Last year’s Met Gala 2025 spotlighted impeccable tailoring and refined sophistication through the “Superfine: Tailoring Black Style” exhibition and its “Tailored for You” dress code.
This year, however, the red carpet embraced a far more creative energy. Guided by the 2026 theme, “Fashion Is Art,” alongside the “Costume Art” exhibition, attendees treated beauty as an essential form of self-expression rather than merely a finishing detail.
The result was one of the most striking beauty showcases the Met Gala has seen in years. Makeup artists and hairstylists transformed celebrities into living works of art with smoky eyes, glossy textures, sculptural hairstyles, radiant skin, and intricate embellishments. Across the steps of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, beauty felt expressive, dramatic, and intentionally imperfect—a notable shift from the sleek minimalism that has dominated recent red carpets.
While couture remained the focal point of the evening, beauty was equally influential in defining the night’s standout fashion moments. Hair and makeup artists leaned into individuality and creativity, producing looks that felt artistic, emotional, and deeply personal.
Smoky eyes emerged as one of the night’s defining beauty trends, appearing in everything from soft romantic glam to bold editorial interpretations. Wet-look finishes, luminous complexions, sculpted waves, and glossy textures also dominated the carpet, reinforcing the continued move away from ultra-polished beauty standards.
More than anything, this year’s gala highlighted beauty as an art form in its own right. The evening’s most memorable looks succeeded because the hair and makeup elevated the fashion into something immersive and cinematic rather than simply complementing it.
From timeless Hollywood-inspired elegance to avant-garde experimentation, these were the beauty looks that captured attention at the 2026 Met Gala.
Anne Hathaway
Anne Hathaway delivered one of the evening’s most elegant beauty moments with a look that blended timeless glamour and modern softness effortlessly. Celebrity makeup artist Hung Vanngo created a softly diffused smoky eye paired with a rosy-pink lip that enhanced Hathaway’s natural features while maintaining a refined, understated finish.
Her hair, styled by Orlando Pita, was swept into a romantic updo that balanced structure with softness. The final beauty look felt graceful, polished, and perfectly suited to the artistic mood of the evening.
Cara Delevingne
Cara Delevingne once again proved the staying power of the smoky eye on the red carpet. Her warm brown shadow intensified her light eyes while offering a softer and more wearable take on traditional dark smoky glam.
The rest of her makeup remained understated, featuring softly flushed cheeks and a muted mauve lip that balanced the dramatic eye makeup beautifully. Hairstylist Mara Roszak completed the beauty look with sleek finger waves that added a sculptural, vintage-inspired finish.
Together, the hair and makeup created one of the evening’s most cohesive and memorable beauty statements.
Kim Kardashian
Kim Kardashian embraced a more relaxed beauty direction this year, moving away from the ultra-polished glam that has long defined her signature style. She debuted a tousled blonde lob styled in loose, textured waves that felt modern, effortless, and intentionally undone.
Her makeup stayed true to her signature aesthetic, featuring a sultry smoky eye created by longtime collaborator Mario Dedivanovic. Soft contouring and nude lips completed the monochromatic beauty palette.
The pairing of textured hair and classic smoky makeup gave Kardashian one of her freshest and most contemporary beauty looks in recent memory.
Kylie Jenner
Bleached brows emerged as one of the evening’s boldest beauty trends, and Kylie Jenner wore the look with surprising sophistication. The lightened brows created an ethereal effect that drew attention toward her glowing skin and sculpted neutral-toned makeup.
Her hairstyle featured a dramatic side part with a delicate curled tendril resting across her forehead, adding softness and movement to the futuristic beauty concept. Makeup artist Ariel Tejada used warm nude tones throughout the makeup look to perfectly coordinate with Jenner’s gown.
The final beauty look felt editorial, elevated, and unexpectedly wearable.
Sabrina Carpenter
Sabrina Carpenter once again embraced romantic glamour with one of the evening’s prettiest beauty looks. Her makeup centered on flushed cheeks, softly smoked eyes, and a glossy pink lip that complemented her signature feminine aesthetic.
One standout detail was the shimmering crystallized accent placed at the inner corners of her eyes, which reflected the light beautifully and added a dreamy finish to the overall glam.
Hairstylist Evanie Frausto styled Carpenter’s hair into a voluminous old-Hollywood blowout filled with soft curls and movement. The finished look felt glamorous, youthful, and perfectly aligned with the artistic spirit of the evening.
