The Met Gala has been bringing us incredible sartorial inspiration—not to mention the best-ever makeup looks at the Met Gala— for close to 70 years now, making for some very memorable red carpet moments.
Each year on the first Monday in May, guests arrive at The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York dressed in line with the theme of that year’s Costume Institute exhibition. And, every year we witness some of the best red carpet looks of the year, not to mention some of the most out-there hairstyles and on-trend makeup looks.
Over the years, the celebrity attendees have showcased everything from classic red carpet makeup ensembles to seriously creative interpretations of that year’s brief. Here are the most memorable makeup looks from throughout the years.
32 of the best ever makeup looks at the Met Gala
1. Janelle Monáe's monochromatic dual liner and red lip
Dual liner in a classic black and white pairing is an eye-catching look, further enhanced when paired with a bold red lip, seen on Janelle Monáe at the 2023 Met Gala—the theme of which was "Karl Lagerfeld: A Line of Beauty".
RRP: £24 | Fenty Beauty's long-wearing Stunna Lip Paint in Uncensored promises to be a red that suits everybody. The formula is ultra fluid but richly pigmented and creates a nice defined edge – but double with lip liner for a really crisp line.
RRP: £21 | One of the best long-wearing liquid eyeliners, the felt tip of KVD Beauty's Tattoo Liner pen offers great precision for creating a sharp wing.
RRP: £20 | A white pencil with good colour payoff is important for ensuring that your second line really stands out. MAC's range of Colour Excess Gel Pencils are excellent on this front – the formula is easy to apply and lasts well.
2. Lady Gaga's embellished lashes and hot pink lip
This was one of the most memorable Met Gala looks of all time, seen at 2019's "Camp: Notes on Fashion". Lady Gaga had multiple outfit changes on the red carpet and, when she removed her oversized sunglasses, revealed these incredibly detailed statement lashes, complete with graphic liner and a fuchsia lip to match her dress.
3. Priyanka Chopra's glittery gold eyes and dark red lip
We love it when the make-up pulls together an outfit, and Priyanka Chopra’s gold eyeshadow and dark red lip perfectly matched hers at the 2018 event—which had one of the most memorable Met Gala themes, “Heavenly Bodies: Fashion and the Catholic Imagination”.
4. Rihanna's red wine lips and purple shadow
Rihanna has had so many incredible makeup moments on the Met Gala red carpet (her ultra-blushed look from 2017 was another highlight). But this dark lip paired with pastel purple shadow for the 2021 gala was a really eye-catching combination.
5. Lily Collins's brown smokey eye and red lip
Looking like she's stepped straight out of Old Hollywood with a vintage vibe to her overall look, Lily Collins opted for a classic red lip paired with a rich brown smokey eye for the 2023 Gala. A simple makeup look that injects a bit of glamour into any look.
6. Gigi Hadid's standout white lashes
An epic memorable beauty moment from the 2019 Met Gala, Gigi Hadid’s makeup artist Erin Parsons revealed on Instagram that she created this standout look by applying individual white feathers to the supermodel’s lashes, paired with a muted brown-pink lip.
7. Naomi Campbell's winged liner
A classic winged eyeliner is and has been worn for hundreds of years – but more recently it's become an absolute staple of the red carpet. Iconic supermodel Naomi Campbell wore the classic look for the 2011 Met Gala, the theme of which was "Alexander McQueen: Savage Beauty". One of our favourite black eyeliner looks from the event; it's timeless and impactful.
8. Emma Stone's bejewelled liner
This is a really striking take on winged liner, worn by Emma Stone to the 2019 gala. Her make-up artist Rachel Goodwin shared on Instagram that she created the bejewelled look with Swarovski crystals and blue mascara and liner for a truly eye-catching.
9. Lupita Nyong'o's statement glitter and dark glossy lips
This look on Lupita Nyong'o is such a memorable make-up look from the Met Gala red carpet, worn to the 2019 event, featuring dark glossy lips and layers of glitter taken all the way up to her brows. It's proof that at this event, more is definitely more.
10. Doja Cat's Choupette the cat look
In a move that truly nailed the brief – and went down as one of the most memorable beauty looks in Met Gala history – Doja Cat attended the 2023 event, which was inspired by the late fashion designer, as Karl Lagerfeld’s cat, Choupette.
11. Zendaya's pastel blue eyeshadow
Another super memorable creation seen on the Met Gala red carpet was Zendaya’s Cinderella-inspired look from the 2019 event. The star’s makeup made for a truly cohesive ensemble, with pink highlighter and pastel blue eyeshadow to match her ball gown.
12. Kerry Washington's sparkly eyes and a soft pink lip
Sparkles are a great decision for any party and are a mainstay of the red carpet, as are metallic shades. Kerry Washington's look for the 2018 Met Gala featured a slightly coppery gold sparkly eye paired with a soft pink lip.
13. SJP's copper eyes and glossy lip
A great example of why copper eyeshadow is always an excellent choice, this metallic and smokey make-up look was seen on Sarah Jessica Parker at the 2010 Met Gala – for which the theme was “American Woman: Fashioning a National Identity”.
