As the chatter and first impressions of the looks seen on the Met Gala 2024 carpet fizzle down, the artists behind the beauty of it all share their stories. Yes, the biggest fashion event of the year will be incomplete without stunning hair and makeup briefs to match the theme. And while the fashion this year is being deemed “a bit damp”, the beauty looks came to slay. If you haven’t already perused our fashion round-up, do a quick read-through here and be back to check out the best beauty details we spotted at the Met Gala 2024 red (green tie-dyed!) carpet!
Sabrina Carpenter
After serving hits after hits this summer, Sabrina served up one of the best looks of gala night. Pairing her Oscar De La Renta ball gown with a crystal blue eyeshadow to complement the similarly tinged train, her pearlescent skin was doused in lots of blush and balanced with wispy lashes. It *gave* ‘Sleeping Beauty’, but from Disney! The look is straight out of Hollywood in the sixties; an image of gorgeous blondes in pastel and powdered white skin lounge against opulent furniture comes to mind.
Gigi Hadid
There’s at least one Marilyn Monroe reference in every Met Gala, regardless of the theme. That’s how effervescent and timeless the Hollywood icon was. Could Gigi have pre-planned the Marilyn aesthetic to influence her own glam, given she chopped off her tresses earlier this year? A red lip and wavy bob made her stand out on the carpet, which was otherwise filled with attendees who went with more modern makeup looks.
Anoi Yai
Supermodels at the Met Gala aren’t an uncommon sight, but none has stunned onlookers as this South Sudanese beauty has done this year. Decked out in Swarovski crystals, Anok’s icy blue shimmer eyeshadow references the water element, which in contrast with her other Swarovski sisters at the gala, made for a striking makeup look that stunningly complements her features. It’s very mermaid-coded; but instead of long, flowing tresses, her cropped pixie gave an edge to the otherwise ethereal look.
Zendaya
The last time Z was at the Met Gala, she channeled a Disney princess. This time around she went for the opposite – a vampy, evil-oozing forest witch who hates happiness. The girl did not smile once in her Maison Margiela look, selling the berry-toned gothic makeup look hard. Impeccably blocked-out eyebrows which were then drawn on in skinny, Greta Garbo-esque shape is not something we expected Z to ever do (you know the girl loves her brows fluffy!) Completing her look with oxblood red lip smackers and coiffed, dirty blonde hair, she really got people talking with her glam.
Met Gala 2024 Best Beauty Looks: Ariana Grande
Ari’s mother-of-pearl custom Loewe corset may have been the subtlest representation of the theme ‘Garden of Time’ at the gala, but it was an even bigger inspiration for her makeup look. To match it, Ari wore handmade petal-shaped 3-D wings on her temples to perfectly complement her doe-eyed peepers.
Soft pink hues were strategically placed on different parts of her face which were otherwise matte and almost matching the colour of her hair. We loved the almost-OTT moment given that there were barely any other makeup looks with gorgeous embellishments this year.
Doja Cat
Doja’s fashion at the 2024 Met Gala was widely off-theme. Her reasoning for the same, even more so mind-boggling. The white T-shirt gown represents her favourite flower, she said, which is cotton. But cotton isn’t a flower; and while there seems to be no excuse for her fashion faux pas, she did turn up to the gala after spending time with queen Pat McGrath. Painstakingly creating chrome tears that seemed to make her look like a melting statue in a garden, Doja’s makeup was one of the more experimental and thought-provoking ones of the night.
Rebecca Hall
How are more people not talking about this – Becks (yes we can call her Becks!) in Danielle Frankel might have been most on point with the theme. First off, through her own admission the actress said it invokes the imagery of ‘Ophelia’ by British artist Sir John Everett Millais – very close to the mood of the ‘Garden of Time’. Secondly, the hand painted floral illusion done by Mitchell Moon looks as though it’s leaping off of her skin, seamlessly blending her towering presence with the narrative. This one’s a 10 in our book!
Lily Gladstone
Headdresses are a staple in Met Gala uniforms and this year was no different. Many attendees presented their floral renditions of a fashionable headdress but the most impactful work of hairstyling remained with Lily. The Native American actress has been representing her indigenous heritage with all her fashion choices so Met night was no different.
Her long tresses were secured in traditional low braids and adorned with a custom headpiece by Kiowa jeweller Keri Ataumbi. It’s poignant and brings diverse conversations to the fashion scene on the Met Gala carpet.
Lil Nas X
The men of the Met did not come to play this year. Barring a couple of standouts, many attendees kept their look minimal and classic, with the exception of a decorative accessory here and there. So when LiL Nas X stepped on the carpet, the camera crew were excited. The young rapper is known for pushing the boundaries at the Gala (remember his embellished silver cat couture from last year?).
The Luar suiting featured chaps, very on-brand with his music aesthetic. But it’s the nails that got the shutterbugs going. Embellished with Swarovski crystals and long as the night of the after party, nail enthusiasts ate this look, and the vibe, up!
Greta Lee
Greta’s got style that transcends trends and to complement the structural nature of her ensemble, she went ahead and chopped off her long bob into piecey, fringed wolf cut with baby bangs. The best haircut on the carpet, we’d say, maintains Greta’s reputation of being silently stylish – a talent she bears to never overpower the purpose of the outfit with her beauty choices. Yet, the choice to slice through her hair is a bold and noteworthy one for a night where risks were not taken so liberally.
Featured Image – ©instagram/metgalaofficial_
