It’s the first Monday in May, which can only mean one thing! As night falls, the A-list of style, including actors, models, musicians, sports stars and the world’s top designers, will hit the red carpet at the Metropolitan Museum of Art on Manhattan’s tony Upper East Side for the 2025 Met Gala.
The theme of this year’s benefit on May 5, which raises money for the iconic New York City institution’s Costume Institute, is “Superfine: Tailoring Black Style,” which explores the role of fashion and dandyism in shaping Black culture.
Luminaries rocked interpretations of the dress code “Tailored for You.” Hosts Coleman Domingo, A$AP Rocky, Pharrell Williams and Anna Wintour stunned in expertly fashioned pieces, as did host committee members Doechii, Tyla, Usher and Ayo Edibiri. While the chic suits and impeccable corsetry had impressed, it was the hair and makeup that really had us swooning.
Swooped edges and major lashes turned out to be the biggest trends of the night and looks that will no doubt inspire street style for seasons to come. Cheeky temporary face tattoos also had a moment (case in point: Doechii’s LV logo and Cynthia Erivo’s heart beauty mark).
Here, without further ado, our picks for the most memorable beauty looks on the 2025 Met Gala red carpet:
Lupita Nyong’o
Rock on! The Wild Robot actress’s longtime makeup artist, Nick Barose, complemented her Little Richard-inspired outfit by “crafting a makeup look that exuded androgynous rock star glamour,” he says, underscored by “boyish brows” embellished with multi-hued jewels. Radiant skin and brown-toned lips created a strong contrast. He enhanced Nyong’o’s complexion with Chanel No.1 de Chanel Revitalizing Serum and Cream before applying Les Beiges Healthy Glow Foundation Hydration and Longwear in B140 and BR152, Chanel Joues Contraste Intense Cream-to-Powder Blush in Grenat Profond and Chanel Baume Essentiel in Solar Glow. Lips were lined with Chanel Le Crayon Lèvres Longwear Lip Pencil in Brun Foncé before getting a swipe of Rouge Coco Flash Hydrating Vibrant Shine Lip Colour in Dominant.
Megan Thee Stallion
Red hot! The rapper hit the red carpet with a piled-high ponytail inspired by none other than Josephine Baker. Logntime hair collaborator Kellon Deryck fashioned the look, first brushing with Tangle Teezer’s Ultimate Detangler Chrome before sculpting and securing. A trail of hair gems capped off the dramatic pony.
Dua Lipa
The ‘Houdini’ singer kept her makeup simple—all the better to show off her immaculately styled edges.
Doechii
A voluminous afro topped off a sexy ’70s-era disco makeup look, creating a next-level glam aura for the ‘Anxiety’ singer.
Halle Bailey
Fluttery brows and lashes weren’t the only features that gave the Little Mermaid actress a uniquely sweet edge; a bespoke aroma wafted around her, too. The actress blended three perfume mists from fan-favourite fragrance brand Sol de Janeiro to create her signature scent cocktail—two spritzes of Agua Mistica plus two spritzes of Cheirosa 59 and one spritz of Cheirosa 68.
Simone Biles
The Olympic gold medal-winning gymnast paired artfully placed S curls with sharp brows and golden touches on her face. Her makeup artist, Ashley Stewart used Benefit Cosmetics’ iconic Hoola Bronzer in shade Deep as the cornerstone of the glowy look. For the retro arches, a few strokes of Benefit My Brow Pencil in 4.5 created the strong shape.
Zendaya
A contoured lip line and healthy flush made a strong ’80s makeup statement peeking out from under the Euphoria star’s chapeau. Glam pro Ernesto Casillas relied on Charlotte Tilbury makeup for the chic look. He topped Matte Beauty Blush Wand in Pillow Talk with Beauty Light Wand in Pinkgasm Sunset for the cheeks. The lined lip was courtesy of the brand’s new Lip Cheat Contour Duo, with a dab of Big Lip Plumpgasm in Nudgasm Diamonds popped in the centre for reflective dimension. Hair had a strong shine, too. Hairstylist Ursula Stephen ran a few pumps of SheaMoisture Amla Oil Bond Repair through locks before securing in a low bun.
Chappel Roan
Who better to do the Pink Pony Club singer’s glam than the Mother of all makeup, Pat McGrath? The glam guru revealed that “we were channelling the glamour and freedom of the disco era—think Sylvester, Superfly, superfine tailoring and unapologetic shine.” To achieve this, she sculpted cheeks with Skin Fetish: Divine Blush and made up eyes using shades from the Holiday Mega: Luminous Legends and Mothership XII: Petalmorphosis palettes from her Pat McGrath Labs line.
Jenna Ortega
Retro fabulous. Makeup artist Melanie Inglessis. used Dior Beauty to create the Wednesday star’s strong look. For the sculpted smoky eyes, dusted lids with shades from the Diorshow 5 Couleurs in #669 Soft Cashmere before drawing a multi-dimensional extended cat eye using Diorshow Liquid Liner in 096 Satin Black and #781 Satin Brown. Lashes got a mega pump up with a few swipes of Diorshow Maximizer 4D and several coats of Diorshow Overvolume Mascara in #090 Overblack. A hyper-chic ombre brown pout—a combination of Rouge Dior Contour in #510 Wild Brown and Rouge Dior in #300 Nude Style Velvet Finish—was the perfect finishing touch.
