The Best Beauty Looks At The 2026 Met Gala Are Still Inspiring Us

The Met Gala is an event where celebs gather together each year, dressed in their very best fashion that follows an annual theme — in 2026, that theme was "Costume Art." Everyone showed up in super theatrical designs, and there were plenty of celebs who nailed the 2026 Met Gala theme and looked like walking art. Folks like Doja Cat and Sabrina Carpenter stunned in their avant-garde creations, while really leaning into the "Fashion is Art" dress code. And, it wasn't just their 'fits that wowed — plenty of celebs made sure their makeup was just as stunning.

As a makeup artist, I always appreciate a well-made face during star-studded events, especially when there are certain details that wow, such as perfectly blended blush that melts seamlessly onto the skin or a cat-eye so sharp it can cut. Although the Met Gala has come and gone, some looks were so memorable that I'm itching to recreate them on myself and others. From soft beauty glam to surprising color placements, this year's makeup looks did not disappoint.

Doja Cat rocked a fierce all-nude look for the 2026 Met Gala, which she incorporated into her makeup. The "Jealous Type" singer's satin skin was perfection, but what was truly breathtaking was her flawless cat eye. To get that feline-esque shape, she extended the liner from the inner corners of her eyes and drew a thick, sharp V at the ends. You can recreate this look with a black liquid liner, but if you want to have some fun with it, colorful liner is the trendiest way to make your eyes pop, so experiment with some blues, violets, or even a sunny yellow.

Sabrina Carpenter has been guilty of blush blindness plenty of times, which is why I'm glad she dialed it back for this year's Met Gala. The whisper of rose on her cheeks was blended so well that you couldn't see where it began and ended. It perfectly matched her dusty pink lipstick, and there was even a hint of pink on her lids and nose. The makeup, including the subtle lashes and bold brows, all came together to create a soft, diffused finish, which you can totally recreate with a lip and cheek tint for that monochromatic look.

SZA was absolutely sizzling at the 2026 Met Gala with her yellow gown and matching floral headpiece, which she complemented with her equally colorful makeup. She looked like a literal flower with the yellow color on the Grammy winner's forehead and the gold shimmer on her lids that gradually fell just on top of her high-placed fuchsia blush. The violet lipstick was the perfect touch to finish off this ethereal look, and this is one color folks should wear on repeat this summer. Add a dusting of bronze shimmer on your lids, and you'll be looking like a goddess as well.

As a member of the 20206 Met Gala host committee, Blackpink's Lisa made sure to bring her fashion and beauty game with her crystallized head-to-toe ensemble. Adorned in a sheer white sparkly dress, the rapper brought that same magic to her face with shimmery silver makeup and carefully placed rhinestones around her eyes. If you're looking for a summer festival look, this is it, but be sure to make your face crystals and gems stay in place once and for all with a bit of eyelash glue.

Rihanna once told fans to "shine bright like a diamond," which is exactly what she did at the Met Gala in 2026. The "Diamonds" singer matched her gold and silver bejeweled sculptural gown with frosted eyeshadow of similar colors, adding an iridescent white shade on her brows and inner corners of the eyes. Super-highlighted brows were huge in the 2000s, and as Rihanna knows, it's back in style, so don't be the last to hop on this trend. And while you're at it, '90s frosted lipstick has made its way around again, which our favorite bad gal wore so gorgeously.

Gwendoline Christie is known to bring the drama to red carpet events, and she definitely turned heads with two of her own at the 2026 Met Gala. While wearing a feathered dress and headpiece, the "Game of Thrones" star initially held a Venetian-style mask, but thankfully, she put it down long enough to show her impeccably drawn pout. I love a deep red for any season, and you can make this shade warm-weather friendly by dabbing lipstick on with a finger for the trendy blurred look that celebs are rocking as of late.

Move over grays and blacks, Ejae just proved that brown is the it-color for smoky eyes. The "Golden" singer made her peepers the focal point of her 2026 Met Gala makeup, with gorgeously smudged brown shadow on her upper and lower lids. The hint of black liner gave Ejae's eyes some definition, and the velvety finish of the shadow gave smoky eyes an updated feel. The rest of the Grammy winner's makeup was natural, with just a hint of peach blush and gloss — the perfect color combo for warmer months.

Hunter Schafer looked like she stepped right out of a 19th-century watercolor painting with her dreamy white and floral gown, which she accentuated with an all-pastel makeup palette. The washes of blue and pink were blurred together to create a soft-focus, glazed effect over the "Euphoria" star's flawless porcelain skin. If you want to try the '80s blue eyeshadow trend, which is back with a vengeance, I suggest getting a sheer coverage shadow in a matte finish. Anything too bright and shimmery is going to give retro instead of 2026, which is what Schafer executed to a T.