Yesterday’s MET Gala theme was “China: Through the Looking Glass”. At this year’s event, A-listers showed off bold looks while celebrating fierce fashion. We’ve rounded up the best hair and makeup of the evening, complete with tips and tricks to get the looks at home.
Several ladies debuted gorgeous new bobs. Whether blunt and chic or tousled and romantic, bobs were the look of the night. Katie Holmes paid homage to Chinese style with an elaborate, navy, Zac Posen dress embroidered with Asian-inspired clouds and side cut-outs.
Stylist DJ Quintero used Alterna Haircare to create her classic, yet edgy-bob with razored ends and a heavy bang to highlight her face.
To get Katie’s look:
STEP 1: On damp hair, apply a dab of Alterna Haircare Caviar CC Cream to the ends only
STEP 2: Blow dry using a medium-sized YS Park round brush, keeping the front and side pieces straight and the back of the hair beveled inward
STEP 3: Run a 1 ½ inch Harry Josh flatiron through hair, from root to tip
STEP 4: Shake hair and spray Alterna Haircare Caviar Perfect Texture Finishing Spray throughout for body and texture
STEP 5: Spray Alterna Haircare Bamboo Beach Summer Sun Shine Spray throughout for smoothness and shine
Channeling her inner rock star, Gabrielle Union revealed an edgy style by got2b celebrity hairstylist, Larry Sims. “We wanted to give her something super fresh, with a rock star vibe at the same time” says Sims. He adds, “I gave her a razored bob cut that is shorter in the back with elongated tips in the front, and layered throughout.”
Once Larry finished cutting Gabrielle’s hair, he went section by section starting at the nape of the neck and sprayed got2b guardian angel flat iron balm ($5.99; drugstore.com) to protect hair from heat styling. He then took a flat iron and gave her a bone straight finish. Next, Larry set his blow dryer to cold on the highest setting to give her strands a wispy and voluminous finish. He then took got2b playful crème pomade, it into his palms and ran the product through her hair for added texture. Next, he used a few drops of got2b glossy anti-frizz shine serum for additional shine and frizz control, and finished with got2b mind blowing fast dry hairspray to set the look.
Inspired by the Chinese film In The Mood for Love, John Frieda International Creative Consultant Harry Josh gave Rose Byrne frizz-free, full-bodied waves for the 2015 Met Gala. “This red carpet is all about putting an individual spin on a common theme,” explained Harry. “The film focuses on fleeting youth, beauty and love, so we wanted the hair to look fresh, glamorous and romantic, taking inspiration from the storyline.”
Sleek ponytails were also seen all over the red carpet!
Model Jordann Dunn
Emma Roberts chose a lovely sophisticated bun for last night’s festivities. John Frieda stylist Ryan Cotton gave the actress a polished, origami-inspired bun for the 2015 Met Gala. Cotton kept Roberts’ hair looking clean and polished in the front and opted for a subtle nod to China in the details: chopsticks. “Emma has a stunning face, so a clean look always benefits her and brings out her true beauty,” explains Cotton. “However, we wanted to create a little drama – the chopsticks and ‘bird of paradise’-inspired bun were the perfect way to align with the evening’s theme.”
For actress, Elizabeth Banks, Ted Gibson wanted to create a look that was chic, sexy, and straight. He says, “I think straight hair always evokes a certain sensibility which most girls love and appreciate. I know Elizabeth’s look had to be off of her face to compliment the makeup. I also knew I wanted her to have a ponytail, but not any ordinary pony. It had to be architectural in feel and cutting edge. This ponytail is not for the light-hearted girl!
Here’s how Ted created the look:
STEP 1: As an editorial hairdresser, to begin I knew that I didn’t want her hair to be freshly shampooed. Day old hair makes styling so much easier! I started by spraying her hair with L’Oréal Professionnel Densité thickening primer at the scalp for density and root elevation. I then gave her a quick ted gibson blow dry with medium heat and power using a flat Mason Pearson brush. Since her hair was already dry I didn’t need the extra heat.
