The Stories Behind Cardi B's Boldest Beauty Looks - Straight from Her Pros

We can always trust Cardi B to go above and beyond when it comes to her hair and makeup. But thanks to her hair stylist and MUA, Tokyo Stylez and Erika La’Pearl, are how all her money looks come to life! We can only imagine what it’s like to work with the rapper, but the duo glam squad shared with PEOPLE what their favorite part is about being a part of her team.

Tokyo Stylez: “Her crazy energy and she’s the nicest. I never know what I’m gonna get when we work together. I love working with her!”

Erika La’Pearl: “She’s funny as hell. And I love that she lets me do whatever I want. All she gotta do is tell me what she’s wearing and I just do my thing. And sometimes I don’t know what she’s wearing and I just do my thing and it always comes together.”

No one missed Cardi on music’s biggest night this year. Her 90’s-inspired couture, jeweled updo (that weighed about 10lbs with the jewelry on!) was held up by Suave Professionals Firm Control Finishing Hairspray and Got2B Glue. “The pearls were actually Mugler too. If it weren’t for the Got2B glue, it wouldn’t have held up. Those pearls were so heavy,” Tokyo Stylez told PEOPLE.

The celeb opted for a very “effortless” hair look at the Tom Ford New York Fashion Week show and Tokyo Stylez revealed that it was an accident! “I had actually just wet the hair and I started brushing it back and she was like ‘I’m kind of feeling this.’ Then I was like ‘Girl, we can rock with this!’” And the secret trick to keeping the smooth style stick? “Lube. It keeps the look wet and shiny without it looking hard,” Stylez told PEOPLE.

Her highlight didn’t go unnoticed either and it happened to be one of La’ Pearl’s treasured makeup moments on the star. “That’s my favorite! That highlight is from Ofra,” she told PEOPLE.

Just over month after having her first child, Kulture, Cardi came back better than ever in a pixie cut wig and a bold, matchy eyeshadow look. “It was like her comeback right after she had the baby. She just wanted to look really sexy and elegant,” said Stylez. 

The pink shadow under her eyes was a nod to her ensemble that night. “I wanted the dress to match under her eyes to pull it together,” revealed La’Pearl. 

The star came to conquer at last year’s Met Gala with a classic red lip and hair for days. Putting this hair style together was no joke, Stylez told PEOPLE: “We probably used about six bundles of hair. The hair was already a natural texture. I didn’t have to do much to it. It was just a lot of hair and keeping it tamed.” 

Though the rapper is known for vivid and unique red carpet looks, her makeup artist revealed that “she doesn’t like dramatic lips so that’s why I do it all on her eyes.” And this one proved just that! Her subtle lip color let her eyes take the spotlight — specifically her lashes — “The lashes were only like four dollars!” La’ Pearl said about the Kiss lashes.