Met Gala beauty: The most incredible looks of 2022
Met Gala beauty looks are iconic for a reason. Unlike awards season (which celebrates the best in film and music), when it comes to the Met ball red carpet, the looks are the main event. And guests are actively encouraged to be as ostentatious, fabulous and OTT as humanly possible.
The annual fundraiser for the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Costume Institute is a celebration of fashion and – by extension – beauty. It’s held every year to mark the opening of a new fashion exhibition, which sets the theme for the night. This year’s theme, In America: An Anthology of Fashion, centred on tenets of American style and its unsung heroes. The dress code was Gilded Glamour and White Tie, so guests nodded back to the gilded age of the late 19th century with ball gowns, tiaras and extravagant updos.
Technically speaking, during the 1880's, obvious makeup was considered vulgar and reserved only for stage actors and prostitutes, but unsurprisngly, many of the modern interpretations on the red carpet would have ruffled some feathers and subverted those rules big time.
Just take Vanessa Hudgens’ ensemble for example. The actress was one of the first to arrive for her hosting job interviewing stars on the red carpet this year. She accessorised an intricate updo with a dainty silver chain and lavish silver jewellery alongside a prim high-neck gown that was scandalously sheer, showing off black lacy knickers.
Janelle Monae gave us her rendition of what gilded glamour would look like in the future with an embellished headpiece, other-wordly fresh skin and a red lip. Naomi Campbell took gilded glamour very literally, decorating her complexion with lavish gemstones (is there any other way to do it?). Billie Eilish recreated an elegant 1880's ball gown with upcycled fabric… then paired it with a faux mohawk. And Blake Lively served up waist-length waves and a slim braid around her crown to prop up her copper and blue tiara, matched to her dress (which changed colour half-way up the red carpet).
For a night that's all about celebrating beauty at it's best and most experimental, 2022's met ball red carpet didn't disappoint.
See the best Met Gala beauty looks below…
Theo WargoBlake Lively
We can count on Blake to nail the brief. She gave us modern mermaid waves, with a teensy Gilded Age braid along her crown to nestle her copper and blue tiara into. She revealed the colour scheme was intentional, and inspired by the Statue of Liberty and other New York buildings, whose copper facades have oxidised to blue. Her tiara even features 25 gems to match the amount of windows in the tiara of the Statue of Liberty. She finished off the look with matching earrings and fresh, rosy makeup.
Theo WargoJanelle Monae
Janelle let slip that her reference for the evening was “gilded glamour from the future”. She served up Gatsby-glam made modern with a bejewelled headpiece, futuristically fresh skin and bright red lips.
Kevin Mazur/MG22HoYeon Jung
HoYeon's rendition of gilded glamour featured delicately freshed barefaced-but-better skin and a dainty updo, made modern with a snatched crown and centre parting.
Jamie McCarthyKaia Gerber
Kaia looked like a Botticelli painting with waist-length curls, embellished with cute face-framing hair accessories and made modern with new-gen frosted lilac eyeshadow and sharp dagger liner.
John ShearerKendall Jenner
Kendall moved away from her signature model bun and minimal makeup for bleached brows and heavily-lidded lashes.
ANGELA WEISSMegan Thee Stallion
Megan's slick white eyeshadow offered a fresh twist on the smoky eyes.
Kevin Mazur/MG22Vanessa Hudgens
Vanessa accessorised an intricate updo with a dainty silver chain and lavish silver jewellery alongside a prim high-neck gown that’s scandalously sheer, showing off black lacy knickers.
Mike CoppolaNaomi Campbell
It's the Met Gala, so obvs, Naomi's bringing the most with an embellished gem makeup look.
Kevin Mazur/MG22Nicola Coughlan
Nicola swapped out her blonde bob for fairtytale XXL hair, accessorised with feathers by her hairstylist, Halley Brisker, who used Cloud Nine tools to keep everything looking luxe.
Jamie McCarthyBillie Eilish
Billie Eilish paired an upcycled Gucci gown with a spiky faux mohawk and cat-eye liner.
Theo WargoKim Kardashian
After covering her entire hair and makeup with a morph suit for 2021's Met Gala, she surprised us all with a newly bleached blonde ballerina bun and classic smoky eye, which she wore with Marilyn Monroe's actual dress (the one she wore to sing Happy Birthday to JFK).
Kevin Mazur/MG22Olivia Rodrigo
Olivia served up ethereal glamour with purple butterfly hair accessories and lilac eyes to match her sparkling Versace gown.
Jamie McCarthyCamila Mendes
Camila told red carpet host, La La Anthony, "I feel like a debutante arriving into New York society.” She nailed the brief with a delicate gilded eye look that stretched out toward her hairline and a loose, pretty updo.
Theo WargoVenus Williams
Venus served up embellished braids with intricate edges and a perfect red lip.
John ShearerEmma Stone
Emma's cute ballerina bun and simple makeup was pared back, but beautiful.
John ShearerWinnie Harlow
Winnie's winged headpiece and mega fluttery lashes make a statement.
Jeff KravitzCynthia Erivo
Cynthia brought the glamour on every level, from her crisp white headwrap and glowing skin to her embellished dagger nails.
Mike CoppolaTeyana Taylor
Teyana's futuristic take on gilded glamour, swapped out gold for a thorny silver headpiece with purple gems to match her purple smoky eye and gown.
