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met gala 2013
May 7, 2013

The Most (and Least) Black Eye Makeup at Met Gala

By Christina Han

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Photo: BFA

The makeup artists must have loved last night’s Met Gala theme, because the punk theme gave the face painters a chance to exercise their artistry. It’s rumored that hostess Anna Wintour sent out an e-mail to all the agencies early yesterday, warning makeup (and hair) experts to keep everyone’s beauty looks “rich and elegant.” There may have been a few who collectively threw their brushes to the ground at all that unjust heeding, but most everyone still stepped up to the plate with black pencils sharpened and at the ready.

While there were a brazen few who opted for colorful eyelids, the most ubiquitous beauty look for the night included loads of black eye makeup. The men played it the safest with a simple rim of noir around their peepers; the ladies took it to more dramatic extremes. We’ve scaled the most intricate black eye looks — from Emma Watson’s virginal lids to Ginnifer Goodwin’s fearless, jet black gaze — to see whose lids got the hardest punk treatment (in that thoughtful, Vogue-approved kind of way).

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1 / 15 Photos
Least Amount of Black Eye Makeup: Emma Watson Did she or didn't she wear eyeliner? There's a chance her faux lashes and mascara layers made her u... Least Amount of Black Eye Makeup: Emma Watson Did she or didn't she wear eyeliner? There's a chance her faux lashes and mascara layers made her upper lash line appear lined. Photo: Julian Mackler/BFAnyc.com/BFA NYC
Dude-liner: Hamish Bowles, Tim Minchin, and Andrew Bevan. They beat out a girl. Bravo dudes. Rock on. Photo: BFA
Best Cat-Eye: Jessica Hart The wings on these bad boys look like the ears from Michelle Pfeiffer's Catwoman suit. Photo: Michael Stewart/2013 Mi... Best Cat-Eye: Jessica Hart The wings on these bad boys look like the ears from Michelle Pfeiffer's Catwoman suit. Photo: Michael Stewart/2013 Michael Stewart
Best Angry Cat-Eye: Anja Rubik This elongated liner looks decidedly more badass than its usually retro winged-out cat-eye counterpart. Photo: Di... Best Angry Cat-Eye: Anja Rubik This elongated liner looks decidedly more badass than its usually retro winged-out cat-eye counterpart. Photo: Dimitrios Kambouris/2013 Getty Images
Best Gwen Stefani: Gwen Stefani This thick-lined look is something that this grunge-punk girl is all too familiar with. Photo: Dimitrios Kambour... Best Gwen Stefani: Gwen Stefani This thick-lined look is something that this grunge-punk girl is all too familiar with. Photo: Dimitrios Kambouris/2013 Getty Images
Most Common Look for the Night: Eve This shadowy example was one of the more ubiquitous looks of the night. Following the eye's natural shape, th... Most Common Look for the Night: Eve This shadowy example was one of the more ubiquitous looks of the night. Following the eye's natural shape, the pigment is most dense in the center of the lid, then diffused out. Photo: Julian Mackler/BFAnyc.com/BFA NYC
Best Under-Eye Smudge-age: Joan Smalls  Makeup artist Sir John B paid close attention to the model's lower lid, with Estee Lauder's Double W... Best Under-Eye Smudge-age: Joan Smalls  Makeup artist Sir John B paid close attention to the model's lower lid, with Estee Lauder's Double Wear Stay-in-Place pencil liner, possibly to make her look more angsty? Photo: Julian Mackler/BFAnyc.com/BFA NYC
Best Under-Eye-Liner Daggers: Julie Macklowe The thick strikes of black liner under this social girl/beauty maven's eyes look just as unfriendly ... Best Under-Eye-Liner Daggers: Julie Macklowe The thick strikes of black liner under this social girl/beauty maven's eyes look just as unfriendly as her spiked choker. Many punk points given here. Photo: Julian Mackler/BFAnyc.com/BFA NYC
Best Italian Take on Punky Eyes: Donatella Versace The designer knows her way around a fully shadowed eye, so we aren't terribly surprised here. ... Best Italian Take on Punky Eyes: Donatella Versace The designer knows her way around a fully shadowed eye, so we aren't terribly surprised here. Photo: Julian Mackler/BFAnyc.com/BFA NYC
Best Effort Put Forward by the French: Virginie and Claire Courtins-Clarins The girls are usually known for their French-chic understated sensibi... Best Effort Put Forward by the French: Virginie and Claire Courtins-Clarins The girls are usually known for their French-chic understated sensibilities, so kudos to them for not being afraid to pile on the liner. Photo: Julian Mackler/BFAnyc.com/BFA NYC
Best Indie Version: Greta Gerwig The washed-out grey tone closest to her brow lines gives this beauty look an almost vampy, gothlike vibe. But it... Best Indie Version: Greta Gerwig The washed-out grey tone closest to her brow lines gives this beauty look an almost vampy, gothlike vibe. But it's cool. Greta probably doesn't care that much. Photo: Dimitrios Kambouris/2013 Getty Images
Best Bobbi Brown Ambassador: Katie Holmes As the brand's spokesperson, makeup artist Genevieve Herr loaded up her lids with Caviar Shadow liner a... Best Bobbi Brown Ambassador: Katie Holmes As the brand's spokesperson, makeup artist Genevieve Herr loaded up her lids with Caviar Shadow liner and Jet eye pencil. Photo: Julian Mackler/BFAnyc.com/BFA NYC
Best Siouxsie Sioux: January Jones The actress admitted her punk goddess inspiration to Hilary Rhoda on the red carpet. And it's pretty rock soli... Best Siouxsie Sioux: January Jones The actress admitted her punk goddess inspiration to Hilary Rhoda on the red carpet. And it's pretty rock solid. Makeup artist Rachel Goodwin deftly applied jet black crystals over Chanel's Illusion D'Ombre Long Wear Luminous eyeshadow in Mirifique. Photo: Julian Mackler/BFAnyc.com/BFA NYC
Best Grey-Black Eyes: Jessica Paré While the palette choice (Lancome's Grey Fatale) falls into the greyer territory, the fact that ma... Best Grey-Black Eyes: Jessica Paré While the palette choice (Lancome's Grey Fatale) falls into the greyer territory, the fact that makeup artist Mai Quynh decided to blanket the lid in shadow is laudable. Extra bonus points for Paré's icy, not-to-be-messed-with gaze.  Photo: Neil Rasmus/BFAnyc.com/BFA NYC
Most Blacked-Out Eyes: Ginnifer Goodwin Killer Whales and Pandas are already winners in this category. It took makeup artist Mai Quynh a trio of ... Most Blacked-Out Eyes: Ginnifer Goodwin Killer Whales and Pandas are already winners in this category. It took makeup artist Mai Quynh a trio of Laura Mercier products (Matte Eye Shadow in Noir, Sequin Eye Colour in Black Ice, Kohl Eye Pencil in Black Violet), plus plenty of black mascara, to take the whole look to its most jet-black extremes. Photo: Julian Mackler/BFAnyc.com/BFA NYC
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  • beauty
  • black eye liner
  • katie holmes
  • joan smalls
  • donatella versace
  • virginie courtin clarins
  • claire courtin-clarins
  • jessica pare
  • ginnifer goodwin
  • january jones
  • julie macklowe
  • jessica hart
  • greta gerwig
  • anja rubik
  • andrew bevan
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