21 Best Met Gala 2023 Hair, Makeup & Nails — See Photos
The crème de la crème of fashion and entertainment pulled out all the stops for the Met Gala 2023. Following the theme Karl Lagerfeld: A Line of Beauty, there were decades of archives for the stars to take inspo from, and guests did not disappoint on the red carpet. Vintage was the common look of the night, with guests like Yara Shahidi and Lizzo referencing the hey-day of 90s runways and stars like Anne Hathaway and Cardi B celebrating hairstyles of bygone eras. Natural afro hair seems to also be having its moment on the red carpet, with legend Viola Davis rocking an Afro and Abbot Elementary’s Quinta Brunson bringing sculpture and high fashion to her hair styling. There were tons of makeup looks to add to your Pinterest board, from natural soft glams to some of the most theatrical looks we've seen grace the red carpet in years (see: Doja Cat). Nostalgia was undoubtedly the name of the night, so here is our annual round-up of who did it best.
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Grace Elizabeth
Model Grace Elizabeth took a fun and artistic approach to her Met Gala look, wearing a peachy blush and metallic coral shadow dotted with dainty pearls. The use of pearls was a subtle ode to Lagerfeld who used them extensively in his runway shows for Chanel. If there’s any inspiration to take from Grace’s look, it’s to never be afraid to take your eye accessories up into your hair. She made sure her 1920s inspired finger waves were laced with pearl hair accessories. We’re taking notes.
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Doja Cat
Doja Cat stole the show coming as the human version of Karl Lagerfeld’s famed cat Choupette. As usual, she committed to her transformation by wearing the cutest prosthetic cat nose. Doja left her brows pencil thin and angular to let her cat eye take center stage. Using Charlotte Tilbury’s Feline Flick in “Panther,” she kept her inner corner just as sharp as her wing, making for one of the most memorable looks of the evening.
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Michaela Coel
Met Gala co-chair Michaela Coel looked breathtaking on Monday evening and is living proof that a simple cornrow is suitable for any occasion. Her radiant skin paired beautifully with her camera-ready metallic eye, created by taking Pat McGrath’s FetishEYES liquid shadow in “Smouldering Seduction” across the lid and Permaprecision eyeliner smudged around the waterline. To call Michaela’s look regal is an understatement
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Lil Nas X
Lil Nas X once again showed Met Gala guests how it's done by using his whole body as the canvas for his glam. Created by the one and only Dame Pat McGrath, his body was embellished with crystals and pearls and glistened in holographic silver paint. From his stiletto nails to his lips, Lil Nas X made sure every inch of his look was bedazzled, topped off with an other-wordly pearl eye mask.
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Quinta Brunson
Abbot Elementary’s Quinta Brunson combined hair and high fashion for her first Met Gala. Her voluminous up-do was an “artistic crown headpiece,” said her hairstylist Alexander Armand. Using Maui Moisture products, Quinta showed just how versatile natural afro hair can be. With her swirled edges and soft lilac eyeshadow, she shined in a way that no one else could.
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Sydney Sweeney
Euphoria's Sydney Sweeney brought all the volume to the Met Gala. Her effortlessly blown-out locks were loosely tied with a black chiffon Miu Miu bow that perfectly elevated her coquette look. Sydney's glam was subtle in all the right ways. She achieved a natural soft glam using Armani Luminous Silk foundation, a rosy-champagne eye, and Silk Glow blush in colors 50 and 52 according to her make-up artist Melissa Hernandez on Instagram. It's one of Sydney's most stunning looks yet.
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Amanda Seyfried
Actress Amanda Seyfried looked like a vision in her dramatic Met Gala glam. She paired a berry lip with a pink toned smokey eye that complimented her blue eyes to perfection. Amanda was giving major ethereal vibes with her voluminous curls. She gave everything a diva should.
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Halle Bailey
Halle Bailey is no stranger to serving on a red carpet, but aside from her radiant skin, angelic eye and glossy nude lip, Halle’s hair caught our attention. Her signature long locs took a break for the evening, as she showed up wearing a wavy copper bob. Every carpet is an opportunity for Halle to show us that there is no limit to what her hair can do.
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Yara Shahidi
Actress Yara Shahidi channeled her inner siren for the Met Gala. She took her inspiration from 90s runways using Dior Beauty products to achieve an arched skinny brow and chocolate brown ombre lip. Her long, tousled hair let her nostalgic glam steal the moment.
