Inside the Met Gala Beauty Looks Everyone Will Be Talking About
The Met Gala might be about fashion on the surface, but beauty is always where the mood really lands. The skin, the finish, the way a look catches the light—it’s what makes a moment feel modern.
This year, the thread running through it all? Skin that looks like skin, just… better. Less transformation, more enhancement. Less statement, more atmosphere.
And backstage, it’s the makeup artists quietly setting that tone.
The Return of Glow (But Make It Subtle) – Margot Robbie
Margot Robbie at The Met Gala 2026
For Margot Robbie, makeup artist Pati Dubroff looked to the early 2000s—specifically the Estelle Warren CHANEL N°5 campaign—as her starting point.
“That era was all about warmth on the skin - a glowing bronze with pops of gold and champagne catching the light in just the right places. There was always this sense of effortless polish, nothing felt overworked.”
That effortless polish comes through in the detail:
“I added a pop of champagne glimmer, to really bring the eyes into focus, while keeping everything else soft and natural.”
Get The Look
Skin
CHANEL Sublimage La Crème Texture Fine
Face
CHANEL Les Beiges Healthy Glow Foundation
CHANEL Les Beiges Serum Concealer
CHANEL Les Beiges Healthy Glow Blush (Sorbet)
CHANEL Poudre Universelle Libre
CHANEL Baume Essentiel Multi-Use Glow Stick
Eyes
CHANEL Les Beiges Eyeshadow Palette
CHANEL Ombre Première Laque Liquid Eyeshadow (Rayon)
Lips:
CHANEL Rouge Coco Flash Lip Colour
CHANEL Le Crayon Lèvres Lip Pencil
CHANEL Rouge Allure Velvet Lip Colour
CHANEL Sublimage L’Extrait Huile Lèvres
Soft-Edged Radiance – Sarah Pidgeon
For Sarah Pidgeon, makeup artist Emily Cheng focused on what she describes as “soft-edged radiance” — skin that looked luminous and polished, but never overdone.
“I added washes of monochromatic tones, that melted into the skin, to create a sophisticated and polished aesthetic. I wanted the subdued, harmonious washes of color and luminous skin to be a soft anchor to the vibrancy of the jewel-toned look.”
Like many of the evening’s strongest beauty looks, the focus began long before foundation. Cheng concentrated heavily on hydration, tailoring the skin prep specifically to Sarah’s complexion.
“I first applied a generous mist of CHANEL Sublimage La Brume onto the skin. Next, I massaged in CHANEL Sublimage La Crème Texture Fine Ultimate Cream to build a supple, hydrated base while wakening the skin… Finally, I massaged CHANEL Sublimage Le Baume into areas of the face that required more hydration, like around the nose and chin.”
Get The Look
Skin
CHANEL Sublimage La Crème Texture Fine Ultimate Cream
CHANEL Sublimage La Crème Yeux Ultimate Eye Cream
Face
CHANEL Les Beiges Healthy Glow Highlighter in Summer Gleam. Available Soon.
CHANEL Les Beiges Healthy Glow Blush in Sorbet. Available Soon.
CHANEL Les Beiges Serum Concealer Natural Healthy Glow in B20. Available Soon.
CHANEL Les Beiges Healthy Glow Foundation Hydration and Longwear in B20
CHANEL Les Beiges Healthy Glow Sheer Powder in B10
CHANEL Baume Essentiel Multi-Use Glow Stick in Transparent
CHANEL Joues Contraste Intense Cream-to-Powder Blush in Rose Radiant
Eyes
CHANEL Les Beiges Volume and Definition Mascara in Black. Available Soon.
CHANEL Les Beiges Healthy Glow Natural Eyeshadow Palette in Cool
CHANEL Stylo Yeux Waterproof Long-Lasting Eyeliner in Espresso
CHANEL Rouge Coco Ultra Hydrating Lip Colour in Mademoiselle
CHANEL Le Crayon Lèvres Longwear Lip Pencil in Nude Brun
Lips
CHANEL Sublimage L’Extrait Huile Lèvres
Soft Focus, Done Properly – Lily-Rose Depp
A soft focus look for Lily-Rose Depp
For Lily-Rose Depp, Nina Park created something much quieter: “I wanted her makeup look to feel soft and almost ethereal… I kept her look very tonal and diffused - no defined liner, just a gentle smoke along the lash line so it felt seamless. The overall color palette stayed muted with just enough pink to bring warmth into the face, so everything felt quiet, romantic, and effortless.”
Her backstage tip is one worth stealing: “I applied CHANEL Sublimage L’Extrait Huile Lèvres as more of a treatment than a finish… This softened the lips, so the color sat better and felt more diffused.”
