From '90s Tones to Gothic Glam and Pink Eyeshadow, These Met Gala Beauty Looks Were the Best of the Night
Glam looks that left me speechless
The first Monday in May, also known as the Met Gala, is perhaps my favourite day of the year. A walk down Park Avenue (if you're brave enough) reveals swarms of paparazzi are stationed outside every hotel on the Upper East Side, and stealthy celebs sneaking around behind entourages of black umbrellas. And inside those hotel suites? That's where the glamour really happens.
With the year's theme, "Costume Art," and an accompanying dress code "Fashion is Art," the beauty looks were almost pre-determined to be above and beyond. Which, candidly, is exactly what beauty should always be. That being said, it's The Met. So the glam packed an extra punch.
As celebrities, singers, socialites, and fashion fixtures make their way to The Met, the Marie Claire US Beauty Team reports in real-time on the best beauty looks of the evening. Here are our favourite glam moments of the event.
Sabrina Carpenter
Sabrina Carpenter attends the 2026 Met Gala celebrating "Costume Art" at the Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 04, 2026 in New York City.
Sabrina Carpenter continues to reign as the soft glam queen. Her glowy skin, paired with champagne shimmer eyes, and a glossy nude lip was made even better by that sculpted vintage bob and crystal-draped headpiece.
Anne Hathaway
Anne Hathaway attends the 2026 Met Gala celebrating "Costume Art" at the Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 04, 2026 in New York City.
The Devil Wears Prada 2 star falls in line with a slew of celebrities rocking a smoked out eye. The perfect ballerina bun let's the shadow shine.
Emma Chamberlain
Emma Chamberlain at the Met Gala.
Emma Chamberlain never, ever disappoints at the Met Gala. She's not going to play it safe at a big event. Case in point? This matte, gothic glam, made even edgier with a platinum pixie and bleached eyebrows.
Ashley Graham
Ashley Graham at the 2026 Met Gala.
If I do say so myself, Marie Claire US picked a particularly fashionable Motherhood cover star. The model arrived at the red carpet with wet-looking hair (I'll never get tired of this look), and incredibly fresh and dewy glam. Can we also talk about the glow on her clavicle?
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Cara Delevingne
Cara Delevingne at the 2026 Met Gala.
Gothic glam is shaping up to be a big trend for the evening. This smokey eye and dusty rose lip is just complete perfection. And this finger waved bixie? Dare I say it's even better?
Zoë Kravitz
Zoë Kravitz at the 2026 Met Gala.
Fresh and a little romantically windswept, these to-the-eyebrow wispy pieces on Zoë Kravitz completely make this half-up, half-down updo.
Venus Williams
Venus Williams at the 2026 Met Gala.
The tennis pro doesn't mess around with red carpet glam. My favourite part of her look? She ditched her usual matte lip in favour of this clear gloss.
Sunday Rose Kidman
Sunday Rose at the 2026 Met Gala.
Nicole Kidman's daughter brought pink eyeshadow to the red carpet and I am very much in support. Add the foot-long extensions in? And it's a 10/10 Met Gala glam.
Rihanna
The hair! The frosted lips! The metallic eyeshadow! If anyone is allowed to arrive so fashionably late, it's Rihanna.
Gigi Hadid
Gigi Hadid at the 2026 Met Gala.
'90s-inspired glam has a been a big through line of the night. Case in point: Gigi Hadid's brown lip liner and voluminous side parted blowout.
Keke Palmer
KeKe Palmer at the Met Gala.
Justice for pink makeup! Between the bixie and the eyeshadow, this glam is color theory at it's finest. To make it even better? The skinny eyebrows are back.
Samantha Holender is the Senior Beauty Editor at Marie Claire US, where she reports on the best new launches, dives into the science behind skincare, and shares the breakdown on the latest and greatest trends in the beauty space. She's studied up on every ingredient you'll find on INCI list and is constantly in search of the world's glowiest makeup products. She's constantly tracking the biggest nail and hair trends to pop up in the beauty space, going backstage during fashion weeks, tracking celebrity looks, and constantly talking to celebrity hair stylists, nail artists, and makeup artists. Keep up with her on Instagram @samholender.