With today being the first Monday in May, we would traditionally be celebrating the Met Gala and all of the best, most out-of-the-box beauty moments born from it. Even though this year's event was canceled due to a pandemic [1], we can still look back at the most daring hair and makeup looks that hit the red carpet over the past few years.
Past Met Galas have provided us with more than enough beauty inspiration to reminisce on. There have been multi-tier up-dos adorned with precious jewels, dramatic tributes to the beauty trends of iconic musical eras (like punk-rock [2]), and even a makeup look inspired by the dark arts [3]. With its fashion-centric overarching theme, this event produces some of the most out-of-the-box beauty looks in history.
With this last year's theme being "Camp: Notes on Fashion," [4] it's hard to top the wildly creative looks we were privy to from some of our favourite celebrities. See just a few of the best ones, ahead.
Lady Gaga's Hair and Makeup at the 2019 Met Gala
We can't decide which part we like better from Lady Gaga [5]'s 2019 Met Gala look — her over-the-top eyelashes, graphic eye liner, giant pink hair bow, or the tiny hair bows underneath it [6].
Gigi Hadid's Makeup at the 2019 Met Gala
Erin Parsons applied individual feathers to Gigi Hadid's lashes to create this feathered look.
Harry Styles' Nails at the 2019 Met Gala
Defying gender stereotypes yet again [7], Harry Styles wore mismatched blue nail polish on the red carpet.
Elle Fanning's Nails at the 2019 Met Gala
Tiny charms dangled from Elle Fanning's neon nails [8], serving up major I Dream of Jeannie vibes.
Priyanka Chopra's Hair and Makeup at the 2019 Met Gala
Priyanka Chopra arrived at last year's Met Gala looking like a sexy version of the Mad Hatter from Alice in Wonderland with a silver crown and creative eye makeup.
Lily Collins' Hair and Makeup at the 2018 Met Gala
Lily Collins' gothic makeup at the Met Gala was a tribute to the "dark arts," [9] according to her makeup artist, Fiona Stiles. Paired with a sculptural, braided up-do, Collins' look for the evening was unforgettable.
Tessa Thompson's Hair at the 2018 Met Gala
A line of eye-catching pearls started at the nape of Tessa Thompson's neck and trailed up her three-tier, beehive-like hairstyle.
Jasmine Sanders' Hair at the 2018 Met Gala
We can't help but stop and stare at Jasmine Sanders' romantic, rose-adorned braids [10] at the 2018 Met Gala.
Rihanna's Makeup at the 2017 Met Gala
Rihanna [11]'s magenta blush was swept from her cheekbones to just below her eyebrows.
Lupita Nyong'o's Hair at the 2016 Met Gala
Lupita Nyong'o took her hair to new heights with her architectural up-do in 2016.
Janelle Monae's Hair at the 2015 Met Gala
Let's never forget Janelle Monae's iconic, multilayer braid at the 2015 Met Gala.
Cara Delevingne's Tattoos at the 2015 Met Gala
Cara Delevingne's tattoos at the 2015 Met Gala extended across her chest and down her arms.
Miley Cyrus's Hair and Makeup at the 2013 Met Gala
Miley Cyrus [12]'s interpretation of 2013's theme — "Punk: Chaos to Couture" — was spot on with her spiked-up hair and bold red lip.
January Jones's Hair and Makeup at the 2013 Met Gala
January Jones [13] paired graphic liner made from rhinestones with an elaborate up-do.
Megan Fox's Blunt Bangs at the 2021 Met Gala
Baby bangs were the name of Megan Fox's Met Gala [14] game: she walked the red carpet with (presumably) clip-in retro pinup bangs.
Amanda Gorman's Laurel Hair Accessory at the 2021 Met Gala
Amanda Gorman [15]'s crystal laurel headpiece had a very special meaning to her. It was inspired by the spirit of the Statue of Liberty, which bears a significant meaning to poets because it's the headpiece worn by the god Apollo, who's the patron of lyrical poetry.
Hailee Steinfeld's Blond Bob Haircut at the 2021 Met Gala
Hailee Steinfeld was nearly unrecognisable [16] with her bluntly cut blond bob.
Lupita Nyong'o's Structural Hair at the 2021 Met Gala
Drawing inspiration from the '90s with a mix of Old Hollywood Western films, Lupita Nyong'o's sculptural Met Gala hairstyle [17] featured gravity-defying volume with looped pieces of hair at her forehead.
Barbie Ferreira's Honey Hair Colour at the 2021 Met Gala
Barbie Ferreira pulled out a completely different look [18] at the 2021 Met Gala, trading in her signature black hair for a "bronde" colour and middle-part jewellery.