8 Met Gala hair and makeup looks that truly belong in a museum
Beauty has always been integral to the Met Gala—never an afterthought but a bold visual thesis in its own right. From sculptural hairpieces to experimental eyeliner, beauty looks often carry the weight of the night’s theme more deftly than the gowns. Over the years, the Met Gala has served not just as fashion’s biggest stage but also as a global gallery of make-up as performance, protest and pure spectacle.
Here are some of the most museum-worthy beauty moments that defined their era and turned the Met Gala red carpet into a living archive of creativity.
Also read: Met Gala 2025: When superfine tailoring met superfine jewels
Cher (1974): The original glow
Long before “dewy skin” entered the mainstream, Cher arrived at the Met Gala looking like a celestial being. With sleek raven hair, frosted lids and that now-iconic Bob Mackie naked dress, she embodied disco-era futurism. Her beauty look? Minimal by today’s standards but revolutionary then—a face that shimmered under flashbulbs like a Studio 54 mirrorball.
Billie Eilish (2021): Blonde bombshell reminagined
In a pale peach Oscar de la Renta gown and platinum blonde waves, Billie Eilish channelled Marilyn Monroe with a twist. Her beauty look—brushed-up brows, soft lashes and a satin pink lip—signalled a dramatic departure from her signature grunge aesthetic. It was a deliberate, almost cinematic transformation that honoured the night’s “In America: A Lexicon of Fashion” theme without resorting to cliché. Elegance, but make it subversive.
Lupita Nyong’o (2016): Sculptural hair art
Lupita Nyong'o attends the ‘Manus x Machina: Fashion In An Age Of Technology’ Costume Institute Gala at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. (Photo by Dimitrios Kambouris / Getty Images)
Nyong’o’s towering hair—crafted by Vernon François—nodded to both African tradition and vintage showgirls. It was more than a hairstyle; it was a cultural statement built with precision and pride. Her emerald eye make-up played off her Calvin Klein gown, creating a cohesive story that elevated the Met Gala red carpet to fine art.
Rihanna (2015): Imperial drama
Clad in Guo Pei’s imperial yellow robe, Rihanna matched the scale of her dress with gilded make-up and a dramatic brow. Her bronzed complexion glowed against her matte red lip, delivering a regal fantasy that honoured the theme, “China: Through the Looking Glass”, without veering into caricature. It was a masterclass in cultural sensitivity and star power.
Zendaya (2018): Joan of Arc, but make it beauty
Her chainmail Versace gown was unforgettable, but it was the auburn bob and metallic make-up that truly sealed Zendaya’s transformation. Smoky lids gave her a warpaint edge, while sculpted cheekbones recalled both saint and warrior. In a sea of predictable glam, she wielded beauty as narrative weaponry.
Billy Porter (2019): Golden deity
Billy Porter attends The 2019 Met Gala ‘Celebrating Camp: Notes on Fashion’ at Metropolitan Museum of Art. (Photo by John Lamparski / Getty Images)
Flanked by six shirtless attendants, Porter descended on the Met Gala carpet like a sun god. His face was adorned with gold leaf accents, winged liner and lashes that rivalled Cleopatra’s. The look and the entrance were pure theatre, and the stuff of Met Gala stories to come.
Erykah Badu (2014): Afro-futurist cool
Wearing a wide-brimmed hat and glowing skin, Eryka Badu brought restrained yet radical energy to the “Charles James: Beyond Fashion” theme. Her dark liner and bold lip anchored an otherwise stripped-down palette. Badu’s beauty philosophy has always leaned anti-trend, and at the Met Gala, it read as both defiant and deeply curated.
Lady Gaga (2019): Performance in layers
Arriving in multiple Brandon Maxwell ensembles, Gaga turned the Met Gala into live theatre. Her beauty look had to keep up: platinum waves, doll-like lashes and a pink lip that echoed camp Barbie. Even as she stripped down to lingerie, the make-up stayed pristine, reminding us that transformation isn’t just costume—it’s cosmetic storytelling.
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