heavenly bodies

The Best (and Worst) Met Gala Beauty Looks

Photo: Getty Images

In a surprising turn of events, the Met Gala’s theme of Catholicism turned out to be quite robust, with celebrities transforming for the night into virginal saints, weeping Mary statues, and celestial maidens. Many celebrities went for dramatic beauty looks capped with headpieces, but a few chose the opposite approach with down-to-earth waves and minimal makeup. Here are the most notable beauty looks from the night.

Jasmine Sanders

Photo: Getty Images

You might not know Golden Barbie, a.k.a Jasmine Sanders, but now at least you know her braid. This romantic loose plait, which came studded with roses and ribbons and was created by hairstylist Renda Attia, was one of the earliest and best beauty looks on the red carpet.

Gisele Bündchen

Photo: ANGELA WEISS/AFP/Getty Images

True, Gisele’s hair always looks like this. But isn’t it heavenly? Her hairstyle was created by David von Cannon.

Eiza González

Photo: Neilson Barnard/Getty Images

Her dramatically lined eyes came with crying silver glitter tears.

Ariana Grande

Photo: John Shearer/Getty Images for The Hollywood R

After her hilarious performance as Maria in her SNL Sound of Music skit, I think Ariana Grande deserves more than this sad wimple.

Rita Ora

Photo: Frazer Harrison/FilmMagic

A bold red lipstick and strong contouring balance out Rita Ora’s spiky headpiece.

Hailey Baldwin

Photo: Neilson Barnard/Getty Images

It’s not that pink hair isn’t cute, it’s just not really part of the Catholic imagination.

Anne Hathaway

Photo: John Shearer/Getty Images for The Hollywood R

A spiky headpiece paired with hair that’s sleek but not severe, slightly glossy eyes, and a great “my lips but better” lip color. Hathaway’s makeup look was created by Kate Lee, and hairstylist Adir Abergel styled it using Virtue.

Rihanna

Photo: Frazer Harrison/FilmMagic

Fenty Beauty, two tendrils, and a pope hat walked into the Met Gala.

SZA

Photo: Matt Winkelmeyer/MG18/Getty Images for The Met Museum/

SZA’s tears of Mary came in 3-D. Her eye makeup came from Pat McGrath’s MTHRSHIP Subliminal Platinum Bronze Palette.

Miley Cyrus

Photo: Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images

She looks pretty, but also pretty much like she does all the time.

Emilia Clarke

Photo: Getty Images

Another pretty floral updo (created by hairstylist Ben Skervin using Suave Professionals) that doesn’t give Coachella vibes. For the lips, makeup artist Jillian Dempsey used a mix of Laura Mercier’s Velour Extreme Matte Lipstick in Hot and Fatale.

Janelle Monáe

Photo: Mike Coppola/MG18/Getty Images for The Met Museum/

There’s so much to admire about Janelle, but tonight we’re particularly enthralled by her well-blended highlighter (Marc Jacobs Beauty Dew Drops Coconut Gel Highlighter in Fantasy) and red lip (Marc Jacobs Beauty Le Marc Lip Crème Lipstick in Amazing 204).

Amber Heard

Photo: Neilson Barnard/Getty Images

A great goth-y lip (by Melanie Iglessis using L’Oreal Paris Infallible Le Rouge in Resilient Raisin) framed by a headpiece of linear rays.

Rosie Huntington-Whiteley

Photo: Getty Images

The minimalist version of a halo hairstyle, with a pretty hair knot. The look was created by Christian Wood for Wella Professionals.

Jared Leto

Photo: Neilson Barnard/Getty Images

Beach waves for Jesus.

Emma Stone

Photo: Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images

A very loose side pony (created by Mara Roszak) that looks fresh and soft and not at all ’80s. Her lip color (in a look designed by Rachel Goodwin is NARS Velvet Lip Glide in Swing).

Lynda Carter

Photo: Getty Images

A secret way to ensure that the exhibit was multi-denominational.

Winnie Harlow

Photo: Frazer Harrison/FilmMagic

A set of great, eye-opening lashes to go with one of the best headpieces of the night. The look was created by Rebekah Aladdin using Whip Lashed.

Kim Kardashian

Photo: Frazer Harrison/FilmMagic

The smoothest, sleekest ponytail of the night. Chris Appleton created the look with ColorWow Dream Coat Anti-Humidity Shield and Dyson. Her makeup was by Mario Dedivanovic using the KKW Beauty Concealer Kit.

Solange

Photo: Frazer Harrison/FilmMagic

Unlike many of the halo-inspired beauty looks on the red carpet, hers was strong rather than ethereal thanks to her jet-black eyeliner, slightly clumpy lashes, and du-rag. Makeup artist Dana Delaney created the look using Burt’s Bees Nourishing Eyeliner in black.

Zendaya

Photo: Matt Winkelmeyer/MG18/Getty Images for The Met Museum/

A modern-day interpretation of Joan of Arc with tousled, rust-colored hair (created by Ursula Stephen using Dove and TRESemmé), glossy lips (Pat McGrath Lip Fetish Lip Balm and LUST: Gloss in Lust Gold Allure), and a strong brow.

Kate Bosworth

Photo: Dia Dipasupil/WireImage

With soft blushing cheeks and a lip color that practically matches, Kate Bosworth looks like a picture-perfect celestial maiden. Her makeup look was created by Beau Nelson with Chantecaille (he used the Cheek Gelee in Happy).

Mindy Kaling

Photo: Mike Coppola/MG18/Getty Images for The Met Museum/

A less cartoon-ish crown might have been better, but we do appreciate that Mindy Kaling’s bun is neatly braided into what she called in her Instagram a “chocolate challah” (a look created by Marc Mena for Dove Hair).

Cynthia Erivo

Photo: HECTOR RETAMAL/AFP/Getty Images

When you’re so blessed that even your eyebrows are bedazzled.

Lily Collins

Photo: Dia Dipasupil/WireImage

Lily Collins had perhaps the most dramatic approach to the “tears” look: one single, bloody teardrop amidst some crystal eyeliner. Makeup artist Fiona Stiles created the look using Lancome Le Metallique Lip Gloss in Purple Onyx.

Kerry Washington

Photo: Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images

Bounteously beautiful curls with a gold hair comb (by Lorraine Schwartz) to match. Hairstylist Takisha Sturdivant created the style using ghd and Tangle Teezer.

Amal Clooney

Photo: Frazer Harrison/FilmMagic

Naturally, she would have Charlotte Tilbury herself for her makeup. Tilbury used a mix of two shades (Hollywood Lips Matte Contour Liquid Lipstick in Screen Siren and Walk of Fame) for Clooney’s lips.

Selena Gomez

Photo: Karwai Tang/Karwai Tang/Getty Images

Hung Vanngo gave Selena Gomez a cat-eye that was both glittery and smoky — a little bit heaven, a little bit hell. He used a mix of Kiehl’s and Marc Jacobs Beauty (the new Marc Jacobs Beauty Highliner Glam Glitter Gel Eye Crayon Eyeliner in Glitz Alright out in August 2018).

Yara Shahidi

Photo: Evan Agostini/Invision/AP/REX/Sh/Evan Agostini/Invision/AP/REX/Sh

At 60 inches, hers wins for the longest ponytail of the night (a styled created by hairstylist Nai’vasha Johnson for John Frieda).

The Best (and Worst) Met Gala Beauty Looks