The Best Hair, Makeup, & Nails Of The 2023 Met Gala Rival The Red Carpet Gowns

Between all the buzzy rumors, breathless speculation, and a full year of anticipation, it’s finally Met Gala time, attracting some of the coolest, most creative head-to-toe red carpet moments in recent memory. This year’s theme plays homage to legendary designer Karl Lagerfeld, who died in 2019 after decades at the helm of Chanel, Fendi, and his own eponymous line among others. Just like the couture gowns, suits, and accessories seen parading up the museum stairs, the 2023 Met Gala best beauty looks find a way to honor the theme while still expressing each star and designer’s personal vision, too.

A-list attendees like Dua Lipa, Penélope Cruz, Michelle Yeoh, Cardi B, and Cara Delevingne have all nodded to the Karl Lagerfeld: A Line Of Beauty exhibit with Euro-preppy blowouts, sleek ponytails, and glistening, gown-matching makeup. Even the smallest details like headbands, bows, and sultry cat-eye makeup help honor the designer theme. The cream (and blue...and red)-carpeted stairs have have seen plenty of celebrity arrivals all night, humbly proving the perfect backdrop for the most opulent beauty looks of the year — some of which will become all-timers. Below, explore all the best hair, makeup, and nails of the 2023 Met Gala.

Rihanna

The Met Gala can’t truly start until Rihanna arrives — and arrived she has. While her hairstyle is still yet to be revealed beneath her camellia-covered hood, her eyelash-accented glasses and bold red lipstick deliver enough inspo as-is. Celebrity makeup artist and global Fenty ambassador Priscilla Ono worked on Rih’s cosmetic look for the big night, using both Fenty Skin products and Fenty Beauty’s Stunna Lip Paint in Uncensored.

Viola Davis

A full-on confection in her feathered Valentino gown, Davis demonstrates the art of a coordinated makeup moment. After prepping her complexion with L’Oréal skin care products, makeup artist Sergio López-Rivera expertly blended two blush shades, the L'Oréal Paris Age Perfect Radiant Satin Blush in both Peony and Marigold Souci for a custom, gown-matching look. Meanwhile, her glossy, voluminous Afro was styled by celebrity go-to Jamika Wilson.

Elle Fanning

Headpieces and hair accessories ruled the Met Gala red carpet, and Fanning’s sweet, bow-accented daisy crown numbers among the very best. In press materials, Erin Ayanian Monroe shares that Fanning’s matte, smudged-out lip color and sweet blush were both nods to her look’s floral theme, created with L’Oréal Paris makeup products. The star’s longtime hairstylist, Jenda Alcorn, styled the buttery waves falling from the flower crown.

Kendall Jenner

Celebrity makeup artist Mary Phillips shares that she went for a mod, ‘70s-style look for Jenner’s latest Met Gala appearance, marked by long lashes and a classic liner wing. Using L’Oréal Paris products, including the cult-favorite Telescopic Mascara, it’s safe to say she nailed it. As for that center-parted pony, it’s the brainchild of OUAI’s Jen Atkin — naturally.

Allison Williams

Williams’ cool-girl reign is everlasting, and her sultry Met Gala makeup and headband-accented headband prove why. Celebrity artist Jenna Kristina created Williams’ feline eyeliner flick and gown-matching pink lip for the evening, using a host of Too Faced products, like the brand’s best-selling Better Than Sex Volumizing Mascara — no falsies necessary here.

Ariana DeBose

A bold, shimmery smoky eye is nothing without an equally radiant base. So before reaching for any of the Milk Makeup used to create DeBose’s look, makeup artist Andréa Tiller prepped the star’s skin with QMS Medicosmetics, including the plumping Collagen Recovery Day & Night Cream. Her straight back cornrows were woven with white ribbon, creating a gorgeous contrast.

Margot Robbie

With a fresh, bouncy blowout by Bryce Scarlett with Dyson tools and immaculate Chanel makeup, Robbie once again ruled the museum steps. Legendary makeup artist Pati Dubroff used a fetching shade of high-shine lip color as the centerpiece of her sophisticated, minimalist look, but not before prepping Robbie’s complexion with Chanel skin care. “The look was all about shine, so I used Chanel Baume Essentiel Multi-Use Glow Stick in Dragée on top of the cheekbones and on the eyelids,” Dubroff said in press materials.

Lily James

Complete with punk-pretty micro bangs and shimmery, subtle cat-eye, James nails yet another Met Gala. This year, her experimental updo comes courtesy of Halley Brisker using OLAPLEX products and Great Lengths hair extensions, while her makeup is the work of celebrity artist Valeria Ferreira using Charlotte Tilbury — that captivating berry lip shade is the brand’s Matte Revolution Lipstick in Walk Of No Shame.

Michelle Yeoh

Elegant and sophisticated in a deconstructed tuxedo-gown, Yeoh’s sweeping cat-eye liner by celebrity makeup artist Daniel Martin is a flawless complement to her sleek updo by hairstylist Christopher Naselli, who used Fekkai products and Hidden Crown hair extensions to build out her timeless bun.

