(Red Carpet)

All Of The Standout Makeup, Hair, & Nail Moments From The 2025 Met Gala

The most stylish (and glamorous) Monday of the year.

by Erin Lukas
Updated: 
Originally Published: 
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2025 Met Gala Best Beauty Looks

It would be logical to assume the Oscars red carpet is the most fashionable night of the year, but it’s actually a sartorial warm up for the Met Gala. On the first Monday in May, the themed annual fundraising event has the biggest actors, musicians, models, and fashion designers stepping out (and up a now-iconic staircase) in custom, fresh-off-the-runway and archival Haute Couture to celebrate the Museum of Metropolitan Art Costume Institute’s latest exhibition. Inspired by the Spring 2025 show titled “Superfine: Tailoring Black Style,” this year’s dress code is “Tailored For You,” which Vogue says a “is a nod to the exhibition’s focus on menswear and is ‘purposefully designed to provide guidance and invite creative interpretation.” Naturally, the blue carpet is full of pristine tailoring and menswear-inspired outfits that pay homage to Black dandyism, and the 2025 best Met Gala beauty looks follow suit.

One of the first celebrities to set the tone for the night is Teyana Taylor who wore an extra-long durag with laid swirls of hair peeking out at the sides. Singer Coco Jones also brought the drama with a floor-length slick braid. And that’s just a few of the beauty highlights from the stylish event.

Ahead, see all of the standout hair and makeup moments from the 2025 Met Gala red carpet.

Rihanna

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Rihanna’s makeup artist Priscilla Ono enhanced the star’s natural pregnancy glow with a full lineup of Fenty Beauty, including the Fenty Cheeks Suede Powder Blush in Lolly Poppy. Her hairstylist Yusef Williams gave her a long braid that was tucked under her had, opting for a sleek finish with True Hair Co. and Fenty Hair’s The Controlling Type Hair-Thickening Edge Control Gel.

Tyla

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Tyla channeled Old Hollywood icons with her nude smoky eye created by Dame Pat McGrath using her brand’s Mothership I and XII eyeshadow palettes. Her freshly honey blonde curly pixie by Yusef using OGX products further brought the vintage beauty inspiration to life.

Tracee Ellis Ross

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“Tracee's look personifies the 'Super FINE 70s' – a mix of Harlem & Parisian styles. It's all about flamboyance mixed with sexy elegance, joyful confidence, strength and vibrancy,” makeup artist Romy Soleimani said of the star’s look in a statement. She achieved Ross’ extra fluttery lashes with a few swipes of L’Oréal Paris’ Paradise Big Deal Mascara and her radiant glow with the Lumi Le Glass Highlighter in Glassy Pearl. With Black Dandyism in mind, hairstylist Chuck Amos pulled the actor’s curls into a low bun with the help of Pattern Beauty products. The style perfectly complimented her pink hat.

Charli XCX

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Following the deconstruction of her “Brat” green curtain during the last four nights of her sold-out tour, the singer went with a “raw, gothic” makeup for the Met Gala. Using Valentino Beauty, makeup artist Yasmin Instanbouli gave her muted skin paired with a nude glossy lip care of Spike Valentino Lipstick in Couture on the Streets and Puffer Gloss in Warm It Up. Given the complexion-centric look, Instanbouli took extra care when prepping the singer’s skin, turning to a suite of gentle yet hydrating Cetaphil products. Playing off the feathered texture of Charli’s Ann Demeulemeester set, hairstylist Matt Benns gave her “unpolished” half-up wavy style, which he achieved using WavyTalk tools and TESemmé’s A-List Collection Dry Texturizing Spray.

Doja Cat

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The singer’s bold makeup pairing was inspired by the ‘40s and ‘50s. “For Doja’s look, we wanted to channel the surreal elegance of a hand-drawn sketch — something both animated and architectural,” Dame Pat McGrath said in a statement. She sculpted the wing liner with the PermaPrecision Liquid Eyeliner from her makeup line, and paired it with pastel lids using Mothership XII: Petalmorphosis eyeshadow palette. Vernon François played with texture for the singer’s hairstyle, turning to Olaplex to help achieve the look.

