The 2017 Emmy Awards were filled with showstopping moments. Like when Issa Rae announced she was “rooting for everybody black.” Or when Lena Waithe became the first black woman to win an Emmy for writing in a comedy series. Or when Donald Glover became the first black person to win an Emmy for directing a comedy. Or when Riz Ahmed became the first man of Asian descent to win an acting Emmy. Or, we suppose, that too-soon Sean Spicer cameo…
Of course, a lot of what made last night’s awards ceremony so. darn. historic. was the fact that TV is better — and more inclusive — than ever before. It’s so good that Hollywood’s finest regularly jump between silver and small screens. And, happily for us, more A-listers on the red carpet means more superstar beauty moments. (Production values are up across the boards.)
From Priyanka Chopra’s monochrome purple look to Yara Shahidi’s understated-but-perfect graphic winged eyeliner, the Emmys teemed with makeup inspo. Still, hair stole the spotlight on more than one occasion: Gabrielle Union embodied #ponytailgoals; Tracee Ellis Ross made the case for red carpet cornrows; Emmy Rossum wore the perfect Veronica Lake waves.
Click through the slideshow below to take in the best of the best hair and beauty looks from the 2017 Emmys. It was exceedingly hard to choose.
[ Next: All the Red Carpet Fashion From the 2017 Emmy Awards ]
Best of Emmys Beauty 2017
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Emmy Rossum
Rough and tumble Fiona Gallagher sure cleans up nice. Shameless actress/equal pay advocate Emmy Rossum's old-school glam (re: soft finger waves and kohl-rimmed smoky eye) was classic yet un-boring.
Image: Frazer Harrison/Getty Images
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Priyanka Chopra
Chopra — not Chopa — brought her A-game with bold, monochromatic purple makeup. "I was inspired by Priyanka's Balmain gown — it was beautiful, mirrored and reminiscent of an art deco 20s/30s vibe," Patti Dubroff, Chopra's makeup artist for the evening, told PopSugar. "As soon as I saw that dress, I knew the direction I wanted to take. This inspired me to create a sultry, shiny, and mysterious look for her." The actress' sleek, slightly bouffant pony was the perfect complement to her dramatic lewk.
Image: Steve Granitz/WireImage
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Jessica Biel
Per usual, The Sinner's Jessica Biel played up her natural beauty (and perfect golden skin) with a coral lip and tawny eyeshadow. For her hair, she went in an atypical direction: up. Biel sculpted her blonde-highlighted strands into a voluminous pompadour, to great effect.
Image: Gregg DeGuire/Getty Images
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Viola Davis
How to Get Away With Murder actress Viola Davis' tight bun was both pretty and practical, her wine-red lip and dramatic smoky eye stunning and chic.
Image: John Shearer/WireImage
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Mandy Moore
The award for best bright fuchsia lip goes to everyone's favorite TV mom, Mandy Moore. (This Is Us returns Tuesday, September 26 at 9 p.m. EST. Let the countdown begin.)
Image: John Shearer/WireImage
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Tessa Thompson
Tessa Thompson — of Creed, Dear White People, Selma and Westworld — slayed the Emmys red carpet in technicolor Rosie Assoulin. Offsetting the show-stopping gown were Thompson's sleek bob and perfect bronze cat eye.
Image: MARK RALSTON/AFP/Getty Images
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Tracee Ellis Ross
Take note: this is how you do red carpet cornrows. To top it off, Ross' ink-rimmed eyes were more than beautiful-ish.
Image: Kevin Mazur/WireImage
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Yara Shahidi
Elsewhere, Ellis' on-screen daughter's slicked-back curls and understated-but-perfect graphic winged liner provided another scene-stealing beauty moment.
Image: Frazer Harrison/Getty Images
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Zoë Kravitz
Zoë Kravitz, YSL muse and queen of every red carpet she treads, turned heads with her (now) jet black pixie, expertly shaped brows and all-but-bare lips. Little lies can have big consequences, less can most definitely be more.
Image: J. Merritt/Getty Images
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Millie Bobby Brown
Millie Bobby Brown's fresh, highlighted face and slicked-back hair were the perfect match for her tulle Dior dress. Total Swan Lake vibes.
Image: Steve Granitz/WireImage
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Padma Lakshmi
Shailene Woodley gets honorable mention for going ultra-blonde, but Padma Lakshmi's piecey chop was our favorite hair transformation of the evening. (Why did she not always have side bangs?) "I chose this style because I wanted something short, shaggy and totally different. I wanted something a bit Joan Jett, or Pat Benatar — a bit punky," the Top Chef host told Allure. "I know it sounds silly, but when I was a really little girl, those were the first touchstones of liberated female rockers I noticed. They seemed wild and sexy and raw. They owned their own power. I always thought those types of short, choppy haircuts were ultra-sexy but I never had the nerve."
Image: Steve Granitz/WireImage
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Uzo Aduba
Uzo Aduba leaned into her voluminous natural curls, letting them halo her smoky-eyed, nude-lipped face. Gorgeous.
Image: John Shearer/WireImage
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Gabrielle Union
We're as obsessed with this free-flying ponytail as we are with this skin care tip Union once shared with the Cut: “My best anti-aging tip is the ability to say no, no, and hell, no. We run ourselves ragged saying yes to every freaking thing, whether it’s to our family, spouses, or careers. I sleep eight hours a day and don’t let myself stress out. A lot of people call it selfish, but I don’t have any wrinkles.” As you can clearly see.
Image: Kevin Mazur/WireImage