STEP 2: After her blow-dry I applied a dime sized amount of L’Oréal Professionnel Architexture to her hair to provide form, structure and definition.and flat ironed it straight.
STEP 3: I then sectioned her hair from recession to recession in a horseshoe section. Then, I parted her hair down the middle from the crown to the nape of the neck.
STEP 4: Next, I put her hair in 2 ponytails at the crown of her head. I then applied L’Oréal Professionnel OR Graphic gel to the sides of her hair for added hold and sleek, smooth shine.
STEP 5: I then fastened the 2 ponys with a bungee elastic so that they were close together.
STEP 6: Then, I added 4 rows of clip-in extensions over the top of the 2 ponys to add length. I flat ironed the extensions and then pulled the hair left out in the horseshoe section over the 2 ponytails.
STEP 7: As I was working and forming her ponytails I was sure to sprayL’Oréal Professionnel Infinium 4 hairspray for a dry, strong hold without any sticky residue to hold my work in place.
STEP 8: After her ponytail was set, I placed a Sylvain Le Hen barrette at the base to widen it for a geometric shape and for added Asian flair.
STEP 9: Once my work was complete, I finished her off with L’Oréal Professionnel Extreme Lacquer hairspray for added hold, shine and to fight frizz … and just like that… she was ready for the Oscars of Fashion!
Celebrity Hair Stylist, Laini Reeves, styled a-list English actress Emily Blunt inspired by the “China: Through the Looking Glass” theme, Laini echoed the intricacies of Emily’s outfit with a simplistic look yet glam look. “Simple but striking. The ultimate description of this year’s theme for the Met Gala. Chinese fashion is so intricate and detailed, but conversely, so simplistic. This hair is exactly that. When I saw the Prada cape, I knew that all attention would be on the back of the dress, so I slicked back the front of the hair completely and focused all the emphasis on a chic scroll. It pushes the limits, as Anna wants, but in a way that is complementary and modern. Simple. But striking.”
Celebrity hair stylist Luke Chamberlain styled bombshell model and actress Emily Ratajkowski. To balance the look of Emily’s striking gown, Luke swept the hair back and away from the neckline complementing Emily’s oriental collar with a textured and modern style. “After seeing the strong elegance of the dress, I chose to balance the hair by pulling it up and away from the face, ultimately creating a full look that was more fashion forward. The neckline is a statement of it’s own, so I fashioned a sophisticated flower of my own design which played with the floral embellishments that spun down the dress.”
Some ladies opted for loose wavy locks.
Celebrity hairstylist Peter Butler used Leonor Greyl products to create the look tonight for Claire Danes for the 2015 MET Gala. “We thought for her hair she needed to look more comfortable and cool. The look is simple, but still chic and elegant – rough and finished at the same time.”
Dove Celebrity Stylist Mark Townsend styled the gorgeous Mary Kate and Ashley Olsen for the Met Gala. Below is the breakdown of Ashley’s look directly from Mark himself so you can recreate these looks at home.
“Ashley told me several days ago that she wanted to wear her hair half up and was also thinking about gold hair accessories – that got me extremely inspired!
STEP 1: I started by applying a few drops of Dove Youthful Vitality Silk Crème to her damp hair and let it dry naturally while she had her makeup done.
STEP 2: When her hair was dry, I gathered the top section of her hair and pinned it into a topknot.
STEP 3: Then, I took the hair from each side and pulled it up and wrapped the hair around the base of the topknot, purposely letting the gold bobby pins and hair pins show because they are such a great effect to a simple style – I got them at Sephora.
STEP 4: Next, I used R Session Tools double barrel iron to create loose waves in the hair that was left half down.
STEP 5: I finished by liberally spraying Dove Style+Care Invigorating Dry Shampoo throughout the hair for texture and hold.”