Kim Kardashian

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Underneath Kardashian’s custom leather Chrome Hearts fedora are soft and bouncy cascading waves that hairstylist Chris Appleton achieved with Shark Beauty’s Flex Fusion styler and set with Color Wow’s Texas Hold ‘Em Big Hold Hairspray. You’ll also see a hint of her softly sculpted cheeks, which Mario Dedivanovic added a pop of color to with his Soft Pop Plumping Blush Veil and Soft Pop Plumping Powder Blush.

Keke Palmer

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Palmer styled her of-the-moment copper hair in micro cornrows at the front and straight hair in the back. She kept her color extra vibrant by treating it with Creme of Nature’s Argan Oil from Morocco collection. Makeup artist Kenya Alexis gave her a radiant glow with Revlon makeup, including the ColorStay Face + Body Glow Lotion.

Chappell Roan

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Roan’s brushed-out crimson curls and colorful makeup were a nod to spirit of ‘70s disco and its icons such as Superfly and Sylvester. Dame Pat McGrath built the eye with a handful of products from her line, including the Mothership XII: Petalmorphosis eyeshadow palette, Luminous Legends Mega Eye Shadow Palette, and Perma Precision Liquid Eyeliner.

Ayo Edebiri

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“For the day of, we chose a sleek, sculpted look that felt regal and refined — something that complemented the structure of her gown while also nodding to her Nigerian heritage,” hairstylist Jacob Aaron said of the updo he gave Edebiri. To mold and set the kiss curls that accented the look, he used OGX’s Touchable Hold Gel. The actor’s graphic double eyeliner was done by makeup artist Dee Carrion using Dior Beauty’s Diorshow Liquid Liner and Diorshow Overvolume Mascara.

Serena Williams

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The tennis star’s gilded finger-waved bob and baby blue eyeshadow stood out on the blue carpet.

Sabrina Carpenter

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The Prada Beauty ambassador went for a full monochromatic look that matched her chocolate brown Louis Vuitton outfit. Ahead of giving Carpenter her cool floating eyeliner and contoured lip, makeup artist Carolina Gonzalez prepped the singer’s skin with PONDS Fresh Hydration Moisturizer. Meanwhile, her hair was styled in her now-signature voluminous wavy blowout by Evanie Frausto using Redken products and the L’Oréal Professionnel AirLight Pro Dryer.

Cynthia Erivo

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The Wicked press tour might be over, but Erivo is continuing her streak of dramatic nail art at the Met Gala with a Rococo-inspired set by Mycah Dior using OPI. This reference also influenced makeup artist Joanna Simkin, who added a heart reminiscent of the era on the actor’s cheek. Before hand-drawing the detail with Clinique’s High Impact Easy Liquid Eyeliner in Black, she perfected Erivo’s base with the brand’s Acne Solutions Liquid Makeup.

Sha’Carri Richardson

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Richardson’s regal, ethereal glam consisted of extra-long waves adorned with bows, matching soft lavender eyeshadow, and glowing skin. The latter was achieved my makeup artist Kharisma Pari using Valentino Beauty’s Very Valentino Light Lasting Perfecting Foundation and Very Valentino Concealer. And of course, the track star had an elaborate 3D set adorned with jewels and bows.

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The model’s smudgy tightlined eyes, minimal base makeup, and undone waves brought a little off-duty style to the Met Gala. Her makeup artist Hung Vanngo achieved the edgy eye makeup with Estée Lauder’s Smoke and Brighten Kajal Eyeliner Duo and used the Double WearStay-in-Place 24-Hour Concealer to perfect her complexion.

Kerry Washington

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Washington’s waist-length bubble ponytail the perfect pairing for her wide-brimmed hat. Ahead of her Met Gala glam session, her skin was prepped by Billie Gene using a suite of Abé & Mason skin care to ensure she had a smooth, glowing base for makeup.

