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7 Paula's Choice products that belong in your routine
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Every year, on the first Monday of May, the steps of the Metropolitan Museum of Art become the most photographed stretch of ground on the planet. And every year, the beauty looks are just as much of a conversation as the clothes.
The 2026 Met Gala celebrated the Costume Institute's spring exhibition "Costume Art," with one guiding directive for guests: fashion is art. And if the clothes were the canvas, the beauty looks were the brushstrokes. Makeup artists and hairstylists leaned fully into the theme, delivering looks that felt more like a gallery than a red carpet. Where last year's 'Superfine: Tailoring Black Style' pushed beauty toward sharp precision, this year was painterly, expressive and deeply intentional.
There was Old Hollywood glamour with a fresh edge, from Sabrina Carpenter's 1920s-inspired faux bob to Lisa's crystalline kiss curls. And then there were the looks that could only happen on a night like this: Joey King's Pre-Raphaelite softness and Isha Ambani's jasmine hair sculpture, a handcrafted homage to the mogra gajra.
Ahead, we round up the standout beauty looks of the night that caught our eye, and show you exactly how to recreate them.
Despite the name leaning heavily into volume, this mascara does far more than simply thicken lashes. The formula adds noticeable length and separation at the same time, creating a fuller lash look that still feels defined and clean. Its slightly richer texture coats lashes thoroughly in just a few swipes, while the oversized brush helps grab every lash quickly and evenly. The deep black pigment stays bold throughout wear and holds up impressively well without flaking or fading. If you like lashes that look impactful without needing endless layering, this is one of the stronger options in the category.
