The 21 Best Emmy Awards Beauty Looks To Ever Hit The Red Carpet

From Cicely Tyson to Zendaya.

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updated Sep 20, 2020 02:40PM EDT

The 72nd Emmy Awards are this Sunday, and we’re beyond excited. Every year, we look forward to celebrating the best of primetime television and seeing who takes home the coveted golden statue. And while it may be the most important night for television, it’s also a big night for beauty. Over the years, the Emmys have been home to some of the most show-stopping hair, makeup, and nail moments. From Cicely Tyson’s sleek crown braid to Eris Baker’s holographic eyeshadow, we’ve gotten tons of inspo from the beauty looks that have graced the Emmys red carpet. Ahead, we’re taking a trip down memory lane and rounding up some of the most memorable beauty moments to ever hit the Emmys.

Keep scrolling to see 21 of the best Emmy Awards beauty looks of all time.

The Most Head-Turning 2020 Emmys Beauty Looks—Red Carpet Not Necessary

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Cicely Tyson, 1974

To accept her awards for her role in The Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman, the legendary Cicely Tyson wore a sleek crown braid and long, fluttery lashes.

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Diahann Carroll, 1985

Actress Diahann Carroll attended the 37th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards rocking brown and black tousled hair, a bold red lip, and a smokey eye.

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Halle Berry, 2000

Actress Halle Berry turned heads on the red carpet, wearing a spiky pixie cut and natural makeup.

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Charlize Theron, 2005

Charlize Theron looked stunning with her blonde bob and shimmery eye makeup.

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Marcia Cross, 2005

Marcia Cross’ monochromatic peach makeup brought a bright and airy feel to the red carpet in 2005.

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Tyra Banks, 2006

Tyra Banks always captures our attention when she sets foot on a red carpet. Here, the supermodel styled her hair in a chic chignon and pulled the look together with dramatic lashes.

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Leighton Meester, 2009

Actress Leighton Meester kept it classic when it came to makeup, opting for a smokey eye and vibrant red lip. For hair, the actress chose to style her tresses in a braided updo.

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Blake Lively, 2009

You can never go wrong with a braid, and actress Blake Lively looked breathtaking with her lengthy plait.

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Dascha Polanco, 2014

Actress Dascha Polanco showed us how to have fun with color, pairing blue eyeshadow with a pink lip.

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Emma Roberts, 2015

Actress Emma Roberts reminded us of an old Hollywood starlet with her platinum tresses.

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Laverne Cox, 2016

From her hair to her eyeshadow, it was all about gold for actress Laverne Cox.

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Priyanka Chopra, 2016

Priyanka Chopra looked radiant on the red carpet. The actress wore her hair pulled back in a glossy, low ponytail and painted on a bright red lip to match her dress.

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Zoe Kravitz, 2017

From braids to bobs, actress Zoe Kravitz has hit the red carpets wearing it all. But, this pixie cut is one of our favorite Zoe looks.

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Yara Shahidi, 2017

We don’t know whether we love Yara’s slicked-back curls or winged liner more. The whole look is one to remember.

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Jane Fonda, 2017

Actress, activist, and workout video icon Jane Fonda made her mark on the red carpet with her lengthy ponytail and bangs.

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Issa Rae, 2018

For actress Issa Rae’s beauty look, it was all about the eyes. Her shimmery green eyeshadow was an attention-grabber during the awards in 2018.

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Letitia Wright, 2018

Black Panther star Letitia Wright wore her box braids in a half-up half-down style. Her braided bun was accessorized with beautiful gems that meshed well with her dress and jewelry.

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Tracee Ellis Ross, 2018

Tracee Ellis Ross' makeup was nothing short of electrifying. The actress’ bright orange lids and magenta lipstick is one of our favorite takes on the neon makeup trend, hands down.

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Zendaya, 2019

When Zendaya pulled up to the 2019 Emmys with auburn hair, our jaws dropped immediately. Her voluminous red hair and radiant complexion were absolutely mesmerizing.

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Eris Baker, 2019

This Is Us star Eris Baker should have taken home an award for the most unique makeup look in 2019. We can’t stop obsessing over this glittery, holographic lavender eyeshadow moment.

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Viola Davis, 2019

We can’t help but marvel at the beauty of Viola Davis every time she hits a red carpet or appears on our screens. For the 2019 Emmys, Davis wore her hair in springy curls and swiped on a rich berry lipstick.