John ShearerAlicia Keys
Alicia matched her embellished edges to her embellished eyeliner. Plus she updated her long braid with space-y looking black and silver discs.
Jeff KravitzEmma Chamberlain
Emma Chamberlain embellished a neat platinum blonde bob with an elegant tiara and rock chick red and black eye makeup.
John ShearerCardi B
Cardi B paired a luxe updo with a winged eyeliner look.
Kevin Mazur/MG22Laura Harrier
Laura's modern wet-look bob was given a retro twist with the cute flicked bottom, frosted smoky eye and fresh skin.
Theo WargoHailey Bieber
Hailey Bieber kept her glam pared back with a simple side-parted ballerina bun and barely-there makeup.
Theo WargoGwen Stefani
Gwen created her own makeup look after her makeup artist had an emergency on the night.
Theo WargoBella Hadid
Bella paired a delicate updo and pinned baby braids with no makeup makeup.
Arturo Holmes/MG22Camila Cabello
Camila's decorated updo gives a 2022 spin to the decorated hairstyles of the gilded age.
Kevin Mazur/MG22Gigi Hadid
Gigi wore a graphic feathered bun and a bright red lip for the red carpet.
Arturo Holmes/MG22Kylie Jenner
Kylie kept things modern with a baseball cap and birdcage veil covering her classic hair and makeup look.
ANGELA WEISSAshley Park
Ashley's floating lime liner felt fresh against her bright pink gown.
John ShearerCarey Mulligan
Carey's wispy fringe and red lip looked stunning.
John ShearerKarlie Kloss
Karlie decorated her ponytail with some major embellishment and opted for vampy lips and kohl-rimmed eyes.
Dimitrios KambourisKate Moss
Kate opted for default Hollywood glam with a classic red lip.
Jeff KravitzEmma Corrin
Emma Corrin channelled 1880's New York socialite, Evander Barry Wall, (aka the King Of Dudes), for her Met Gala beauty look.
Jamie McCarthyAmber Valletta
Amber's sleek bob looks expensive. A modern interpretation of fancy if ever we saw it.
Theo WargoMaude Apatow
Maude Apatow's finger rolls gave her modern back a throwback reference.
Theo WargoHilary Clinton
Hilary Clinton kept things classic with a half-up updo.
Theo WargoMindy Kaling
Mindy Kaling served up a tonal ensemble, drawing on the pink shade of her dress for a pretty pink smoky eye and pink lips.
Theo WargoSarah Jessica Parker
SJP's not known for being under-dressed and she kept up her red carpet track record with an ostentatious updo.
Theo WargoGlenn Close
Glenn opted for a classic smoky eye.
Dimitrios KambourisRachel Smith
Rachel opted for a pretty updo and gave red lips a vampy twist with a dark burgundy.
Theo WargoJulianne Moore
Julianne Moore served up a copper smoky eye.
Kevin Mazur/MG22Caroline Trentini
Caroline went for a structural updo to give the Bridgerton babes a run for their money.
Kevin Mazur/MG22Michelle Yeoh
Michelle kept things timeless with straight centre-parted hair and a red lip.
John ShearerSara Sampaio
Sara rolled her long hair into a faux bob for the evening.
Kevin Mazur/MG22Tessa Thompson
Tessa gave us a tonal pink-themed makeup look with draped cheeks and eyes to match her dress.
Dimitrios KambourisImaan Hammam
Imaan wore a wavy updo with a full-lash eye makeup look.
Kevin Mazur/MG22Maisie Williams
Maisie paired her signature bleached brows with a flapper-style hairdo, winged liner and rose-bud lips.
Theo WargoNormani
Normani contrasted her all-black outfit with a pop of green on her eyes.
Kevin Mazur/MG22Emily Ratajkowski
Emily stuck to her classic brown-toned lip and groomed brows, paired with a modern updo.
Kevin Mazur/MG22Chloe Bailey
Chloe wore a braided ponytail and fluttery lashes.
Jamie McCarthyAwkwafina
Awkwafina's half-up hairdo and winged liner is timeless.
Kevin Mazur/MG22Alexa Chung
Alexa wore her trademark bob with a red lip.
Theo WargoCara Delevingne
Cara gave us deep side-parted Hollywood waves and a bejewelled eye makeup.
Theo WargoKaty Perry
Katy had her hair in a neat centre-parted chignon and went for full, fluttery lashes.
Dimitrios KambourisSabrina Carpenter
We love Sabrina's swooshy curtain fringe, loose hair and peachy makeup.
Kevin Mazur/MG22Lucy Boynton
Lucy can be relied upon for a fun, experimental makeup look, and she didn't disappoint with dolly gem lower lashes.
Jeff KravitzPhoebe Bridgers
Phoebe Bridgers chose a statement burgundy lip.
Mike CoppolaMadelaine Petsch
Madelaine's romantic loose updo and soft red lip looked beautiful.
Kevin Mazur/MG22Sigourney Weaver
Sigourney kept her beauty look classic.
Theo WargoMiranda Kerr
Miranda opted for a neat centre-parted low bun and red lip.
Kevin Mazur/MG22Dakota Johnson
Dakota's teal smoky eye brought out the colour of her eyes.
Dimitrios KambourisPrecious Lee
Precious was another star to bleach her brows for the occasion.
Theo WargoDove Cameron
Dove's dinky pearl eye details added extra interest.
