Cara Delevingne and Zoë Kravitz wore full faces of affordable beauty at the 2026 Met Gala, with this £14 ‘lengthening’ mascara stealing the spotlight
It’s the first Monday in May, which can only mean one thing: the 2026 Met Gala has kicked off. Hailed as the biggest night in fashion and brimming full of A-list celebs, the Met Gala is a chance for stars to showcase the very best fashion and beauty has to offer. This year’s exhibition, “Costume Art”, is paired with the dress code “Fashion is Art”, an open-ended theme encouraging guests to treat their looks as works of art.
Of course, the usual suspects impressed with Rihanna in a sculptural Maison Margiela Fall/Winter ’25 Couture, Beyoncé breaking her 10-year hiatus in custom Olivier Rousteing, and Cher in custom Burberry. But, it was the make-up looks that caught our eye this year, with a few affordable buys reigning supreme.
Cara Delevingne, who was one of the official hosts of the #metgala live stream, put her own chic twist on the ‘naked dress’ in a semi-sheer Ralph Lauren dress, and opted for a sultry, smoky eye using L’Oreal’s Telescopic Extensionist Lengthening & Curling Mascara, priced at £13.99.
READ MORE: Mrs Hinch’s 15-minute beauty routine includes de-puffing avocado eye cream on with a £15 saving
READ MORE: Rihanna is said to be one of the best-smelling celebs– these are the perfumes she wears on repeat
The Extensionist Mascara is made with an innovative formula infused with magnetic pigments and lengthening fibres to create that ‘lash lift effect’ without heading to the salon. Having only launched in January this year, the purse-friendly mascara has already received dozens of 5-star reviews praising its volumising and lengthening results, and it’s now got Cara’s seal of approval.
Considering the red carpet is often flooded with luxury and high-end make-up, it’s nice to see more affordable brands breaking through. Alongside Cara, Zoë Kravitz also wore a full face of L’Oreal, achieving her radiant glow with the brand’s cult-favourite Lumi Glotion, priced at £11.99
This sheer, skin-enhancing primer was already a sell-out success in the US before launching in the UK in 2024, and is loved by shoppers for the natural glow it gives skin. L’Oréal’s Lumi Glotion comes in five shades ranging from 901 Fair Glow to 905 Very Deep Glow, and is available at LookFantastic, Superdrug and Boots.
Kylie Jenner used a full face of her own make-up brand, Kylie Cosmetics, to perfectly complement her Schiaparelli gown. The exact blush she wore was the Kylie Cosmetics Hybrid Blush in ‘Petal’, which is currently on sale at Boots for £15.75 down from £21. With its silky formula and gorgeous neutral pink hue, the blush features a suede-like texture that is so easy to apply and provides a natural, skin-like finish.
Disclaimer : This story is auto aggregated by a computer programme and has not been created or edited by DOWNTHENEWS. Publisher: mirror.co.uk