Kristen Stewart

Did you expect Chanel ambassador Stewart to turn up looking anything less than impossibly cool? Her tousled, gelled wolf cut by celebrity hairstylist Adir Abergel using products from his own Virtue product line — not to mention those straight eyebrows — are sure to spark new trends. The strong brows are, of course, the work of a Chanel pencil and top makeup artist Jillian Dempsey.

Jennie Kim

Polished and radiant in dewy cheek-to-eye blush and two delicate crown braids, Jennie Kim proves she was born to go solo.

Lizzo

Lizzo never fails to look good as hell on a red carpet, and the 2023 Met Gala is no exception. The star’s makeup artist Alexx Mayo added a gorgeous rosy glow to her cheeks with Charlotte Tilbury’s Pillow Talk Matte Beauty Blush Wand in Dream Pop, while hairstylist Shelby Swain created an equally soft, voluminous curly updo complete with choppy micro-bangs using Lush hair care products, Dyson tools, and Tangle Teezer brushes.

Priyanka Chopra

Chopra subtly paid homage to Lagerfeld with the addition of the black satin Lelet NYC ribbon woven through her twisted updo by Bridget Brager using T3 hot tools. She continued to lean into the night’s theme with her delicate cat-flick liner, applied by celebrity makeup artist Sarah Tanno. First, Tanno prepped the skin pre-cosmetics with Nu Skin devices and products as well as Solawave’s new Radiant Renewal Skincare Wand, then built out Chopra’s makeup.

Cardi B

The rapper is one of a handful of celebs who cosplayed the designer through her hair. In honor of Lagerfeld, she wore a voluminous silver bouffant wig accessorized with a thick back hairband. After prepping her skin with Murad products for a flawless base, makeup artist Erika La’ Pearl created an inexplicably precise winged liner for the focal point of the look with the help of Pat McGrath Labs cosmetics.

Kim Kardashian

Looking especially sultry in an Italian-girl updo, gray contacts, and piercing eye makeup, Kardashian leans into her most traditional Met Gala looks in recent memory. Her voluminous bun with face framing pieces is a Chris Appleton original, styled with the help of Dyson tools and Color Wow products. Meanwhile, her intense smoky eyes are courtesy of Mario Dedivanovic using his own Makeup By Mario line, including the just-released MoistureGlow Plumping Lip Color.

Anne Hathaway

Tousled, teased, and accented by piece-y curtain bangs, Hathaway’s extra-long hair, styled by Orlando Pita using his Orlando Pita Play line, adds fuel to the year’s biggest Met Gala hair trend. Meanwhile, her soft brown cat eye winks to Lagerfeld’s beloved pet.

Kerry Washington

Even people live-streaming the Met Gala could hear the crowd lose their minds when Washington arrived. To show off her bandeau top and choker, she paired a voluminous side-chignon with a dark, reflective smoky eye featuring chrome steel blue tones — courtesy of top makeup artist Carola Gonzalez and Neutrogena products, topped off with Eyelure London falsies. Her intricate, pearly nails are by celebrity manicurist Kim Truong using CND gel shades and toppers.

Sydney Sweeney

With the help of dramatic extensions and an even more dramatic hair bow, Sweeney is a perfect mix of Lagerfeld tribute and personal style. While Glen Oropeza worked on her hair with the Shark FlexStyle, Melissa Hernandez created a muted, pink-toned eye look with a pop of shimmer using Laneige products as skin prep followed by Armani Beauty makeup.

FKA Twigs

FKA Twigs loves expressive, experimental hairstyles, and her gelled Met Gala updo — the perfect complement to her Maison Margiela gown — is no exception. Creating a take on a literal hair bow, she brilliantly nods to the theme.

Jessica Chastain

What better homage to Lagerfeld than a head of blinding platinum hair? Chastain traded in her usual fiery hair color for long, blown-out blonde curls styled by Renato Campora with Hair Rituel by Sisley-Paris products and brushes. While it’s likely not a permanent switch, there’s no denying the ice shade suits her. To further the pretty-punk vibe, makeup artist Kristofer Buckle used the fittingly named Charlotte Tilbury Luxury Palette in colorway The Rock Chick.

Amanda Seyfried

Seyfried’s Met Gala beauty look is a double dose of drama, going all in on major volume and a vampy Lancôme lip shade applied by Genevieve Herr — the perfect contrast to her tailored “naked” dress.

Suki Waterhouse

Making their red (cream) carpet debut as a couple, Waterhouse and boyfriend of five years Robert Pattinson have already mastered the art of the coordinated event look. Next to her ‘70s-style curtain bangs, Waterhouse’s climbing pink blush and green eyeshadow perfectly mirror the garden’s worth of embroidery on her gown.

Quannah Chasinghorse

Chasinghorse looked like a high-fashion ballerina in pretty pink eyeshadow, a dead ringer for the cotton candy color of her tulle gown skirt. With cascading mermaid waves by Paul Mitchell Artistic Director Paula Peralta using Paul Mitchell products, Chasinghorse is dialed in to one of the night’s biggest beauty trends.