Gigi Hadid’s looked stunning at last nights gala with hairstyle created by Jennifer Yepez for Moroccanoil. “To complement the deep v-neckline of Gigi Hadid’s Diane von Furstenberg dress, I created a youthful, soft-textured style that perfectly balanced her gown’s ultra-sexy red color.”
STEP 1: Apply Moroccanoil Volumizing Mousse to wet hair from root-to-tip to create volume at the crown and give strands extra body and bounce.
STEP 2: Then, add a drop of Moroccanoil Treatment Light to the ends and blow dry hair smooth using the Moroccanoil Boar Bristle Classic Brush.
STEP 3: Create natural waves with a 1 ¼” barrel curling iron by wrapping sections of hair around the barrel in alternating directions.
STEP 4: Work in a dime-sized amount of Hydrating Styling Cream through the mid-lengths to ends to give hair soft definition and piece-y texture.
STEP 5: Finish with a generous spritz of Moroccanoil Luminous Hairspray (Strong) for long-lasting hold and red carpet-ready shine.
Madonna hit the red carpet at the 2015 Met Ball wearing a floor length black dress that read “Rebel Heart” which she paired with long loose waves giving a delicate spin to her otherwise modern look.
A sleek look is always is style. And fashion’s “It-Girl”, Kendall Jenner stunned in a backless Calvin Klein gown and her simple, sleek middle part added softness to her striking silhouette. Celebrity Stylist, Andrew Fitzsimons suggested she wear her hair down and described her look as “a chic modern version of Cher circa the 70’s.”
Check out the step-by-step styling:
STEP 1: Apply Wella Professionals Extra Volume Mousse to damp hair for added volume.
STEP 2: Blow dry hair backwards using a round boar bristle brush to create volume at the roots.
STEP 3: Part hair perfectly down the center and flat iron from the mid-lengths to the ends.
STEP 4: Spray the hair with Wella Professionals Stay Essential Finishing Spray to tame flyaways and give the hair a little bit of weight so it stays in perfect position on the red carpet.
STEP 5: Finally, liberally spray the whole head with Wella Professionals LuxeOil Light Oil Shine Spray for a silky smooth finish.
Kendall’s makeup looked flawless by Estee Lauder.
Others followed suit with a natural look and nude lip.
Allison Williams’ Met Gala beauty look by Gianpalo Ceciliato for Elizabeth Arden. He kept the look simple, with a touch of China-inspired pops of color on her glowing complexion.
To create the porcelain, doll-like look, “I added Beautiful Color Radiance Blush in Sunburst to the highest point of the cheekbones, just beneath the eyes. Finally, I dusted Ceramide Skin Smoothing Loose Powder to set the foundation and finished with a dab of Beautiful Color Eye Shadow in Glisten to the eyelids and cheekbones. For eyes, “I lined her upper lash line with Beautiful Color Precision Glide Eyeliner in Black Violet, creating a sharp angle to give the look of a liquid liner (but easier to apply). Next, I applied two coats of Beautiful Color Maximum Volume Mascara in Black to her top lashes. Then, I filled in her brows using Beautiful Color Natural Eye Brow Pencil in Brownette. On lips, “We kept Allison’s lip neutral with a touch of Beautiful Color Luminous Lip Gloss in Cameo.
For Beyoncé, L’Oréal Paris Celebrity Makeup Artist, Sir John stated, “I was inspired when I saw Beyoncé with all of her hair off her face. It automatically gave her an awakened, child-like look that I wanted to enhance with a bit of an anime vibe. I also wanted to play up her makeup since her Givenchy gown was long, sheer and covered in jewels.”
To complete her look, he added tons of L’Oréal Paris Voluminous Miss Manga Mascara so eyes popped, and added a touch of L’Oréal Paris Infallible Pro-Last Lip Color in Neverending Nutmeg to simply and subtly enhance the shape of lips.
