Alive version of the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show returned after a six-year hiatus on Tuesday night at the Brooklyn Navy Yard. Along with lacy lingerie and larger-than-life angel wings, models like Gigi and Bella Hadid, Adriana Lima, and Tyra Banks graced the star-studded runway in a range of beauty looks that had fans buzzing online.

Bombshell waves—that is, the signature voluminous curls that have become synonymous with the VS show—were far and few between. Lead hairstylist Duffy, who earlier this year worked on Marc Jacobs’s Fall 2024 runway, took a slightly different direction from past VS shows, pairing slicked-back high ponytails and cool, short cuts with carefree waves, and a number of teased wigs and extensions.

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Anok Yai offers a smize on the catwalk.

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Gigi Hadid shines at the 2024 Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show.

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Victoria’s Secret icon Tyra Banks closed the show on Tuesday night.

While many of us at Bazaar thought the models’ sleek ponytails and more pared-back hair styling signified the modernity of the times, some viewers were left wanting for the big, bouncy hair days of yesteryear. Adriana Lima’s slick ponytail made her look strong and fierce, but bouncy waves add an element of bounce and hair choreography that some fans missed. A swish of an elongated ponytail was often disguised by the models’ angel wings.

“I like that there was more diversity of hairstyles and there were some hairstyles that literally killed it, but can we retire the slicked-back?” one TikTok user asks. “Even a lot of the normal blowouts were not as voluminous as I remember them

Still, others understood that the slick, high-shine hairstyles helped highlight the gorgeous features of top models like Candice Swanepoel and Anok Yai. “Because that show was for the gorlss,” another TikToker commented. “We appreciate a lethal face card.”

As for the makeup at yesterday’s show, it leaned more historically VS bombshell, featuring a sultry smoky eye highlighted with a touch of shimmer, in addition to nude lips and bronzed, glowing skin.

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Alex Consani winks at the camera backstage.

“We’re doing a beautiful brown smoky eye this year,” Mical Klip, Diane Kendal’s first assistant, explained backstage ahead of the show. “Every person is getting a version that’s adapted to their eye shape and coloring with different levels of intensity. It’s Victoria’s Secret, so there will be a bit of glitz with a little bit of pale gold and a glittery overly, and then it’s just about having everyone’s skin look bronzed and glowy to pick up the light in all the right places.” Kendal and team buffed dark brown kohl pencils on models’ lids, which served as a base for their eye looks. Next, they added a sheer, shimmery shadow atop the base to allow the depth of the pencil to shine through.

Though there was much chatter about the runway’s hair and makeup, the nails were less polarizing and expertly polished with intention. The runway’s nail looks for the show were kept clean and minimal with a range of nude manicures. “We wanted to keep all the girls chic, beautiful, and glossy,” lead nail artist Dawn Sterling explains. “Our team is doing a natural sheer manicure, not too pink, not too white, that illuminates with the lighting and their wings. There’s so much going on with the colors and diamonds, so we just wanted to do a minimal-yet-fabulous nail moment.”

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Tiffany Dodson

Associate Beauty Commerce Editor

Tiffany Dodson is currently the associate beauty commerce editor at Harper’s Bazaar, where she specializes in trend forecasting, building relationships with major and emerging brands, and crafting shopping stories—from holiday gift guides to product road tests. Tiffany’s work has previously been featured in outlets like SELF, Bustle, and Teen Vogue, and she’s been quoted as a commerce and beauty expert in publications and platforms like The Business of Fashion and NPR’s Life Kit podcast.

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