The 17 best Met Gala beauty looks of all time

From Princess Diana to Kendall Jenner... these are the most striking hair and makeup moments from over the years

Updated on 02 May 2023

A ticket to the Met Gala represents acceptance within the upper echelons of fashion excellence. The industry's most hotly-anticipated night of the year is nearly here and we are practically counting down the hours until we can feast our eyes on 2023's crop of outfits.

Thanks to the promise of unadulterated glamour from the evening, we'll also be keeping an eye out for the hair and makeup looks that transform the A-lister's glam-squad beauty pros into actual gods. In the meantime, we're looking back on the most striking red carpet beauty moments from the Met Gala archive.

Doja Cat

Doja Cat paid tribute to Karl Lagerfeld's cat Choupette by transforming into the late designer's beloved pet. She wore feline prosthetic makeup and, frankly, we are still in awe.

Adut Akech

Adut Akech looked achingly cool with a blunt glossy bob and black lipstick at this year's ball.

Christy Turlington

Christy Turlington was serving major Holly Golightly elegance with strong brows and an elaborate updo at the 1992 Met Gala.

MORE: How Kim Kardashian's makeup artist perfected Marilyn Monroe's dewy skin for the Met Gala

Lily Collins

Who could forget Lily Collins dedication to the 2019 Met Gala's "Celebrating Camp: Notes on Fashion" theme?

Kim Kardashian

Not one to shy away from a theme, Kim Kardashian served modern Marilyn Monroe in her freshly dyed platinum blonde updo.

Bianca Jagger

Nicaraguan model and actress Bianca Jagger showed off her trademark voluminous bob to attend the 1981 Met Gala with eponymous fashion designer Halston.

Naomi Campbell

Naomi Campbell attended the "Alexander McQueen: Savage Beauty" themed Met Gala in 2011, and delivered high-octane glamour with her Hepburn-inspired hairstyle.

Emily Ratajkowski

You may not remember this look, but beauty watchers went crazy for Emily Ratajkowski's metallic blue winged liner at the "Rei Kawakubo/Comme des Garcons: Art Of The In-Between" Met Gala in 2017.

Beyoncé

Beyoncé looked utterly striking in a gothic plum lip shade and a crisp side parting with a mesh overlay headpiece at the 2014 bash.

Rihanna

Forget her omelette gown, Rihanna's rusty red flicky bob totally stopped us in our tracks in 2015. Plus, who knew straight brows could serve up so much drama?

Lupita Nyong'o

The angular petrol blue shadow, the lit-from-within skin, the utterly fabulous hair – Lupita Nyong'o at the 2021 Met Gala is perfection and beyond.

Zendaya

Zendaya's curved bangs and super shiny bob stopped us in our tracks in 2016, as did her golden goddess makeup.

Cher

Vintage Cher snaps literally never disappoint – and this is no exception. The star looked unbelievable in 1985 with purple shimmery shadow, creamy, soft-focus skin and a slick of gloss on her lips.

Iman

Iman exuded supermodel glamour at the 1981 Met Gala on the arm of Calvin Klein, sporting flawless skin, soft brows and a nude glossy lip.

Kate Moss

Kate Moss attended the 2009 Met Gala as the guest of Honorary Chair Marc Jacobs, and brought the glamour in a shimmering turban paired with matching silvery smokey eye. Iconic doesn't cut it.