Our Favorite Met Gala Beauty Looks Of All Time – Essence

The Met Gala—which will be held at New York’s Metropolitan Museum of Art on Monday—has long been coined as “fashion’s biggest night out.” Yet, since its inception in 1948, Hollywood’s biggest names have long valued—and sometimes, entirely relied on—how they present their beauty looks.

In 1981, for example, Iman wet her bob-length hair into a textured slick back paired with a juicy red manicure. Then, in 1990, Naomi Campbell attended her very first Met Ball in frosted lipstick (think: MAC’s discontinued “Bubbles” shade) and light brown highlights. 9 years later, Lil’ Kim arrived in a punk hairdo: blonde with pink streaks to match her lip combo. 

In 2003, Diana Ross’ pink blush, red lipstick and nails, and bouffant afro were exceptionally romantic—much like when Andre Leon Talley shared a red cape with Venus Williams, which matched her blush in 2008. By 2014, Solange debuted her famous pixie cut to assert dominance, power, and a little sass anyone with a pixie cut would have. In 2015, Beyoncé—who’s this year’s Met Gala co-chair—went full Sasha Fierce with an ultra-high ponytail.

The following year, Zendaya pulled off a gamine-chic bowl cut and smoky eye (my personal favorite look of all time). Then, in 2023, Rihanna gave her sunglasses lashes instead, which paired perfectly with her matte red lip. And, at the most recent—and most profitable Met Gala in history—Doechii proved the impact of Black power with a round afro, cigar, and Louis Vuitton logo branded into her blush.

Ahead of the 2026 Met Gala, ESSENCE looks back at the event’s best beauty moments in history.