14. Kate Hudson's brown smokey eye
A brown smokey eye still packs intensity and makes for a really classic make-up look that's a great choice for an evening event – much like this look that Kate Hudson wore to the 2017 gala, "Rei Kawakubo/Comme des Garcons: Art Of The In-Between".
15. J Lo's extra long lashes
Jennifer Lopez is another star who has been on many a Met Gal red carpet and it was difficult to settle on a favourite look. However, her ultra-long, feathery and fluttery lashes were a super glam moment at the 2018 event - and one we won't forget.
16. Blake Lively's shimmery eyes
Blake Lively has been on many a Met Gala red carpet in her time, but this soft sparkly look is one of our favourites. It’s a winning look because of the way the shimmery tones used in her makeup pair perfectly with her accessories.
17. Scarlett Johansson's frosted burgundy eyeshadow
Scarlett Johansson's burgundy eyeshadow look, worn to the 2018 gala, also features a frosted shade for that extra bit of sheen and picks out the colours of her gown to pull the whole look together.
18. Kristen Stewart's pop-art silver eyeshadow
Kristen Stewart knows how to work a grungey make-up look and her ensemble for the 2016 Met Gala was no exception. Her smudgy liner was paired with geometric silver eyeshadow were a real statement, making for a truly standout creation.
19. Gemma Chan's warm green eyeshadow
This colour of eyeshadow looks nothing short of incredible on Gemma Chan, who paired the warm green shade with darker emerald green liner, a contrasting magenta lip and super glowy skin for her look on the 2021 Met Gala red carpet.
20. Reese Witherspoon's bold pink lips
A bright and bold shade of lipstick makes a real statement as the main feature of any make-up look, much like this hot pink colour seen on Reese Witherspoon back at the 2014 Met Gala, the theme of which was "Charles James: Beyond Fashion".
21. Iman's ultra smokey eye
This gorgeous look was seen on supermodel Iman at the 2021 Met Gala, pairing an intense and dramatic smokey eye with bronzed and glowy cheeks. The shades used in her make-up really complemented the metallic and jewel tones of her accessories.
22. Serena Williams's lavender tones
Serena Williams is another regular on the Met Gala red carpet and this one from 2021 is of our favourite looks of hers, featuring soft and muted purple on both the lips and lids as well as liquid liner to make her eyes pop.
23. Beyonce's dark green eyeshadow
This bold dark green shade of eyeshadow was the perfect contrast to Beyoncé’s peach gown worn to the 2016 Met Gala. To let the statement eye stand out, the rest of her make-up was kept understated with a little blush and a neutral lip.
24. Claire Danes's smudgy liner
Claire Danes is another star who has attended many Met Galas in her time and this make-up look worn for the 2017 event was quite a grungey and lived in one – complete with smudgy dark liner and a barely there lip.
25. Taylor Swift's deep dark red lips
This make-up look seen on Taylor Swift at the 2016 Met Gala was an incredibly striking one thanks to the ultra dark rouge noir lip. For maximum impact, the rest of her look was quite pared back with subtle sparkles on the eyes and just a little mascara.
26. Sandra Bullock's glossy pink lip
To us, this make-up on Sandra Bullock feels like a classic 00s red carpet look – more specifically, 2007, when the Met Gala theme was “Poiret: King of Fashion”. The sheeny pink lip and sparkly eyes feel very Miss Congeniality.
27. Salma Hayek's orange-red lip and a smokey eye
This look seen on Salma Hayek on the Met Gala red carpet back in 2019 is both bold and glamorous. The star paired a bright and warm orange-toned red lipstick with a classic smokey eye and fluterry lashes for maximum impact.
28. Anne Hathaway's pop of glitter
For the 2018 Met Gala red carpet, Anne Hathaway opted for quite classic make-up to go with her statement hair accessory with one twist – a pop of shimmery and glittery eyeshadow in the middle of the lower lash line to really accentuate her eyes.
29. Mindy Kaling's soft magenta eyes and frosted lips
Another brilliant case for the versatility of the purple palette, we love how the shades of Mindy Kaling's make-up perfectly match her dress here. The star opted for mega fluttery lashes, warm magenta eyeshadow and a frosted lip for the 2022 gala.
30. Cindy Crawford's smokey eye and pink lip
Another strong case for why a smokey eye is a classic on the red carpet, supermodel Cindy Crawford paired hers with a pale pink lip at the 2016 Met Gala, which was themed "Manus x Machina: Fashion In An Age Of Technology".
31. Michelle Yeoh's flicked liner
You can’t go wrong with a flick of eyeliner, which is why it’s such a popular choice among celebrities for red carpet events. Michelle Yeoh’s make-up looks gorgeous here at the 2023 gala, pairing her liner with a flush of blusher and lip gloss.
32. Julia Roberts's glowy cheeks
This look seen on Julia Roberts feels like classic 2000s Hollywood. The star opted for glowy cheeks, pink lipstick and sparkly eyes for the 2008 Met Gala whose theme was “Superheroes: Fashion and Fantasy”.
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