Gisele Bündchen

Sorry, but there’s only one way to describe Bünchen’s Met Gala look: angelic. With her signature beach waves dialed up to 11 courtesy of David Von Cannon for Sol de Janeiro and Olivia Garden, she’s classic bombshell. And that’s all before the glossy Chanel makeup and skin care by Georgi Sandev.

Rachel Brosnahan

Dark, moody glamour suits Brosnahan stunningly well on the stairs — her slicked-down ponytail is so shiny, it’s reflective. In behind-the-scenes photos, celebrity hairstylist Owen Gould reveals he used Better Not Younger products to style the ultra-long ponytail, which featured a brilliant looping effect at its base. To underscore her vampy eye makeup, Lisa Aharon applied a dramatic pair of KISS Lash falsies.

Gabrielle Union

Of course a beauty mogul would set the hair bar sky-high. Union, with long goddess braids styled by Larry Sims using their co-founded Flawless by Gabrielle Union line, lets her hair flow to her hips in an ethereal wave of braids and curls. Her commitment to detail continues with eyeliner, which features intricate designs in the inner corners.

Maude Apatow

Fresh-faced as always, Apatow’s bouncy bob took by Peter Lux using OGX products took center stage on the cream carpet, elegantly parted to create a simulated asymmetric effect over one eye. Celebrity makeup artist Kale Teter created her dewy, pink-dusted look first by applying Danucera skin care products.

Margaret Qualley

Always a cool-girl, Qualley complemented her negligee-style mini-dress with a flipped micro-bob and some bright poppy-pink Chanel lipstick applied by makeup artist Frankie Boyd. Her signature strong brows stand out thanks to some careful fluffing.

Liu Wen

It doesn’t get much more supermodel than Wen in evening gloves, a sepia-red lipstick, and vintage-tined wet curls. The softest wash of pink blush helps further carve out her already very chiseled bone structure.

Michaela Coel

Instantly upping the evening’s glamour factor with her glittery look, Coel emphasized her gown’s intricate beadwork with a matching bronze Pat McGrath Labs eyeshadow and glossy straight back cornrow braids. Her dewy complexion makeup, though, practically emits its own light, all applied by artist Bernicia Boateng.

Emily Ratajkowski

Arriving on the arm of bestie Phoebe Bridgers (see her look below), Ratajkowski treated onlookers to yet another hair transformation this year — this one featuring asymmetric micro-bangs and a half-ponytail, all by hairstylist Jennifer Yepez using Great Lengths hair extensions. Simultaneously, her dark, smoky, Linda Hay-applied Pat McGrath Labs makeup lifts into an elongated cat-eye.

Nicole Kidman

Glowing in a shell-pink Chanel gown and matching makeup, Kidman lights up the red carpet. Her complexion was prepped with Seratopical Revolution products, then dusted with the most skin tone-flattering shade of Chanel blush by makeup artist Angela Levin. Meanwhile, her long waves feature straightened ends.

Quinta Brunson

A legitimate head-to-toe vision, Brunson’s braided, sculptural updo is an early contender for best hair of the evening. Even her baby hairs, styled by Alexander Armand using Maui Moisture products, are artfully swirled and arranged, laid flat above her gown-matching lavender eyeshadow, made with Glossier makeup by Jessica Smalls.

Olivia Wilde

Wilde’s newly-cut curtain bangs are enjoying plenty of attention on the cream carpet, freshly highlighted in buttery shades of blonde. Styled by Mara Roszak using her own RŌZ hair products, it’s golden and glorious. Her equally glowing nude smoky eye is care of makeup artist Jo Baker using products from her BAKEUP makeup line — but not before prepping the skin with a suite of 111SKIN products.

Dua Lipa

As one of the evening’s celebrity co-chairs, Lipa was under serious pressure to really bring it — clearly, she’s succeeding. With her glossy, inky hair free-flowing to her corseted bodice and a strong, defined cat-eye liner applied personally by the legendary Pat McGrath, she’s a vision.

Penélope Cruz

Another A-list co-chair, Cruz goes the radiant route with some brilliant cheek highlighter applied by Charlotte Tilbury herself using a sweet of products from her eponymous line, a sleek bun, and luminous nude nails. The glistening, dewy effect of her hair-makeup combination reflect the delicate crystals in her gown and hooded shawl.

Emma Chamberlain

For the second year in a row, Chamberlain has ruled the carpet and the internet as Vogue’s social correspondent. In a piercing smoky eye by Kelsey Deenihan using Lancôme and polished blowout by Sami Knight with Heritage products, she’s also a stunning attendee.

Phoebe Bridgers

With a refreshed, deeper take on her signature gray hair styled by Josue Perez with Innersense Organic Beauty products, Bridgers is hauntingly beautiful on the cream-colored carpet. Fitting the glam-goth energy of her black pearled gown, her smoky, sparkly eye makeup by Gianpaolo Ceciliato using KVD makeup and Tata Harper skin care is both intense and full of shine.

La La Anthony

The legendary VJ and actor kicked off the white carpet with a reminder of why she’s an all-time personality. Anthony’s headband, perky ponytail, glam lip look by Rokael Lizama using MAC products, and long, white nails are Cannes-ready.