Miley Cyrus

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Cyrus’ sleek and understated Alaia look called for an equally refined hairstyle, so Bob Recine turned to Nexxus’ Slick Stick and Epic Shine Anti-Humidity Spray to give her braid an extra smooth finish. While doing the actual plait, he added some Great Lengths Essenza and Aria Tape-In Extensions into the mix for extra length and body. Following the minimalist theme, makeup artist James Kaliadros created a natural, subtly contoured look that enhanced her features. His go-to products included Maybelline’s Lifter Stix Multi-Use Face Stick and Lifter Gloss.

Lupita Nyong’o

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Bedazzled brows are the new statement brows, according to Nyong’o’s rock and roll, Little Richard-inspired makeup. Her artist Nick Barose used Chanel’s Stylo Sourcils Haute Précision Microfine Defining Eyebrow Pencil in Ébène to create the straight-across shape, and set them in place with Le Gel Sourcils Longwear Eyebrow Gel in Transparent before adding the jewels. To compliment her wide-brimmed hat, hairstylist Vernon François gave her an intricate, structured braid with Olaplex products.

Dua Lipa

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The singer is one of many celebrities who incorporated kiss curls into their hairstyles for the night. Makeup artist Katie Jane Hughes matched the high-gloss finish of her hair with a pretty shimmery eye made with YSL Beauty products.

Doechii

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It might be her first Met Gala, but as part of the event’s hosting committee, the rapper fully leaned into the theme. She paired her logo-mania Louis Vuitton set with the designer’s initials stamped on her cheek, a glossy rich brown lip, and a fluffy Afro.

Zendaya

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Peeking out from underneath Zendaya’s Bianca Jagger-inspired wide brimmed hat is the perfect ‘90s nude lip. To create the retro look, makeup artist Ernesto Casillas chose Charlotte Tilbury’s Lip Cheat Contour Duo in Tan and Big Lip Plumpgasm in Nudegasm Diamonds as the actor’s lip combo. Meanwhile, hairstylist Ursula Stephen pulled her hair into a low sleek bun with SheaMoisture’s Bonding Oil and ghd styling tools.

Megan Thee Stallion

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The rapper’s voluminous tiered ponytail was a reference to style and music icon Josephine Baker. In a statement about the updo, hairstylist Kellon Deryck said he used “Tangle Teezer’s Ultimate Detangler Chrome to tease Megan’s deep-wave ponytail and smooth it. Her look was inspired by Josephine Baker. Strong and powerful, this hair is going to be the talk of the event!” He also used T3’s Singlepass Curling Iron while styling the pony. In addition to the extra sparkle adorning her ponytail, she took the glamour level up a few more notches with pointy silver glitter nails. For makeup, Diana Shin reached for Charlotte Tilbury products to create Meg’s glowing complexion and glossy lip.

Simone Biles

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Biles’ sculptural high-shine flipped-out lob was styled by Brenton Diallo with Josephine Baker’s iconic bang swirl in mind. The stylist achieved the extra glossy finish by running K18’s Molecular Hair Repair Oil over the final result, which helped “helped marry the texture of her hair and the baby hair swirl we added that was gelled to her forehead,” he said in a statement. The gymnast’s makeup was centered around bold eyes, which makeup artist Ashley Stewart created with Benefit Cosmetics and topped off with a set of Lily Lashes faux lashes. Her skin was glowing from head to toe, thanks to skin prep with Murad products.

Pamela Anderson

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Anderson is one of many celebrities whose glam team had ‘20s references on their Met Gala beauty mood boards. Her flapper-like blunt bob and choppy baby bangs by Lacy Redway had a slight wave to it. For makeup, she stayed true to her less-is-more approach with glowing skin and a touch of lip gloss.

Quinta Brunson

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All of Brunson’s previous kiss curl red carpet moments feel like they’ve been leading up to this sleek Josephine Baker-inspired moment by hairstylist Karen Miller. She used tgin products and Dyson tools to perfect the look.

