(Red Carpet)
Amanda Gorman Arrived At The Met Gala Covered In Hundreds Of Swarovski Crystals
Yet her makeup was somehow not over-the-top.
Amanda Gorman first wowed America as the inaugural poet at the 2021 swearing-in of President Joe Biden and now, she’s making waves as a 2021 Met Gala co-host. The 23-year-old leaned fully into this year’s theme, “In America: A Lexicon of Fashion,” by arriving in an ensemble inspired by The Statue of Liberty. Though her royal blue Vera Wang gown stunned, Amanda Gorman’s Met Gala 2021 beauty look is what really stole the show.
Gorman’s face was adorned with crystals placed all around her eyes and up through her temples, with the rest of her makeup kept fairly simple. Rather than take a literal approach and don a pronged crown like the actual Statue of Liberty, the poet opted for a custom headpiece by NYC label, Jennifer Behr, and a long braid draped over her shoulder. Selected by Gorman along with her stylist, Jason Bolden, the crystal headpiece is a customized rendition of the brand’s iconic Arielle Chignon Wrap and is studded with hundreds of hand-set Swarovski crystals.
“Working with Amanda was a dream come true for me, and it was my absolute goal to bring her vision to life,” Behr explains via a press email. “I wanted her to have access to our full breadth of work — from archived classics to never-before-seen custom crowns. She beautifully landed on one of my favorite signature pieces, worn in a style all her own, of course.”
Gorman’s makeup was kept fairly simple, with the exception of an ethereal smattering of crystals and glitter across the eyes. The entire look was courtesy of Estée Lauder, of which she’s been named the latest face, and makeup artist Joanna Simkin. “When I saw the dress with the stones, I immediately thought of the stars on the American flag and wanted to echo the shape of the flag blowing in the wind,” Simkin said in a press email.
To create this sparkly look, Simkin first prepped Gorman’s skin using Estée Lauder Advanced Night Repair Serum, Estée Lauder Advanced Night Repair Eye Concentrate Matrix, and Estée Lauder Revitalizing Supreme+ Bright Moisturizer. She then applied Estée Lauder The Illuminator Radiant Perfecting Primer + Finisher, focusing on the high points of her face for added radiance.
For the complexion, Simkin used Estée Lauder Double Wear Stay in Place in 6W2 Nutmeg on the center of the face, and 7C1 Rich Mahogany on the perimeter. Then, she brightened under the eyes with Estée Lauder Double Wear Stay-in-Place Flawless Concealer in 6W Extra Deep and set the face using Estée Lauder Perfecting Loose Powder in Deep. Simkin added a subtle glow by applying Estée Lauder Bronze Goddess Illuminating Powder Gelée in Mirage to the tops of the cheekbones.
Simkin says that Gorman wanted a defined brow look, which was achieved with Estée Lauder Brow Now Stay-in-Place Brow Gel and Estée Lauder The Brow Multi-Tasker in Dark Brunette. She then created a minimal cat-eye by using Estée Lauder Little Black Liner before finishing the eyes with Estée Lauder Sumptuous Extreme Lash Multiplying Volume Mascara.
To create a shimmery base before applying the gemstones, Simkin applied the metallic shadows from two Estée Lauder Pure Color Envy Sculpting EyeShadow 5-Color Palettes: Dark Ego and Pink Mink. She wanted to keep the lip neutral, so Simkin began with Estée Lauder Pure Color Envy Color Replenish Lip Balm to prep the lips, then added the Estée Lauder Pure Color Whipped Matte Lip Color in 922 Cocoa Whip.
The result was undeniably chic, proving that the reign of Amanda Gorman is still going strong — and the world would have it no other way. Bravo.
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