When you sit down to write about fashion’s biggest night from the lens of beauty, thoughts go back to Priyanka Chopra’s big hair blowout and Lady Gaga’s gilded lashes at the 2019 Met Gala, themed ‘Camp: Notes on Fashion’; Lily Collins’s Swarovski-clad eyelids in 2018; Doja Cat’s stiletto claws and prosthetic snout in 2023—and a lot more—before you’ve even reopened the ’80s archives.
Costume Institute’s Met Gala may have been started as a fashion fundraiser showcased to the ladies of the Upper East Side back in 1948, now it’s the most anticipated fashion event of the year worldwide—with the hair and makeup just as fantastical and (oftentimes) whimsical as the ensemble. And isn’t it this unexpected, dramatic turnout that makes the weeks leading up to the first Monday of May, all the more thrilling?
This year’s exhibit, ‘Sleeping Beauties: Reawakening Fashion’, saw attendees dressed in the theme, ‘Garden of Time’. While being on theme has become non-negotiable now that celebrities expect an (unforgiving) internet-wide roundtable the morning after, there were a few who definitely understood the assignment better–and caught more eyes at the steps. Ahead, we round up our favourite beauty moments from the 2024 Met Gala; and tell you how you can recreate the looks.
Alia Bhatt
Alia Bhatt elevated her signature dewy makeup look with a messy bun and bejewelled headband, arriving at the annual benefit right on theme. The 31-year-old actor, who worked with her long-time makeup artist Puneet Saini to create the look, went for soft glam makeup with coral lips and cheeks, brown kohled eyes and a hint of shimmer. With her fresh and flushed Indian princess look, she served to be an inspiration for every summer bride-to-be. Here’s how you can recreate her look:
Prep: First up, create a smooth and hydrated canvas for this dewy makeup look with a lightweight moisturiser and a brightening or illuminating primer. We recommend the M.A.C Prep + Prime Fix+ – Magic Radiance for the latter.
Base: Build a second-skin coverage with a smooth, strictly non-cakey liquid foundation. The Huda Beauty Faux Filter Luminous Matte Full Coverage Liquid Foundation will be a great ally.
Eyes: Go for kohled eyes, but keep it subtle with a soft brown hue. Offset the same with a jet-black mascara to add intensity. For the kajal, you can opt for the Forest Essentials Gulab Khaas Kajal – Earth Brown. As for the mascara, go for the Benefit Cosmetics Badgal Bang! Volumizing Mascara – Black.
Cheeks and lips: Top up the daisy-fresh base with a soft, coral blush applied on the cheekbones. We’d go for the Lamel BB Blush Teint Cream Formula. Next, swipe on the Anastasia Beverly Hills Satin Lipstick in the Rose Dream hue. Strategically place the Bobbi Brown Highlighting Powder – Pink Glow on your high cheekbones and bridge of the nose.
Zendaya
One of the co-chairs at this year’s exhibit, Zendaya arrived at the Gala in two different looks–and the first one instantly caught our fancy. Her simple, pulled back hair had a distinctly different vibe from her theatrical, socialite-from-the-’40s makeup look. If you thought red eyeshadow, skinny brows and deep berry lips didn’t go together, think twice. Here’s how to get her look:
Base: Keep the base clean and fuss-free for the gradient, smouldering makeup to follow. Go for the Lancome Teint Idole Ultra Wear Foundation.
Eyes: To create the gradient eyeshadow look like the Challengers star, use the Makeup Revolution Re-Loaded Eyeshadow Palette – Velvet Rose. Make sure you diffuse the red all the way up to the brows. As for the brows, keep the arches as slim as you can to channel the porcelain doll look. Follow up with a thick black eyeliner, like the Maybelline New York Lasting Drama Gel Eyeliner With Expert Eyeliner Brush in the Blackest Back shade. Glide it on your upper and lower lashlines as well as the waterlines.
Lips and cheeks: Nothing says dark, feminine, gothic sleeping beauty like deep berry lips. We recommend going for the Bobbi Brown Luxe Shine Intense Lipstick – Night Spell that will do the trick–and more. On the cheeks, place the Makeup Revolution Mousse Blusher in the Blossom Rose Pink shade for a subtle flush.
Gigi Hadid
In keeping with the 2024 dress code, Garden of Time, Gigi Hadid, who is usually in her off-duty uniform, went for a ruffled white gown with yellow roses and green leaves. Her makeup look was classic glam with a blonde bob–that sort of reminded me of Grace Kelly’s Tracey Lord in High Society. Here are a few tips to cop her look:
Prep: Set the tone (b)right for this radiant makeup look with the M.A.C Strobe Cream in the Pinklite shade. This will help boost dull or tired-looking skin.
Base: For the base, go for the L’Oreal Paris True Match Super Blendable Liquid Foundation for a clean and smooth finish.
Eyes: Keep the eye makeup subtle with just an eyeliner and brow gel. We recommend opting for the KIRO Liquid Pen Eyeliner – Carbon Black 01 for the upper lashlines and the Anastasia Beverly Hills Dip Brow Gel to define the brows.
Lips and cheeks: No holds barred, Gigi went big on blush and bold lips. To recreate the same, place the L.A Girl Soft Matte Cream Blush – Rosebud on the apples of your cheeks. Next, glide on the Maybelline New York Superstay Vinyl Ink Liquid Lipstick – Wicked to complete the look–and drive all attention home.
Tyla
Arriving dressed in form-fitting sand, the Grammy winner turned to Pat McGrath to create a bronzed-all-over makeup look. And we tell you exactly how you can DIY.
Base: Go for a glossy, glazed base to channel the 22-year-old’s beauty look from the steps. You can opt for the Smashbox Halo Plumping Dew + Hyaluronic Acid to get this finish.
Eyes: Use the bronze shades in the Profusion Cosmetics 10 Shade Multi Finish Eye Shadow Pallete – Smoky to recreate Tyla’s subtle smokey eye. Make sure it doesn’t overpower the rest of the look–so, keep it simple. Complement it with the Colorbar All-Matte Eyeliner and the Benefit Cosmetics Gimme Brow+ Volumizing Eyebrow Gel.
Lips and cheeks: Top up the fresh-faced complexion with a hint of blush and highlighter. We’d pick the Anastasia Beverly Hills Stick Blush – Pink Dahlia for this look; and the asa beauty Creme Highlighter in the Dusty Rose shade to add some glitter. On the pout, swipe on the Revlon Colorstay Lip Liner – Wine.
Rita Ora
The British singer-songwriter is in her mermaidcore era. And this year at the steps, her makeup–complete with a head-hugging bob–complied. It’s giving damp, it’s giving androgynous. Here’s how you can recreate her look.
Base and cheeks: Create a smooth, hydrated base with the M.A.C Studio Fix Fluid SPF 15 Foundation and follow it up with the Benefit Cosmetics Dandelion Brightening Blush in the Baby Pink shade for a subtle flush on the cheekbones.
Eyes: Cop Rita’s metallic eye makeup look by blending the Makeup Revolution Mousse Shadow – Lilac and the Shiseido Pop Powdergel Eye Shadow – 07 Shari Silver. For the cat eye, glide on the Faces Canada Eye Pencil – 02 Solid Black.
Lips: Complete the look with a glossy soft pink pout, achieved with the Too Faced Lip Injection Power Plumping Lip Gloss in the Pretty Pony hue.
Cover image: Instagram/@enews, @byrdie, @aliaabhatt, @ritabotsora, @justjared