Jennifer Lopez was another stunner at the event! Mary Phillips for L’Oréal Paris created her look. “All I have to say is RED DRAGON! The hair is slicked back and very fashion forward in its ‘finish’ and texture, but very tasteful. The makeup really ties in the red dragon theme, but in a very subtle way. She has that classic JLO skin, we kept the glow, the tone- and all of those elements that people love, but I would definitely call this glow a ‘special occasion’ glow.
She added a shiny punch of a subtle color using L’Oréal Paris Colour Riche Le Gloss in Peach Fuzz – the luster and sparkle tied the look together to completion.
Bold lips were all over the red carpet as well.
Rita Ora perfectly showcased an Asian influence style at the China themed Met Ball with a flawless makeup look created by all celebrity makeup artist, Kathy Jeung using Rimmel London. Rita wore a stunning Tom Ford red silk cheongsam inspired dress. Kathy wanted to focus on a red lip to match the color of the dress with a hint of red eyeliner and a wash of pink blush. To complete this look, Kathy used Rimmel London Exaggerate Automatic Lip Liner in Red Diva to define Rita’s mouth shape then applied Rimmel London Show Off Lip Velvet Matte in Burning Lava, below.
For Selena Gomez‘s lips, Celebrity Makeup Artist, Jake Bailey for Elizabeth Arden says, “To add a pop of color and complement her modern China doll look, I lined the lip with Beautiful Color Precision Glide Lip Liner in Red Door Red and finished with Beautiful Color Moisturizing Lipstick in Matte Bold Red.
Renowned makeup artist Kristofer Buckle used a ColourPop Cosmetics “Lippie” and coordinating pencil to create a strong statement for Jessica Chastain’s red carpet look.
Artist Georgie Eisdell says, “Carey Mulligan‘s look for the Met Ball was all about enhancing her natural beauty. I wanted her skin to glow but then I wanted a little drama on her lips.”
“I powdered really lightly, just on the high points of her face, with La Mer’s The Powder.”“I enhanced Carey’s already perfect brows with Tom Ford’s Brow Sculptor in Taupe.” “On Carey’s eyes, I left the lids bare of eye shadow. I just put a wash of translucent powder to even out the area, and then used Tom Ford Eye Color Quad in Cocoa Mirage in the crease of her eye, ever so lightly, to create a natural contour to the eye.” “I finished the eye with YSL Volume Effet Faux Cils Mascara in Black and then a few Ardell single lashes to create a fullness to her natural lashes, keeping them looking defined and spidery.” “I finished off her look with Tom Ford’s Matte Lip in Velvet Cherry, my favorite lip color at the moment.”
NARS worked with celebrity makeup artist Patti Dubroff to create the 2015 Met Gala makeup look for Dakota Johnson. “I was inspired by Dakota’s sparkly, high-shine dress which was short and flirty. I made her beauty look all about gorgeous, lush skin and added a little drama to her eyes for effect.”
NARS also worked with celebrity makeup artist Sarah Tanno to create the 2015 Met Gala makeup look for Lady Gaga who attended with Alexander Wang wearing one of his designs. “I was really inspired by the texture and detail in Alex’s designs. I wanted Gaga to look like a walking editorial out of a magazine. The Met Gala is the one event where you can really push the boundaries, so I decided to do something strong that fit this year’s theme.”
Lawyer, activist and author Amal Clooney stunned at the Met Gala wearing a crimson, sequin embellished John Galliano for Maison Margiela dress and makeup by world renowned makeup artist Charlotte Tilbury.
Here is how to re-create Amal’s lip:
Amal’s lips were prepped with Lip Love Lip Renewing Honeybee Scrub an Lip Magic Rejuvenating Smoothing Balm, and then Charlotte lightly applied her NEW Matte Revolution Lipstick in 1975 Red (available July 29th on CharlotteTilbury.com).
You can purchase all reviewed and mentioned items using our site, BeautyStat.com.
Which was your favorite hair and makeup look of the night?
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– Allycia Wilson
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