty routine:
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