Met Gala 2023: The Hottest Hair & Beauty Looks
Red Carpet Rewind: The Best Hair Looks From The Met Gala 2023
This year, the red carpet honored the late designer Karl Lagerfeld with the gala’s theme—Karl Lagerfeld: A Line of Beauty—and the party was filled with Old Hollywood glamour looks. The A-listers stepped out in satin bows (a Karl staple!), luxurious updos, hair jewels… and even a couple pairs of cat ears inspire by Karl’s beloved Choupette. This is your behind-the-scenes look at your fave celebs’ looks straight from their hairstylists! Scroll through our top picks from Fashion’s Night Out featuring brands we all know and love.
1. Lizzo’s Spiked Fringe + Tight Curl Updo
From the clip-in bangs to curly extensions and high-shine definition, this intricate updo landed a #1 spot on our Met must-see looks.
Celebrity hairstylist Shelby Swain (@theshelbyswain) gave a FULL behind-the-scenes look at this work of art created for the music icon using Dyson heat tools and Lush Cosmetics haircare. Keep scrolling for the full product run-through!
Tools & products used for Lizzo’s updo:
- Dyson Airwrap™ Complete Long “Airwrap™ Complete Long is more than a tool, it is a system. It can be used to perfectly straighten, curl, add shine and reduce flyaways while using minimal heat,” says Shelby.
- Lush Cosmetics Avocado Co-Wash, Glory Conditioner, Super Milk Conditioning Primer, Shea Souffle Hair & Scalp Oil, Wig Hair Trainer.
Watch here for an insider look at Lizzo’s Met Gala prep: (YES—that is a fringe change!)
2. Glossy, Textured Finger Waves on Whitney Peak
Classic Hollywood glam with a deep side part? Count us in every time. Renowned celeb stylist Naeemah LaFond (@naeemahlafond) created shining finger waves for Whitney Peak to grace the Met stairs in.
To achieve the high shine, timeless look Naeemah used a lineup of haircare and styling products from Moroccanoil® to build the look from start to finish.
Here’s a rundown of what Naeemah used from Moroccanoil® to create Whitney’s finger waves:
- Prep the hair with Moroccanoil® Treatment (just a dime size!)
- Use Styling Gel to create the sleek, clean side part.
- Cocktail Curl Control Mousse and Styling Gel to secure the backmost section with an elastic or bungee.
- Use Styling Gel with a fine-tooth comb to begin creating finger waves in the front section.
- To protect against any heat tools, use Limited Edition Perfect Defense.
- Set the waves using the Infrared Hair Dryer with the diffuser attachment.
- Finish by adding a pop of shine using Moroccanoil® Treatment and Luminous Hairspray Strong to secure in place.
Get Whitney’s FULL step-by-step look here!
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3. Quannah Chasinghorse’s Braided Hip-Length Waves
In true supermodel fashion, Quannah stepped onto the carpet in a head-turning gown framed by flowing waves and intricate braids. Celeb stylist Paula Peralta (@thepaulaperalta) used John Paul Mitchell Systems® to create Quanna’s airy waves and styled braids.
Check out every product in Paula’s Met kit used on Quannah:
- Paul Mitchell Sculpting Foam
- Pro Tools Express Ion+ Hair Dryer
- Pro Tools 427 Paddle Brush
- Hot Off the Press
- Pro Tools Express Ion Wave Press
- Extra Body Finishing Spray
- Gloss Drops
Moments we love: Quannah admiring the perfectly placed waves Paula created. Click here for the full vid:
4. Anne Hathway’s Half-Up-Half-Down “Pouf”
Whether it’s a nod to the 2000s or a revival of classic red carpet glam, Anne Hathway’s elegant half-up styling from Orlando Pita (@hairbyorlandopita) stole our Editor’s hearts.
“The look features a Chanel-inspired hair camellia (a flower made out of hair) from a show I did in the mid-’90s. I had kept this from the show and thought it was the perfect opportunity to include in her look to honor tonight’s theme,” says Pita.
Here’s how Orlando achieved the look:
- Shampoo and prep the hair with Orlando Pita Play Great Inflate Air Whipped Styling Foam.
- Once dried, apply Orlando Pita Play Body Breakthrough Volume Boosting Hairspray BEFORE going in with a 1-inch curling iron.
- Using a hairpiece to add volume, tease and sweep the crown of the hair back to secure it into a half-up style.
- Finish the look with Orlando Pita Play Climate Change Humidity Block Hair Spray.
5. Quinta Brunson’s Triple Buns + Intricate Edges
Talk about GLAMOUR. This year’s red carpets cannot be recapped without a head-turner from Quinta Brunson. Celeb stylist Alexander Armand (@alexander_armand) created a high fashion “artistic crown headpiece,” that he describes as upping the ante on a classic updo.
