From standout make-up moments to adventurous hairstyles, here are the best beauty looks at Met Gala events gone by
The Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Costume Institute Gala, commonly known as the Met Gala, is not only the most anticipated fashion event of the year, but also a playground of beauty inspiration. Historically held on the first Monday in May, celebrities, influencers and everyone who is anyone in the fashion world flock to New York to show off their style chops, and the internet zeroes in on who’s there and what they’re wearing.
With glamorous themes centred around celebrated fashion designers, cultures and eras, those invited are challenged to dress according to their interpretation of each year’s theme. While the garments they wear are often the main event, a strong beauty look doesn’t go unnoticed, and often enhances the effect of the overall ensemble.
During the last ten years of Met Gala events, beauty and grooming looks have become more extravagant, with both women and men rocking striking make-up looks and hairstyles that elevate an outfit into a character. This year’s theme will be based on J. G. Ballard’s short story The Garden of Time, so we’ve decided to look back some of the most unforgettable beauty looks of the past decade at the Met Gala, and here are our top picks.
Read more: Everything to know about this year’s Met Gala, from the theme to the hosts and expected guests
Doja Cat in 2023 (Karl Lagerfeld: A Line of Beauty)

Above Doja Cat at the 2023 Met Gala (Photo: Getty Images)
Doja Cat pulled out all the stops at last year’s Met Gala with a beauty look that incorporated animal-like prosthetics. She celebrated Karl Lagerfeld’s legacy by making a literal reference to his beloved cat, Choupette.
Bella Hadid in 2019 (Celebrating Camp: Notes on Fashion)

Above Bella Hadid at the 2019 Met Gala (Photo: Getty Images)
Bella Hadid loves to make a retro style reference, and this short crop paired with cool-toned make-up harks back to the 90s supermodel era.
Emilia Clarke in 2018 (Heavenly Bodies: Fashion & The Catholic Imagination)

Above Emilia Clarke at the 2018 Met Gala (Photo: Getty Images)
The contrast of bubblegum pink blush, wine red lips and bleach blonde hair against the black and gold of her dress worked unexpectedly well.
Rihanna in 2015 (China: Through the Looking Glass)

Above Rihanna at the 2015 Met Gala (Photo: Getty Images)
This was a down-right royal look for Rihanna—from the flicked red bob to the straight eyebrows, she looked utterly regal from head to toe.
Gigi Hadid in 2018 (Heavenly Bodies: Fashion & The Catholic Imagination)

Above Gigi Hadid at the 2018 Met Gala (Photo: Getty Images)
A favourite to watch for at the Met Gala in recent years, Gigi Hadid pulls out meticulous looks that are a masterclass in marrying hair, make-up and outfit seamlessly. To complement this exquisite Versace creation, Hadid opted for make-up that was glowing yet simple; alluring yet heavenly. Perfection.
Deepika Padukone in 2019 (Celebrating Camp: Notes on Fashion)

Above Deepika Padukone at the 2019 Met Gala (Photo: Getty Images)
This Barbie-gone-vamp make-up and extra big hair fit the brief to celebrate camp at the 2019 Met Gala flawlessly.
Maisie Williams in 2021 (In America: A Lexicon Of Fashion)

Above Maisie Williams at the 2021 Met Gala (Photo: Getty Images)
Maisie Williams’s architectural hairdo, bleached eyebrows and darkly dangerous make-up look that would make even Morticia Addams proud elevated her ensemble, and was modern yet elegant.
Lady Gaga in 2019 (Celebrating Camp: Notes on Fashion)

Above Lady Gaga at the 2019 Met Gala (Photo: Getty Images)
Undisputed icon of the LGBTQ+ community who are the masters of camp, Lady Gaga took notes from looks she popularised early on in her career—bleach blonde bow hair and exaggerated eye make-up—and pumped it up several hundred notches for the Met Gala red carpet. To top it off, she turned her entrance into a performance that was more than 15 minutes long. So camp.
Gemma Chan in 2021 (In America: A Lexicon Of Fashion)

Above Gemma Chan at the 2021 Met Gala (Photo: Getty Images)
Gemma Chan paid tribute to American Chinese actress Anna May Wong, with her striking eyeliner and a modern interpretation of a severe up do with a blunt fringe, for the 2021 Met Gala. This sleek and elegant look was more than just stunning, it reminded everyone that Asian Americans have, and have always had, a place in American culture.
Zendaya in 2016 (Manus x Machina: Fashion In An Age Of Technology)

Above Zendaya at the 2016 Met Gala (Photo: Getty Images)
While most remember Zendaya’s Joan of Arc look in 2018 or her Cinderella look in 2019, we look to her 2016 futuristic bob that perfectly framed her gorgeous bronze make-up for a reminder of how flawless this multi-talented artist is on every red carpet she graces.
Quannah Chasinghorse in 2022 (In America: An Anthology of Fashion)

