Zendaya's Met Gala 2025 Makeup and Hair Breakdown

(Image credit: Getty)

There are a handful of celebrities who capture the attention of even those not usually tapped into the fashion or beauty scene on Met Gala night, and Zendaya is at the top of that list. Last year, she made her grand return after a four-year hiatus with two standout looks, each paired with completely distinct glam. And this year? She's done it again. The look draws inspiration from Black dandyism through this year’s theme, "Superfine: Tailoring Black Style." Her Met Gala outfit delivered bridal glam in a sleek, white suit, but it's her makeup that truly deserves a closer look.

We weren't sure it could be done—how do you top a double red carpet moment? But this year, in what will be her seventh Met Gala appearance, Zendaya managed to do just that. Her makeup featured quite possibly the most flawless skin on the carpet tonight, with a perfectly angled blush application and soft, smoked-out eyes. For her hair, she pulled it back into a slicked-back, clean low bun to give space for her oversized, floppy hat. This combination proves, once again, that Zendaya is a Met Gala event in her own right.

Zendaya Met Gala — Zendaya in an all-white suit at the Met Gala.

When news broke that Zendaya would return to the Met steps this year—still styled by her longtime stylist Law Roach, but walking separately—it was clear we were in for something different. Case in point: her '90s-inspired lip that featured contrasting lip liner and lipstick. Makeup artist, Ernesto Casillas used Charlotte Tilbury's Super Nudes Shapewear Lip Cheat Duo to contour and line her lips, and the Big Lip Plumpgasm in Nudegasm Diamonds for that glass-like shine and plump.

Zendaya at 2024 Met Gala — Zendaya's two looks at the 2024 Met Gala "Sleeping Beauties: Reawakening Fashion," with a dress code of "The Garden of Time."

If you forgot last year's iconic beauty moments, let me paint a picture: First, she stunned with deep, sultry, smokey eyes paired with a netted fascinator. Then, in a dramatic shift, she embraced a lighter, more ethereal look with a bouquet headpiece and soft, peach-toned makeup. I think it's safe to say Zendaya solidifies herself again as the moment.

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Siena Gagliano is the Beauty Editor at Marie Claire, where she writes and edits reported features, trend stories, and expert-backed shopping roundups. Before joining the team full-time, she was an editor at Cosmopolitan, where she specialized in SEO-first beauty content and commerce strategy. Her bylines have also appeared in Allure, ELLE, Bustle, Well+Good, Popsugar, and Women's Health, covering everything from the best products for brighter, glowier skin to the science behind face mapping. Curious about the behind-the-scenes magazine life and her go-to beauty picks? Follow her on Instagram at @sienagagliano.