Lana Del Rey

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After debuting her “brown sugar brunette” hair color by Schwarzkopf Professional’s U.S. Creative Director of Color & Technique, Tracey Cunningham, at Stagecoach, the singer styled it in ‘50s pin curls at the Met Gala.

Gabrielle Union

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The jumbo white florals in Union’s updo matched the ones on her gown, but the blooms are also a nod to jazz icon Billie Holiday. Her soft smoky eye and fluttery lashes added even more romance to her look. Makeup artist Sam Fine achieved the look with Prada Beauty, including the Pradascope Lash Lifting & Lengthening Mascara, and I-ENVY Classic Timeless Wispy Lashes. Union’s go-to hairstylist Larry Sims styled the star’s updo with FHI Heat tools.

Gigi Hadid

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Wearing a gilded Miu Miu gown inspired by ‘40s designer Zelda Wynn Valdes, Hadid’s hairstylist Dimitris Giannetos turned to the popular hairstyles of the decade when creating the model’s look, which featured large victory rolls at the crown of her head.

Zoe Saldaña

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There’s no better setting than the Met Gala steps to debut a dramatic hair transformation, and that’s exactly what the Oscar Winner did. Saldaña’s stylist Mara Roszak styled the actor’s new bob and choppy bangs super sleek with products from her hair care line, RÕZ and tools from Olivia Garden. Makeup artist Vera Steimberg kept the focus on the actor’s gorgeous skin, prepping it with Aquaphor, then perfecting her complexion with Hourglass’ Vanish Airbrush Concealer and Veil Hydrating Skin Tint for a natural finish.

Nicole Kidman

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It wouldn’t be the Met Gala without a faux bob moment (or two). Kidman’s came courtesy of her go-to hairstylist Adir Abergel, who used Virtue Labs, Denman Brushes, and Kristin Ess tools to nail the style. The actor’s fresh, glowing complexion perfected by makeup artist Gucci Westman rounded out her look. She sculpted and added a rosy glow to her skin with her brand’s Powder Duo in Tulle/Truffle.

Venus Williams

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Williams paid homage to tennis with her look, from her custom Lacoste separates to her adorned braids and contoured lip. Before cornrowing her hair, Araxi Lindsey washed it with Matrix’s Curl Can Dream Shampoo and Conditioner, then used Eco Style styling products while creating the braids. Makeup artist Karina Milan prepped her skin with Dior skin care and used Bobbi Brown to create her ‘90s makeup, including the Lux Matte Lipstick and Lip Liner.

Janelle Monáe

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A master in Dandy dressing, Monáe looked timeless in her Thom Browne x Paul Tazewell suit complete with a theatrical eyepiece. Since the attention was on her eyes, makeup artist Keita Moore enhanced her lashes with Milk Makeup’s KUSH High Roll Mascara, and prepped her skin with Olay’s Super Cream SPF 30 for a smooth, radiant base. Hairstylist Nikki Nelms prepped her hair with Danger Jones color and treated it with strengthening Olaplex products before giving her brands with white yarn stitched into the hair.

Coco Jones

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Bringing even more drama to the Met’s blue carpet, the singer’s floor-length sleek braid was somehow longer than the average CVS receipt.

Teyana Taylor

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Taylor set the tone for the night with her floor-length oxblood durag, which had swirled edges peeking out from the sides. Hairstylist Lateafa Alvaranga turned to SheaMoisture’s Strong Hold Gel for shiny, moisturized waves with hold.

Sydney Sweeney

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The Euphoria star oozed ‘20s glamour with her kohl-lined eyes and sleek twisted bun complete with two modern finger waves along her hairline. Her makeup artist Melissa Hernandez had her kit stocked with Armani Beauty makeup and Laneige skin care, while hairstylist Glen Oropoza styled her updo with Kérastase products, Wavytalk tools, and the FHI Heat UNbrush. Leading up to the Met, Guy Cory gave the actor a spray tan, while Hernandez used Vita Liberata day of for an added glow.

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