Adriana Lima’s expensive-looking MTV VMAs beauty look was created using drugstore makeup

Unless you were totally cut off from society and social media, you’ll know that the MTV Video Music Awards took place this week, and there was an absolute smorgasbord of fresh new beauty inspo for us all.

Naturally, we’ve spent the hours since poring over all the red carpet snaps and doing a deep-dive into the social media accounts of the pros behind the looks to find out how you guys can recreate the looks at home. 

And we found out some excellent intel on Adriana Lima’s smouldering (and oh-so expensive-looking) beauty vibe: 

Stunning, right?! We can’t get enough of that defined eye, glowing skin and glossy pout.

And, though Adriana’s look may look deliciously spenny, here’s the thing: her makeup artist Robert Sesnek has revealed in an Instagram post that he actually used a FULL FACE of budget beauty products to create the look. Plus he’s divulged exactly which products he used. 

Needless to say, we’re absolutely cheering!

To kick things off, Sesnek used Maybelline New York Fit Me Matte + Poreless Foundation and Maybelline New York Superstay™ 24HR Concealer for Adriana’s base and a glorious peachy shade from the Maybelline New York Master Blush to add warmth to her cheeks.

As for Adriana’s show-stopping smoky eye look, Sesnek used Maybelline’s The City Mini Eyeshadow Palette in Urban Jungle. This colourway isn’t yet available in Australia but in the meantime, we’d suggest trying the Chill Brunch Neutrals to replicate Adriana’s sultry eye look.

When it comes to the eyeshadow’s application, it seems Sesnek’s secret lies in the blending:

“I blended the deeper shades into the lash line and blended it out into the crease shaping her crease but keeping eyeshadow colour mostly concentrated on the outer corner of the eyes. I then blended the shade underneath the eye and to soften and smudge the lower lash line,” said Sesnek. 

Sesnek then applied multiple coats of Maybelline New York The Colossal Mascara to Adriana’s upper and lower lashes to add extreme definition to her lashes.

To cap off the look, Sesnek used not one but two lip products. Maybelline SuperStay Matte Ink Liquid Lipstick was first applied in Driver before Sesnek added Maybelline Color Sensational Lipstick in Truffle Tease over the top. 

Now, it’s no secret that Adriana is an ambassador for the brand, so it makes total sense that her entire look was created using Maybelline products, but, regardless, we love seeing a budget-friendly product that delivers real results. 

If you’re looking for more wallet-friendly beauty buys, you might like to check out these celeb-approved bargain products.

What do you think of Adriana Lima’s MTV VMAs beauty look? Would you try it yourself? Let us know your thoughts in the comments.

Main image credit: Getty