Last year’s Met Gala 2025 leaned into precision tailoring and refined elegance, shaped by the “Superfine: Tailoring Black Style” exhibition and its “Tailored for You” dress code.
This year, however, the red carpet took a distinctly more expressive turn. With the 2026 theme, “Fashion Is Art,” alongside the “Costume Art” exhibition, beauty was treated less as a finishing touch and more as a core form of creative expression.
The outcome was one of the most visually compelling beauty moments the Met Gala has delivered in recent years. Makeup artists and hairstylists reimagined celebrities as living artworks through smoky eyes, glossy finishes, sculptural hair, radiant complexions, and intricate detailing. On the steps of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, beauty felt bold, emotional, and deliberately unpolished—a clear contrast to the sleek, controlled aesthetics of recent seasons.
While couture remained central to the evening, beauty played an equally powerful role in shaping the night’s most talked-about fashion moments. Hair and makeup teams leaned into individuality and experimentation, producing looks that felt expressive, personal, and highly artistic.
Smoky eyes stood out as one of the defining trends of the night, spanning everything from soft, romantic interpretations to sharper, editorial styles. Wet-look shine, glowing skin, sculpted waves, and high-gloss textures also made a strong impact, underscoring the ongoing shift away from hyper-polished beauty standards.
Above all, this year’s gala reinforced beauty as a standalone art form. The most memorable looks worked because hair and makeup didn’t just support the fashion—they elevated it into something cinematic, immersive, and fully realized.
From classic Hollywood glamour to experimental, avant-garde styling, these were the beauty moments that commanded attention at the 2026 Met Gala.
Anne Hathaway
Anne Hathaway delivered one of the evening’s most polished beauty statements, striking a perfect balance between timeless elegance and modern softness. Celebrity makeup artist Hung Vanngo crafted a softly diffused smoky eye paired with a rosy-pink lip that enhanced her features while keeping the overall effect understated and refined.
Her hair, styled by Orlando Pita, was gathered into a romantic updo that combined structure with a gentle, effortless finish. The result felt classic, graceful, and perfectly aligned with the evening’s artistic tone.
Cara Delevingne
Cara Delevingne reaffirmed the smoky eye’s status as a red carpet essential. Her warm brown shadow brought depth and intensity to her light eyes while offering a softer, more wearable alternative to heavier traditional smokey looks.
The rest of her makeup remained restrained, with softly flushed cheeks and a muted mauve lip that balanced the eye focus. Hairstylist Mara Roszak finished the look with sleek finger waves that added a sculptural, vintage-inspired edge.
The combination resulted in one of the most cohesive and visually striking beauty moments of the night.
Kim Kardashian
Kim Kardashian shifted toward a more relaxed beauty direction this year, stepping away from her typically high-glam, ultra-polished aesthetic. She debuted a tousled blonde lob styled in loose, textured waves that felt modern, effortless, and intentionally undone.
Her makeup stayed rooted in her signature glam, featuring a smoky eye created by longtime collaborator Mario Dedivanovic. Soft contouring and nude-toned lips completed the monochromatic palette.
The contrast between undone hair and classic smoky makeup resulted in one of Kardashian’s most contemporary and refreshed beauty looks to date.
Kylie Jenner
Bleached brows emerged as one of the evening’s most daring beauty trends, and Kylie Jenner carried the look with unexpected elegance. The softened brows created an almost ethereal effect, drawing attention to her luminous skin and sculpted neutral-toned makeup.
Her hairstyle featured a deep side part with a delicate curled strand resting across her forehead, adding softness to the futuristic direction of the look. Makeup artist Ariel Tejada used warm nude tones to create a cohesive palette that complemented her gown.
The final result felt editorial, modern, and surprisingly wearable.
Sabrina Carpenter
Sabrina Carpenter embraced romantic glamour with one of the most delicate beauty looks of the evening. Her makeup featured flushed cheeks, softly smoked eyes, and a glossy pink lip that enhanced her signature feminine style.
A standout detail came from the shimmering crystallized accents placed at the inner corners of her eyes, which caught the light and added a soft, dreamy effect.
Hairstylist Evanie Frausto styled her hair into a voluminous old-Hollywood blowout filled with movement and soft curls. The result was youthful, glamorous, and perfectly in sync with the night’s artistic theme.
