The Best Beauty and Hair Looks from the Met Gala 2015

The Met Gala was held last night to benefit the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Costume Institute. This annual event is always themed – this year’s theme was China: Through the Looking Glass. (Imagine dressing for that!) – and fashionistas showed up in magnificent creations. (Some took more care than others in dressing to fit the theme and, as in recent years, Sarah Jessica Parker ruled the evening in a dress that she designed with H&M, shoes from her own collection and a Philip Treacy hat that captured the attention of every photographer in attendance. (And, why bother if no one is going to snap your photo?)

But the evening was about more than glorious gowns. It was also about beauty. Red lips, but, of course; hair piled high on the head, worn sleek and chic or in loose waves were some of the beauty looks on the Met Gala red carpet.

Here, some of the most beautiful looks of the evening – with tips from stylists on how to get them …

Makeup artist Kristofer Buckle used a ColourPop Cosmetics “Lippie” and coordinating pencil to create a strong statement for Jessica Chastain’s red carpet look for the 2015 Costume Institute Benefit Met Gala. The color? It’s called Fighter and it’s, wait for it, $5.00! Get it here … http://www.colourpop.com

Olivia Wilde looked stunning on the red carpet in a Prada gown. Celebrity hair stylist, Ben Skervin, accentuated her style with a beautiful headband knotted in grey silk. “I wanted to keep the hair slick and simple, but I also liked the idea of keeping it graphic.”

To get the look, Skervin applied Goldwell Style Sign Naturally Full Bodifying Blowdry & Finish Spray which not only helped add thickness to the hair, but also created a satin smooth finish that he needed to achieve with this style.

Once the hair was dry, Skervin used a straightening iron to get it pin straight.

He then parted the hair down the center and used Goldwell Style Sign Big Finish Volume Hairspray to smooth any flyaways.

Lastly, Skervin added the headband and did one final straightening with the irons over the ends of the hair. He used a small amount of Goldwell Elixir Versatile Oil Treatment on the very ends of the hair for smoothness and then applied a small amount of additional hair spray to keep everything in place.

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.”

Here is his step-by-step breakdown:

To begin, Harry prepped the hair by applying John Frieda Frizz Ease Beyond Smooth Frizz Immunity Primer.

Next, he took John Frieda Frizz Ease Curl Reviver Mousse and applied it to the roots for frizz-free lift at the crown.

Then, Harry blow-dried the hair section by section using the Harry Josh Pro Tools Pro Dryer 2000 and a round brush, concentrating on creating extra volume at the roots.

After creating the part, Harry set 2 inch wide sections down the center in Velcro rollers and curled the remaining pieces of hair piece by piece. After all of the curls had set, he brushed out the hair for a voluminous wave.

For a touchable finish, he spritzed John Frieda Frizz Ease Keraflex Flexible Hold Hairspray all over her hair.

Reese Witherspoon looked radiant in a red, strapless Jason Wu gown. To complement her elegant look, Nexxus New York Salon Care Celebrity Stylist Lona Vigi created a sleek style. “We decided to keep Reese’s hair polished and straight with a center part for a modern feel.”

To get the look:

Begin by shampooing and conditioning hair with Nexxus New York Salon Care Oil Infinite Rebalancing Shampoo and Restoring Conditioner for a smooth base.

Prep damp hair from mid-length to ends with Nexxus New York Salon Care Oil Infinite Nourishing Oil for added shine.

Using a paddle brush, blow dry the hair keeping ends straight.

Create a center part and apply a small amount of Nexxus New York Salon Care Oil Infinite Nourishing Oil through the hair from roots-to-ends and tuck the hair behind the ears.

Complete the look by misting the style with Nexxus New York Salon Care Maxximum Finishing Mist for a hold that lasts.

The inspiration for Keri Russell’s hair at the Met Gala was also Wong Kar-Wai’s film, In The Mood For Love. (It’s great how two creatives can look at the same thing for inspiration with the final results being so different.) Stylist Brian Magallones used Brazilian Blowout styling products to tame Keri’s naturally curly hair, allowing him to keep the hair sleek, shiny and frizz free. Get the look by following these steps …

Use a small amount of Brazilian Blowout Acai Daily Smoothing Serum on damp hair.

Dry hair in 2 inch sections and set in Velcro rollers.

Remove the rollers, and use a 1.75 inch barrel curling iron to add a bit more curl.

Next, brush through hair to relax the curl.

Use Brazilian Blowout Acai Restorative Sculpt & Define Polish to slick hair back into an imperfect bun, leaving some pieces out in the front to create a long, sexy, swooping bang that can be worn down or tucked behind the ear.

Finish the look with a spritz of Brazilian Blowout Acai Shine & Shield Shine Spray.

Inspired by her electric blue dress, celebrity makeup artist Fiona Stiles gave actress and director, Elizabeth Banks, a vibrant and modern look for the Met Gala. Here are the steps Fiona used to get Elizabeth’s edgy look using Avon products:

To prep and hydrate Elizabeth’s skin, Fiona used Avon’s ANEW Overnight Hydration Mask overnight, and applied ANEW Reversalist Complete Renewal Express Wrinkle Smoother to create a blurred effect on the skin.

Then with a damp sponge, Fiona applied Avon Ideal Flawless Invisible Coverage Liquid Foundation in Honey Beige, feathering out to the outer edges of the face to evenly blend.

To finish setting the skin, Fiona used a Tom Ford Concealer in Medium and a dusting of Avon’s Ideal Flawless Pressed Powder in Medium Deep.

Fiona then applied Armani Bronzer Sun Fabric #200 under and along the cheekbones and penciled in her brows.

For the eyes, Fiona wanted to amp up the drama and started with a neutral eye shadow base on the lids using shades #1 and #2 from Avon’s True Color Eye Shadow Quads in Berry Love. Then, using a liner that matched Elizabeth’s dress—Avon SuperShock Gel Eyeliner Pencil in Aqua Pop—Fiona drew a V-shape on the outer part of the eyes, connecting the top and bottom lines—a nod to a winged liner.

To finish off this bold eye look, Fiona used Avon SuperExtend Winged Out Mascara in Blackest Black and added a few extra coats to the outer corners of the eyes.

To keep the emphasis on the eyes, Fiona opted for a nude lip and used Avon Ultra Color Lipstick in Matte Nude to finish.

Shop The Post to create your own Red Carpet hair and beauty looks …

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