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It's been less than a year since Charli xcx gifted the world with brat (arguably the album, color, and word of the summer)—and today, she’s celebrating the moment at the 2025 Grammy Awards, where she has received eight nominations and will be performing. The raven-haired singer has spent all day getting ready at the iconic Chateau Marmont hotel and is letting Vogue eat first when it comes to seeing her look.
For the big night, Charli is leaning into her iconic glam look with the help of Valentino Beauty (she was announced as the face of the brand in October of last year). It pairs perfectly with one of fashion’s buzziest looks: a custom Ludovic De Saint Sernin for Jean Paul Gaultier Couture gown, which debuted just days ago at Couture Week.
“I love a bitchy black eyeliner look,” she tells me over the phone mid-glam. “It’s not a classic winged liner, but instead it’s a little fucked up, like I went out the night before and slept in my makeup. That’s generally the vibe when I do glam for events.” She references Diane Lane in Ladies and Gentlemen, The Fabulous Stains, Angelina Jolie in Gia, and Effy Stonem from the UK version of Skins as inspiration.
That's the brief she gave to makeup artist Nina Park, who used Valentino Beauty Color-Flip Eyeshadow Palette in shade 02 to sculpt both her lids and eyes. “Charli’s beauty ethos is all about being bold, experimental, and boundary-pushing,” Park says. “It’s not just about the application but about capturing her playful, unapologetic energy. Every look feels like an opportunity to showcase something fresh and daring.” Tonight, Park is using the Twin Liner Eyeliner to get the perfect edge around the eyes,
That daring spirit (paired with daring black eyeliner) is something the artist has gravitated toward since she was 16. “I’ve been doing a variation of this look—a bold eye with a neutral lip—since I first saw Effy from Skins. Though I used to do my makeup with face paint back then so it was messier and crazier. This is much more glam now.”
Glamor is just one of the reasons the singer was drawn to Valentino Beauty. “The lipstick is called ‘Spike’—it’s bad girl beauty,” she laughs. “Also, the packaging is really cute.” Tonight, she wears the shade Spike a Pose.
Park says the secret to keeping the 360 party girl looking, ahem, brat is all in the application. “Fresh, luminous, and sculpted skin is key,” she says. “You want the base to be light and seamlessly blended.”
While the day has been short on downtime (she had to rehearse her performance and then immediately get ready), Charli says she’s looking forward to her end-of-the-night tradition: “I like to debrief on the evening when I get home. That’s always fun, whether it’s with my fiancé or with a friend if they’re staying at mine.”
When it came to hair, colorist Jacob Schwartz took Charli her custom shade of “brat black” right before the event. “Charli’s signature bold color is all about intensity, shine, and staying power, which is key for a multiple Grammy nominee and performer,” Schwartz says, noting the color is aka Schwarzkopf Professional in Igora Vibrance. “The result is a healthy-looking black that stays vibrant and glossy all night long.”
By the time she's out the door and on her way to the red carpet, Charli finds out she's already bagged the Best Dance/Electronic Recording award for “Von Dutch” and Best Dance/Electronic Album award. Sounds like the night is off to a fantastic start.