Zoe Saldaña
The Oscar winner’s ultra-sharp bob created by longtime stylist and close friend Mara Roszak was “a nod to the exaggerated shapes found in signature dandy fashion,” the hair pro says. She started by cutting a graduated shape with “a sharp swoop at the jawline.” Next step, a drop of RŌZ Santa Lucia Styling Oil runs through damp hair before blow drying with the Olivia Garden SuperHP Hair Dryer. The finishing touch? A dab of RŌZ Evergreen Style Cream through roots to ends “to define and smooth.”
Coco Jones
A mega-long braid added a dramatic dimension to the singer-songwriter’s pumped-up neutral makeup.
Gigi Hadid
She’s got the power! The supermodel channelled a pin-up girl with perfectly placed pin curls and super-high blush that extended toward her temples.
Angela Bassett
“She’s bold, ambitious and fearless,” makeup artist D’Andre Michael says of the type of woman who inspired the Black Panther actress’s look. He achieved that assured nobility by offsetting Bassett’s lengthy lashes enhanced with Chanel Le Volume de Chanel Mascara in Noir with a burnished lip. Michael painted the pout by prepping with Chanel Le Crayon Levrès Longwear Lip Pencil in Rouge Noir and Brun Foncé before applying a coat each of Chanel Rouge Allure Velvet Luminous Matte Lip Colour in Sophistiquée and Elegante.
Demi Moore
Cherry red nails offered the perfect pop of colour to offset The Substance star’s black and white Thom Brown necktie gown.
Cardi B
Green goddess! The rapper’s longtime makeup collaborator Erika Pearl prepped her lips with drugstore hero Aquaphor before applying the perfect nude pout.
Jennie
Nude lips and soft pink makeup added an ’80s edge to the BLACKPINK singer’s blazer dress and boater.
Ego Nwodim
A sculpted feather fascinator blended seamlessly with the SNL comic’s tailored hair. As for her makeup, glam pro Billie Gene used Merit Beauty Flush Balm in Lusitano to even out the complexion before highlighting cheeks with Flush Balm in Rouge and Bronze Balm in Monarch. For that radiant pout, she lined lips with Signature Sheer Lip Liner in Brownstone, then slicked on just one layer of Lipstick in Maison and pumped up the shine with a touch of gloss in Biarritz “for that dewy, just-bitten finish.”
Sydney Sweeney
Elegantly fashioned swoops of hair on the Euphoria actress’s forehead framed bold eyes. To create the sleek ‘do, hairstylist Glen Oropeza prepped locks with Kérastase Genesis Defense Thermique to “help control frizz” before blowdrying with the Wavytalk Turblow Pro Fast. He then coaxed strands into a polished, slicked bun with the FHI Heat UNBrush. A spritz of Kérastase Laque Extreme locked the look in place.
Alicia Keys
The crooner—and Keys Soulcare creator—hit the red carpet with her trademark no makeup-makeup. She capped off the look with a magnificent bejewelled headdress.
Doja Cat
Wings of glory. The performer’s makeup was done by glam guru Pat McGrath, who “wanted to channel the elegance of a hand drawn sketch — something both animated and architectural.” To achieve this, McGrath sketched the cat eye with PermaPrecision Liquid Eyeliner with “a nod to the 1940s and ’50s.” She paired the retro lashlines with pastel eyeshadow from the Mothership XII: Petalmorphosis on lids. A bold ruby pout finished the look, created with the Dramatique Mega Lip Pencil in Garnet Glow.
Teyana Taylor
The performer’s epic edges were fashioned by hair pro Lateafa Alvaranga using Shea Moisture. First, she ran Coconut and Hibiscus Frizz-Free Curl Mousse through her hair before creating soft waves. She then ran a touch of Jamaican Black Castor Oil Strengthen & Restore Styling Gel to sculpt locks with long-lasting hold.
Kim Kardashian
The entrepreneur stunned in an over-the-top leather get up, complete with a chic topper. Her glossy waves peeked out perfectly underneath. Steady hairstylist Chris Appleton styled the ultra-shiny waves, prepping locks with Color Wow Dream Coat Supernatural Spray to prevent frizz before blowdrying with the Shark Beauty FlexFusion, using the Styling Concentrator attachment to rough-dry. He then swapped to the Wet or Dry Fusion Brush attachment to smooth and close the cuticle. Once hair was sleek, the hair guru used the 1.25″ Curler attachment to shape waves. A shot each of Color Wow Texas Hold ‘Em Big Hold Hairspray and Extra Mist-ical Shine Spray finished the look. Makeup artist Mario Dedivanovic played up Kardashian’s cheeks with high blush, placing Makeup by Mario Soft Pop Plumping Blush Veil in Pink Peony and Powder Blush in Poppy Pink on cheekbones. He created the soft peachy beige pout by lining with Ultra Suede Plumping Lip Pencil in Almond before filling in using Supersatin Lipstick in Flatiron.
Pamela Anderson
Because what is bolder than hitting fashion’s highest red carpet sans makeup set against fresh baby bangs? After all, nothing is sexier than having the confidence to embrace going bare.
This story first appeared on GRAZIA USA.
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