1
Rihanna, 2017
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“Rihanna is an undisputed queen of the Met Gala red carpet in terms of fashion, but her beauty stylings over the years have been just as impactful. One of my all-time favorites is her monochromatic makeup look from 2017’s Rei Kawakubo/Comme des Garçons: Art of the In-Between exhibition, which made blush blindness an intentional beauty superpower. The star’s bold red lip, paired with a cascade of unapologetic color from her temples to the apples of her cheeks and under the lash line, was the perfect match for her elevated top knot and sculptural Comme des Garçons gown. Plus, Rihanna’s sparkly inner corner highlight was the cherry on top of her artful makeup look.” — Tiffany Dodson Davis, beauty commerce editor
2
Cher, 1985
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“Whenever I think of party girl makeup, Cher’s purple sparkly eyeshadow first comes to mind. The ’80s-inspired eye to the metallic, holographic lip—everything about this look embodies what Met Gala beauty is—unapologetically bold, show-stopping, and downright fun. Even four decades later, this look is still relevant and will forever serve as party makeup inspiration.” — Katie Intner, beauty market and commerce editor
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3
Lady Gaga, 2019
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“Lady Gaga’s sculptural lashes and hot pink lipstick from 2019 were just so memorable and fantastic (shoutout to her makeup artist Sarah Tanno). In a sea of neutral lips and safe liner looks, Gaga’s look is a reminder that makeup should be FUN, especially for a costume party! It’s what I expect from a beauty brand founder, honestly, and I wish more stars would follow in her footsteps.” — Jenna Rosenstein, beauty director
4
Zendaya, 2017
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“Zendaya consistently lands herself in the best dressed category, and her hair styling is always a key factor in bringing her looks to life. While attending the 2017 Met Gala (Rei Kawakubo/Comme des Garçons: Art Of The In-Between), she embraced the volume with gorgeous natural auburn curls. The look was tied together with a bold coral lip that perfectly matched the palette of her dress. It’s simple, young, elegant, and complements her gown for a memorable beauty moment.” — Olivia Alchek, senior designer
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5
Princess Diana, 1996
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“While this Lady Diana red carpet moment gets a lot of chatter for the dress (the iconic navy Dior lace slip and matching sapphire choker), her classic makeup is not to be overlooked. Although simple, with lightly-smoky eye makeup and a rosy lip, it exuded confidence and elegance, which is how we remember the late Princess.” — KI
6
Taylor Swift, 2016
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“I could probably write 3,000 words about Bleachella—the nickname given to Taylor Swift’s hair look in 2016. It was the first time we saw Swift embrace an edgier look—a capital F Fashion look with a bleached bob and vampy makeup—and it was incredible. I remember reception to it being mixed at the time, I think it was just so jarring, but I know I’m not the only Swiftie who wishes this beauty era lasts just a little bit longer.” — JR
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7
Zendaya, 2024
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“This was the year Zendaya co-chaired and had multiple looks for the evening. I love that she leaned into the ‘Sleeping Beauties: Reawakening Fashion’ theme with Gothic, striking makeup by Raoul Alejandre. Something about skinny eyebrows and a mélange of smoky eye colors was perfectly haunting.” — Dani Kwateng, executive managing editor
8
Amber Valetta, 2004
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“For the Met Gala’s ‘Dangerous Liaisons’ theme in 2004, Amber Valetta gave us a very royal, baroque look. It was one of Valetta’s most daring beauty ensembles, featuring Marie Antoinette-inspired pouf curls, rosy cheeks, and a fuchsia lip. My favorite type of beauty look is one that blends century-old features with modern trends, and Valetta executed that to perfection.” — KI
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9
Billie Eilish, 2021
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“Complete with a platinum bob and sophisticated Oscar de La Renta gown, Billie Eilish’s 2021 Met Gala look made a serious beauty statement, and may be the most glam we’ve seen the singer-songwriter to date. Eilish was serving serious Marilyn energy thanks to a bold smoky eye and softly blurred lip.” — TDD
10
FKA Twigs, 2024
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“I clearly gravitate towards anything sparkly, and this crystal look from FKA Twigs is no exception. From the sparkly earrings to the dusting of crystals, spanning from her buzz-cut hair to her cheekbones, is perfectly ethereal and dainty yet super glam and fun. FKA Twigs always brings luminosity to red carpets, but this sparkly moment takes the cake.” — KI
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