Get The Look
Skin
CHANEL Sublimage La Crème Texture Fine
Face
CHANEL Les Beiges Healthy Glow Foundation
CHANEL Les Beiges Sheer Powder
CHANEL Les Beiges Serum Concealer
CHANEL Baume Essentiel Glow Stick
CHANEL Joues Contraste Cream-to-Powder Blush (Rose Ardent)
Eyes
CHANEL Les Beiges Eyeshadow Palette
CHANEL Stylo Yeux Waterproof Eyeliner (Espresso)
Lips:
CHANEL Rouge Allure Velvet Lip Colour
CHANEL Le Crayon Lèvres Lip Pencil
CHANEL Sublimage L’Extrait Huile Lèvres
Skin as the Statement – Ayo Edebiri
The focus was on the skin for Ayo Edebiri at The Met Gala
With Ayo Edebiri, Dee Carrion kept everything anchored in light: “I was inspired by Ayo’s ethereal and angelic dress. I wanted to keep her makeup within that same world, so I created a look of glowing skin, which was complemented by reflective shimmers and a soft, flushed lip.”
The focus stayed on light and movement:
“To create Ayo’s ethereal and sparkly eye look… I applied CHANEL Les 9 Ombres… to add depth, shape, and sparkle.”
Get The Look
Skin
CHANEL Sublimage Le Sérum Yeux
Face
CHANEL Sublimage L’Essence de Teint Serum Foundation
CHANEL Les Beiges Highlighting Fluid
CHANEL Joues Contraste Cream-to-Powder Blush (Rose Radiant)
CHANEL Baume Essentiel Glow Stick
Eyes
CHANEL Les 9 Ombres Eyeshadow Palette
CHANEL Le Crayon Yeux Eye Definer
Lips
The New Flush – Gracie Abrams
Eyes are drawn to Gracie Abrams’ cheeks
Makeup artist Emily Cheng created what might quietly become the season’s defining look for Gracie.
“I wanted to create a look that was inspired by porcelain and a petal complexion… a high-contrast flush that looked like it was blooming from within the skin.”
“The cheeks weren’t just pink; they had a stained quality.”
It’s a subtle shift, but one that feels new—blush placed higher, more concentrated, and layered to create depth rather than a single wash of colour. Skin was kept translucent with Les Beiges foundation and loose powder, while blush was built in layers using both liquid and cream-to-powder textures. The rest of the face was kept deliberately minimal, letting that flush do the work.
GET THE LOOK
Skin
CHANEL Sublimage La Crème Texture Fine
Face
CHANEL Les Beiges Healthy Glow Foundation
CHANEL Les Beiges Healthy Glow Blush (Nectar) Available Soon
CHANEL Joues Contraste Cream-to-Powder Blush (Grenat Profond)
CHANEL Poudre Universelle Libre
Eyes
CHANEL Les Beiges Eyeshadow Palette
Lips
CHANEL Le Crayon Lèvres Longwear Lip Pencil in Rouge Brique and Rouge Noir
CHANEL Sublimage L’Extrait Huile Lèvres
Radiance, Without the Effort – Bhavitha Mandava
Bhavitha Mandava was low key and nodded to her subway scouting
For Bhavitha Mandava, makeup artist Tyron Machhausen took a more restrained approach, focusing on enhancement rather than transformation.
“This look was really about celebrating natural radiance… The idea wasn’t to transform, but to gently enhance what was already there in a way that feels intentional yet completely effortless.”
It’s a sentiment that runs through much of this year’s beauty direction—skin first, detail second.
“The key to a lip that lasts all night isn’t just about the product, it’s how you prep the lips beforehand.”
GET THE LOOK
Skin
CHANEL Sublimage La Crème Yeux
Face
CHANEL Les Beiges Healthy Glow Foundation
CHANEL Les Beiges Serum Concealer. Available Soon.
CHANEL Les Beiges Sheer Powder
Eyes
CHANEL Stylo Yeux Waterproof Eyeliner
CHANEL Les Beiges Mascara. Available Soon.
CHANEL Baume Essentiel Multi-Use Glow Stick in Transparent
Brows
CHANEL Le Gel Sourcils Brow Gel
Lips
CHANEL Le Rouge Duo Ultra Tenue Lip Colour
CHANEL Sublimage L’Extrait Huile Lèvres
The Takeaway
If last year was about statement beauty, this year feels like a reset. Less contour, more complexion. Less perfection, more presence. It’s makeup that moves with you, catches the light—and still looks like you at the end of the night.