Cardi B Just Transformed Into an Ice Queen—Gray Contacts Included

Nothing says 'festive' like icy eyes and bleached hair.

Cardi B Ice Princess
(Image credit: Getty Images)

Unless you're at Kim Kardashian's house, there's no snow in LA this year. ...Or New York... or even Minnesota, for that matter. And I think I know why: Cardi B took all the icy energy for herself.

Over the holiday weekend, Cardi B's beloved glam team shared a series of photos and videos of the Grammy winner transformed into a total ice queen, complete with gray contact lenses and an extra-long, bleach-blonde ponytail. While there's no telling (yet!) what the 31-year-old was all dressed up for, I can only imagine it was something special, like an it-girl Christmas party or a performance of "Let It Go." (I would love to hear that cover.)

A post shared by Erika la’ pearl

A photo posted by erika_lapearl_mua on

While her light gray contacts were the most shocking part of the look (on a typical day, Cardi is a brown eyed girl), there wasn't one piece of glam that went untouched. Instead of deciding to go all out with one or the other, makeup artist Erika La' Pearl utilized Pat McGrath Labs makeup in cool, gray tones for both a smoky eye (created with the Mothership Palette in both versions l and lll) and bold lip (the work of a black eyeliner pencil, Lip Fetish Sheer Colour Balm in "Clear," and MatteTrance™ Lipstick in "Dream Lover) with an ombre effect. The rapper also stuck by her skinny '90s brows, which she first showed off while walking the Balenciaga runway at the beginning of the month.

To complete the transformation, hairstylist Mia Jackson, aka Tokyo Stylez, used a 40-inch platinum blonde wig and 40-inch extension bundles from Kendra's Boutique to create a slick thigh-grazing ponytail. The extra-long updo featured impressive volume at the crown, complete with a side bang and some loose, straight strands by the ears.

"Love the hair look and the eyes seal the deal," commented a fan on a post by Jackson. Seriously, Cardi: who knew something so cold could be so hot?

Sophia Vilensky
Freelance Writer

Sophia Vilensky is a Freelance Beauty Writer at Marie Claire with a beauty, wellness, and entertainment journalism portfolio that includes contributions to Byrdie, Bravo, Teen Vogue, and Us Weekly. Growing up in a family of beauticians—and through her own personal studies—she developed an in-depth understanding of aesthetics, cosmetic product formulation, and beauty treatment development and has also held roles as a senior copywriter, content strategist, and proofreader for top beauty and wellness brands. Even so, you'd be hard pressed to find her with her hair and makeup actually done. Sophia is based in Minneapolis and is a 2019 graduate of the University of Minnesota, where she majored in English and minored in cinema studies. During her time at the university, she was the Arts & Entertainment Editor for the Minnesota Daily, earning the 2019 Editor of the Year award for her work. She connected deeply with the Twin Cities arts scene, collaborating with leading beauty professionals, designers, and artists. Graduating Summa Cum Laude, her thesis—a close-reading of Vanderpump Rules—was featured on NPR. When not immersed in writing or testing new products, Sophia enjoys watching reality TV, reading, and exploring the newest woo-woo wellness trends. Keep up with her on Instagram @sophiavilensky.