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Billie Eilish
Billie Eilish gave gothic glamour at the Met Gala. Her porcelain skin and natural pink lip were the perfect backdrop to her intense eye lined in black. Her hair was all about the accessories, pairing a long braid with some hair clips and a bow.
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Cardi B
Let’s take a moment for the hair, which according to the IG story of Cardi’s hairstylist Tokyo Stylez, was applied in 11 minutes in a moving car. Cardi’s perfectly coiffed silver wig paid homage to Karl Lagerfeld’s signature grey ponytail. When it comes to glam, Cardi’s matte look featured a soft cut crease using Pat McGrath’s Mothership X: Moonlight Seduction palette. Every element of Cardi’s look was a vintage dream.
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Precious Lee
Model Precious Lee understood the assignment bringing Barbie glam to the Met Gala. She went with a bright pink YSL Beauty blush on the cheeks and cool-tone pink on her lips. Using Pattern Beauty, Precious achieved a voluminous back-combed blow-out that brought the perfect amount of drama to the red carpet.
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Paloma Elsesser
When does supermodel Paloma ever miss an opportunity to serve a look? She kept her skin on the natural side allowing her freckles to peak through while her eyes did all the talking. Paloma’s smoked-out grey eye was embellished with black and silver gems. Her innovative take on the accessorized eye perfectly complimented her geometric art-deco bangs. A visionary!
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Anok Yai
Model Anok Yai turned heads at the Met Gala this year. Inspired by Chanel’s 1993 couture show, she brought all the mystery and drama wearing a brown mesh eye mask. Her glowing skin was her number one accessory, keeping her makeup minimal with a clear gloss.
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Anne Hathaway
The front of Anne Hathaway’s dress gave everything it needed to so her hairstylist Orlanda Pita kept all the drama for the back. Anne wore her voluminous hair long and teased. If you look closely, the style features a Chanel-inspired camellia flower crafted out of her hair, held together with some Orlanda Pita Play Climate Change Humidity Blocking Hairspray. Although simple, Anne’s hair was one of the most stunning of the night.
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Lizzo
Superstar Lizzo oozed 90s nostalgia at the Met Gala wearing a generous touch of Charlotte Tilbury’s Pillow Talk Matte Beauty Blush Wand in “Dream Pop,” a wispy Ardell lash and straight fluffy brow achieved using Charlotte Tilbury’s Supermodel Brows in “Natural Brown.” Lizzo's curled pony was a moment, and her spiky microbang is a major source of style inspiration, achieved using a styling cream called "Wig Hair Trainer" by Lush.
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Suki Waterhouse
Suki Waterhouse brought an abstract take to the Met Gala red carpet that showed the beauty in simplicity. Using YSL beauty products, her water color eye makeup was a lesson in the power of minimalism.
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Jennie Kim
BLACKPINK’s Jennie was the image of beauty at her first Met Gala. The star went for a refreshed pop of pink on the cheeks and a fluffy lash. Her delicate pink lip and natural complexion were the perfect balance to her look. She also kept it simple with her hair, wearing a braided headband and Chanel’s signature white camellia flower behind her ear.
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Ashley Graham
Model Ashley Graham served 90s glamour at the Met Gala. Her all-matte look mirrored the pink tones of her satin Harris Reed gown. Ashley wore a flush of Revlon powder blush in “Pinkognito” on her cheeks and Revlon’s Super Lustrous lipstick in “Bare It All” for a natural touch of pink on the lips. Ashley’s gelled wavy curls were created using a custom hairpiece made from tape-in extensions. Creativity at its finest.
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Kim Kardashian
Kim is no stranger to the Met Gala and this year she brought subtle glamour with a sultry touch. She stuck to a nude color palette wearing long almond shape nails and a loose-wave up-do. For makeup, Kim went super rosy on the cheeks wearing Makeup by Mario’s Soft Pop blush stick in “raspberry” layered with Soft Pop powder blushes “mellow mauve” and “poppy pink.” She topped off her classic look with a signature brown smokey eye.
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Emma Chamberlain
While many opted for black and white this Met Gala, red carpet host Emma Chamberlain brought a dose of color to the scene with her Miu Miu fit and her makeup as well. She incorporated the blue from her outfit into her glam with her headband and a subtle touch of the soft hue in her eyeshadow. She made it the focal point of her look with heavy eyeliner, emphasized by a dark neutral blush and lip color.
