By now, you’re probably up to your eyeballs in Met Gala photos and memes (Jared Leto! Doja Cat! Lil’ Nas!), daydreaming of what it would be like to wear a couture gown and stroll the red carpet at *the* event of the year.
Hate to be the bearer of bad news, but unless you have a cool $50,000 to spare (and get invited—good luck), you’re probably going to spend the first Monday of next May swooning over the looks and costumes from your couch like the rest of us. Fortunately, you don’t have to be a millionaire to recreate your favorite Met Gala looks at home. Much of the makeup used to create the pearly complexions and Choupette-approved cat eyes on your favorite celebs were achieved using products for $30 or less. Like Rihanna’s dramatic lashes which, of course, were courtesy of Fenty Beauty mascara that’s only $24. Or Kendall Jenner’s purr-fect winged eyeliner, which is just $9 on Amazon. Celebs! They’re just like us!
Attending next year’s Met Gala is probably a long shot, but getting A-list approved glam isn’t. Scroll to shop the best skin and makeup products on this year’s red carpet, all for $30 or less.
Rihanna
The Queen of Met Gala herself showed up wearing the coolest (and honestly, comfiest-looking) cape we have ever seen, with lash-laden cateye sunglasses on, to boot. Underneath those shades, however, her own lashes were curled using none other than her own Hella Thicc Volumizing Mascara, which is just $24 a bottle. The tapered brush and volume-boosting formula lift and twirl lashes for a dramatic effect. Maybe not as dramatic as the falsies on the cateyes, but dramatic nonetheless.
We don’t know what’s more stunning: Mindy Kaling’s structural, pearly gown, or her lit-from-within complexion. Her makeup artist, Eva Kim, achieved the dewy look using Lancôme products, including this hydrating, lightweight concealer that’s just under $30. “The Met Gala is all about the dress and my approach is to make sure the makeup and dress compliment each other,” Kim says, in a press release. “The glam should be subtle and shouldn’t distract from the gown and full look. For that reason, I went for a classic, romantic look that was fresh and dewy but still has an edge. I executed this look using some of my favorites from Lancôme. It all felt very fresh and feminine.”
Kendall Jenner
Shades: 5
What’s more impressive than Kendall Jenner’s cheeky body suit? The fact that her makeup was done using entirely L’Oreal products.“The inspiration for Kendall’s makeup was pulled from Mod 70’s makeup with an emphasis on the eyes,” makeup artist, Mary Phillips, says in a release. “Bold lashes to compliment the upper and lower lash lines with a classic winged liner.” That winged liner happens to be just $9 on Amazon and, true to its name, is infallible. Stock up while you can.
Miranda Kerr
We think Ericka Verrett, the artist behind Miranda Kerr’s romantic hair and makeup, absolutely nailed her Met Gala style, which was inspired by the, “high-glamour girls of 90s Chanel runway shows.” As for her makeup, Verrett used everything Ilia, including brand’s signature Skin Tint and Multi-Stick. As for her sparkly eyes, that was courtesy of the Liquid Powder Eye Shadow Tint in “Mythic”. This cream-to-powder eyeshadow dries in the prettiest finish and literally doesn’t move. For just $25, you’ll want to buy one in every shade.
Kim Kardashian
Leave it to Kim Kardashian to one-up her Marilyn Monroe dress from Met Gala ’22 with a somehow even more luxurious look. For makeup as glamorous as her gown, Kardashian turned to the iconic celebrity makeup artist Mario Dedivanovic, who used his own Makeup By Mario products on everything including her cheeks, eyes, and lips. This includes the brand’s newest MoistureGlow Plumping Lip Color, a shiny, plumping gloss that hydrates and “plumps” while it’s on. Steal Kardashian’s pout and blend “Soft Nude” and “Hot Pink”, or snag one of the 11 other colors for an A-list look of your own.
Serena Williams
Pearls and pearly complexions—that’s what this night was all about. Serena Williams made her baby-bump debut wearing both, the latter of which, according to makeup artist Farzana Zaman, was achieved using complexion products by Beautyblender. After prepping the skin with the brand’s new Boost 18-Hour Firming & Smoothing Primer ($29), Zaman used a few drops of this Radiant Skin Tint in “Deep 3” for natural-looking coverage, before warming it up with bronzer and highlighter. (All blended with the iconic makeup sponge, of course.)
Kate Moss
Shades: 17
Salma Hayek, Penelope Cruz, Jessica Chastain, Kate Moss—Charlotte Tilbury was a popular choice for A-listers last night. While the brand’s fan-favorite contour wands will set you back a cool $42 each (if you can get them, that is), this lip liner, which was used to create Moss’s nude lips, is only $25. Its waterproof, matte formula ensures no smudging and goes on smoothly, defining lips and keeping lipstick in place while it’s on. Moss wore the dusty “Iconic Rose” at the Met Gala, but there are 17 total shades worth exploring.