Rihanna’s 2026 Met Gala Beauty Look Is Pure Gilded Glam

She closes the carpet dripping in gold.

Rihanna departing to the Met Gala.
(Image credit: Getty Images)

It’s the most important night in fashion, and to no one's surprise, Rihanna closed the carpet as the belle of the ball. The 2026 Met Gala is in full swing, and the theme of the evening is "Costume Art," which pays homage to the intersection of fashion and history. The dress code is “fashion is art,” and of course, fashion’s darling, Rihanna, nailed every last detail in full-blown gilded glamour.

In a stunning gown from Maison Margiela, the singer aced the theme for the night, pairing the look with a gorgeous, futuristic-chic glam. Her hair appeared to be a sort of slicked-back mullet, decorated with gold curls throughout the entirety of her head. Her makeup was a dream, a combination of metallics and cool-toned purples, which only served to highlight the two-toned goodness that is her outfit. A frosty, neutral lip color added the finishing touch to her makeup, and short, almond-shaped pink nails completed the singer's beauty details.

Rihanna departing to the Met Gala.

Rihanna is seen leaving her hotel en route to the Metropolitan Museum of Art for the 2026 Met Gala celebrating "Costume Art"on May 4, 2026 in New York City.

(Image credit: Getty Images)

It's an epic way to close out the event's red carpet, and, of course, Rihanna is and will be one of the most talked-about looks of the evening. Take a look at all of the best beauty moments from the 2026 Met Gala, and if you're feeling inspired, shop the products below to recreate Rihanna's glam at home.

a man and a woman at the met gala in golden makeup and a pink suit

(Image credit: Getty Images)

Shop Rihanna's Met Gala Glam

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Ariel Baker
Beauty Writer

Ariel Baker is the Beauty Writer at Marie Claire. Previously the associate beauty editor at PS and briefly freelance, she has bylines in InStyle, Forbes Vetted, Women's Health, and more.

Since she started out in the non-profit sector, Ariel enjoys looking at beauty from a sociocultural lens, looking to avenues like politics, music, and the arts, to inform her views on the space. That being said, as a true beauty-product obsessive, testing the latest items to hit the market, keeping up with trends, and meeting industry icons, will always be her favorite part of working in the beauty space.

When she's not working, Ariel can be found hanging out with her fiancé and loving on their two cat daughters: Cow and Chicken.