Every Makeup Product Kendall Jenner Wore to the Met Gala Was $20 and Under
There were so many standout looks at the 2023 Met Gala, and Kendall Jenner was one of them. The model and reality star wore a Marc Jacobs bodysuit with black sequins, a bright silver collar, and sweeping floor-length sleeves. However, as beauty editors, we looked beyond her obviously eye-catching outfit to focus on her hair and makeup. The latter was subtle yet flawless, combining a glowing complexion with fluttery lashes and pink lip and cheek colors.
Speaking of makeup, you'd expect a celebrity like Jenner to use expensive, high-end products before walking one of the most highly anticipated red carpets of the year, but as it turns out, she didn't. In fact, makeup artist Mary Phillips used only drugstore products to create Jenner's look. L'Oréal products, to be specific. That means every single makeup product Jenner wore to the Met Gala cost $20 or less. Ahead, see every product. And don't be surprised if this causes you to revamp your makeup routine with new, affordable items.
Face Products
Phillips utilized her viral "underpainting" technique to give Jenner a flawless complexion. First, she used this foundation in two deep shades to outline the perimeters of Jenner's face. This gave her skin a subtle, contoured look before a foundation had even touched her skin. The point of this technique is to layer products in a specific way to make the skin look as natural as possible.
The underpainting technique isn't complete without placing a highlighter under the foundation. Phillips used this full-coverage concealer to highlight under Jenner's eyes and the center of her face.
Once the contour and highlighter are applied, it is time for a foundation. Phillips chose this long-wearing one with medium-to-full coverage and a lightweight and breathable texture. She mixed shades 425 and 455 to mimic Jenner's natural skin tone.
"I then lightly set the skin with the L'Oréal Paris Infallible Vanilla powder foundation," Phillips says. In other words, she used this powder foundation as a setting powder to combat shine while adding a touch more coverage.
To add some dimension to the contours of Jenner's face, Phillips says she used this bronzer on the perimeters of her face and under the cheekbones.
Phillips says she applied this soft pink blush to the apples of Jenner's cheeks "to bring back more color."
I know what you're thinking. Why is eyeliner considered face makeup? Phillips used this eyeliner to add subtle fake freckles to Jenner's nose and cheek area for an even more natural-looking complexion.
The final step was adding a little extra highlighter for more radiance. Phillips dabbed this one on the high points of Jenner's face, including down the bridge of her nose.
Eye & Brow Products
Philips says the inspiration for her makeup was pulled from '70s Mod makeup, and she wanted the emphasis to be on Jenner's eyes. "I started off by using a neutral brown eyeshadow from L'Oréal Paris La Palette Nude in the crease and under the eye," she says.
Phillips went back and forth between using the aforementioned palette and this waterproof liquid eyeliner to create the perfect look. "I used the L'Oréal Paris Infallible Grip Liner across the lash line and added a flick of a wing at the corner of the eyes," she says. "Under the eye, I used a darker chocolate shade on the outer corners and flicked it out. Then for the middle of the two wings, I used the lightest shade in the palette to emphasize the wings and elongate the eye."
As the final step for Jenner's eye makeup, Phillips used this mascara, which is also a Who What Wear favorite. Phillips says it adds "instant length and intense color."
When it came to brows, Phillips only used two products. The first was this pencil, in the shade Dark Brunette, which she used to define Jenner's brows.
Then, Phillips "fluffed" Jenner's brows up using this transparent brow gel.
Lip Products
Phillips says she wanted to create a "natural pouty lip," so she started by lining Jenner's lips with this neutral-toned liner.
The final step was to swipe on this rosy-pink lipstick, which promises to stay put for up to 16 hours.
Next: Rihanna Arrived Fashionably Late to the Met Gala—Her Red Lip Was Worth the Wait
Kaitlyn McLintock is an Associate Beauty Editor at Who What Wear. Although she covers a wide range of topics across a variety of categories, she specializes in celebrity interviews and skincare and wellness content. Having lived in Los Angeles and Austin, Texas, she recently relocated back to her home state of Michigan where she works remotely. Prior to Who What Wear, she freelanced for a variety of industry-leading digital publications, including InStyle, The Zoe Report, Bustle, Hello Giggles, and Coveteur. Before that, she held a long-term internship and subsequent contributor position at Byrdie. When she's not writing, researching, or testing the latest and greatest beauty products, she's working her way through an ever-growing book collection, swimming in the Great Lakes, or spending time with family.
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