Quinta’s natural curls took the voluminous look into a long-lasting style with Alexander’s go-to products from Maui Moisture. Here’s his product rundown:
- Maui Moisture Clarify & Soothe Black Soap Shampoo and Conditioner
- Frizz-Free + Shea Butter Hair & Scalp Milk
- Lightweight Curls + Flaxseed Edge Control
- Lightweight Curls + Flaxseed Curl Refresher Mist
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Behind-the-scenes of Alexander’s finishing touches:
6. Julia Garner’s Platinum Natural Curls
Platinum damage who? Julia Garner’s stunning bleached curls looked effortlessly natural walking down the Met’s carpet dressed in Gucci.
“Her look is regal! We wanted to keep her hair feeling like herself and do something timeless to not compete with the dress,” says Julia’s hairstylist Bobby Eliot (@bobbyeliot).
Bobby’s list of products used to achieve Julia’s healthy-looking defined, natural curls:
- Cocktail of Matrix Setter Mousse and Controller Gel
- Matrix Food For Soft Multi-Yse Hair Oil Serum
- Matrix Fixer Hairspray
7. Lily James’ Floral Appliqué & Spiked Updo
Bringing a little edge to the elegant carpet, Lily James floated up the Met stairs with a spiked-out floral updo by Halley Brisker (@halleybrisker).
The leather flowers by Lelet New York framed Lily’s updo that was created using what Halley calls, “The magic formula.”
Here’s an insider peek at what products created Lily’s Met look:
- Prep: OLAPLEX No. 6 Bond Smoother and No. 9 Bond Protector Nourishing Hair Serum
- Finish: OLAPLEX No. 7 Bonding Oil
8. Kim Petras’ Sleek Platinum Side Part
Kim’s classically platinum locks took a sleek turn at this year’s Met Gala. Celebrity stylist Igor Rosales (@hairbyiggy) says the pair’s inspiration came from deciding to take a different approach to this year’s look by stripping back a costume element to create a chic and elegant look.
“Kim’s hair is freshly bleached and fragile from being a pop star. So, we used all amika products to treat and style the hair to maintain the health of the hair and keep it looking silky,” Igor explains. View the FULL LOOK and step-by-step from Igor here!
Product rundown for Kim’s bleached hair:
- amika The Kure Shampoo and Conditioner
- The Kure Intense Bond Repair Mask
- Supernova Moisture and Shine Cream
- Water Sign Hydrating Hair Oil
- Luxus Touchable Hairspray
- Top Gloss Shine Spray
9. Vanessa Hudgens’ “Galactic Ballerina” Bun
Yeah, you read that correctly. Vanessa’s hairstylist, celebrity-loved special event stylist Danielle Priano (@daniellepriano) described the duo’s inspiration for the Met as, “A galactic ballerina—as an homage to Karl tonight, we modeled the structure of Vanessa’s hair around the iconic Chanel camelia flower.”
In between all of the twists, pins and detail work, Danielle shared her short-form step-by-step with products used to create Vanessa’s stunning updo.
Danielle’s process for Vanessa’s Met look:
- Prep the hair using SexyHair Big Altitude Bodifying Blow Dry Mousse, leaving the roots bare.
- Blow-dry hair to lock in product and shine using T3 Featherweight StyleMax Hair Dryer.
- Apply 22″ Great Lengths Tape-In extensions to add body to create the intricate flower.
- Use SexyHair Powder Play Lite Texture Powder to define and pull each petal to define the look.
- To secure the updo in place all night, Danielle used SexyHair Spray & Play Harder Firm Volumizing Hairspray.
- For the final touch, use T3 SinglePass StyleMax Flat Iron to press the ends into a leaf-like shape to finish off the flower design.
View the FULL step-by-step of Vanessa’s look!
Watch Danielle’s full process from the dressing room:
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10. Gisele’s Airy Natural-Looking Waves
“We went for a quintessential Gisele, accentuated by a beautiful natural wave,” says celebrity stylist David Von Cannon (@davidvoncannon).
Creating such natural-looking waves that remain defined and voluminous on the carpet is every celeb’s first request. To nail this sought-after look, David shared his go-to tools to try!
How to accentuate Gisele’s supermodel waves:
- Olivia Garden Ceramic + Ion High Performance Professional Hair Dryer—use on a low speed to not disturb any texture created.
- Titanium + Ion Professional 1.25″ Curling Iron—the preferred size of a barrel to define and reshape any waves that may have fallen during the drying process.
RELATED: Met Gala COLOR FORMULAS That Hit The Red Carpet—Click here!