Above Quannah Chasinghorse at the 2022 Met Gala (Photo: Getty Images)
Quannah Chasinghorse celebrated her Indigenous American heritage at the second instalment of the In America: An Anthology of Fashion theme, wearing intricate braids and feathers in her hair to remind us that beauty isn’t limited to the looks most often seen on the pages of fashion magazines or runways.
Priyanka Chopra Jonas in 2018 (Heavenly Bodies: Fashion & The Catholic Imagination)

Above Priyanka Chopra Jonas at the 2018 Met Gala (Photo: Getty Images)
Priyanka Chopra Jonas personified heavenly with her wavy, romantic up do, and paired it with a glamorous bronze and wine-toned make-up look that married the shades of her headpiece and gown.
Conan Gray in 2022 (In America: A Lexicon Of Fashion)

Above Conan Gray at the 2022 Met Gala (Photo: Getty Images)
Singer Conan Gray made his Met Gala debut last year and faced the cameras with a soft pink make-up look that was strong but ethereal. It was a simple look but it allowed his sheer silver and curly locks to shine.
Lupita Nyong’o in 2021 (In America: A Lexicon Of Fashion)

Above Lupita Nyong'o at the 2021 Met Gala (Photo: Getty Images)
The artfully sculpted afro—by her master hairstylist, Vernon François—that Lupita Nyong’o sported to the 2021 Met Gala not only accentuated the asymmetry of her gown, but also drew the eye to her bold and playful navy and gold make-up look.
Billy Porter in 2019 (Celebrating Camp: Notes on Fashion)

Above Billy Porter at the 2019 Met Gala (Photo: Getty Images)
Billy Porter is known for his style and theatrics, but he literally shone on the 2019 Met Gala red carpet with his bedazzled gold make-up look, complete with gold brushed lips and a solid gold manicure, which made it seem like his ensemble and make-up flowed seamlessly into each other.
Billie Eilish in 2021 (In America: A Lexicon Of Fashion)

Above Billie Eilish at the 2021 Met Gala (Photo: Getty Images)
Billie Eilish, best known for her oversized streetwear style and often brightly coloured hair, surprised us all with her take on Old Hollywood glamour á la Marilyn Monroe as co-host of the event. She looked angelic yet mysterious with her bleached blonde bob, winged liner and rose petal lips.
Lily Aldridge in 2017 (Rei Kawakubo/Comme des Garcons: Art Of The In-Between)

Above Lily Aldridge at the 2017 Met Gala (Photo: Getty Images)
In 2017, model Lily Alridge demonstrated how to do a minimalistic beauty look effortlessly: her glowy skin and bold brows were all that was needed under the whisper of hot pink mesh across her face.
CL in 2021 (In America: A Lexicon Of Fashion)

Above CL at the 2021 Met Gala (Photo: Getty Images)
CL paid homage to her Korean heritage with an intricately pleated updo and heavy eyeliner that accentuated her features, and echoed the silhouette of her denim gown that was inspired by a traditional Korean hanbok.
Cara Delevigne in 2018 (Heavenly Bodies: Fashion & The Catholic Imagination)

Above Cara Delevigne at the 2018 Met Gala (Photo: Getty Images)
Model Cara Delevingne countered a black headdress that obscured most of her face with plenty of gold shimmer, a bold lip and strong rouge in her make-up look, and topped it all with pink hair that was as fun and irreverent as Delevingne herself.
Eugene Lee Yang in 2021 (In America: A Lexicon Of Fashion)

Above Eugene Lee Yang at the 2021 Met Gala (Photo: Getty Images)
Queer and Asian American advocate, YouTube personality and one-fou... one-third of the Try Guys, Eugene Lee Yang wore a semi-draped eyeshadow and blush look in an aggressively bold shade to match his red leather heels, and added a twist with a unique half-lined lip to balance out his asymmetrical quiff.
Jennifer Lopez in 2021 (In America: A Lexicon Of Fashion)

Above Jennifer Lopez at the 2021 Met Gala (Photo: Getty Images)
JLo’s ode to Cher in this extravagant crystal “hair” head piece literally glittered on the red carpet, and its pale hue allowed her strong 70s-meets-00s make-up look, with its bold, dark eye and extra-nude lip, to shine just as much as the rest of her ensemble does.
Fredrik Robertsson in 2022 (In America: A Lexicon Of Fashion)

Above Fredrik Robertsson at the 2022 Met Gala (Photo: Getty Images)
Swedish fashion influencer Fredrik Robertson continued the alien and ethereal elements of his Iris van Herpen ensemble in his make-up with a black and white ombre look framed with pearls.
Topics





