So Many Stars Enlisted Under-$20 Beauty at the Met Gala

TRESemmé Freeze Hold Hairspray ($8)

Jennifer Lopez’s Met Gala look was very on brand for the actress, singer and dancer, down to her voluminous perfectly imperfect bun. To set the hairstyle in place without losing its texture, Lopez’s hairstylist Lorenzo Martin used this under-$10 hair spray from TRESemmé.

BUY ON TARGET – $8

BUY ON CVS – $8

Tangle Teezer The Ultimate Styler ($17)

Martin also gave a shout out to this viral detangling brush. (The very same one responsible for Selena Gomez’s 2024 Emmy’s updo.)

BUY ON NORDSTROM – $17

BUY ON AMAZON – $16

Kylie Cosmetics Tinted Butter Balm ($18)

The mogul’s longtime celebrity makeup artist Ariel Tejada used-what else-Kylie Cosmetics to deliver Jenner’s fresh and ethereal makeup look. To enhance her custom Oscar de la Renta gown (meant to emulate a garden statue), Tejada used the brand’s Tinted Butter Balm on Jenner’s cheeks and lips.

BUY ON KYLIE COSMETICS – $18

BUY ON ULTA – $18

Revlon ColorStay Skin Awaken 5-in-1 Concealer ($13)

Ashley Graham‘s skin looked straight out of a social media filter, thanks to a face full of Revlon products, including this vitamin C- and caffeine-infused concealer. As its name suggests, the formula visibly awakens skin by masking imperfections, brightening dark under-eye circles and camouflaging puffiness.

BUY ON AMAZON – $13

BUY ON ULTA – $13

Schwarzkopf Keratin Color Permanent Hair Color in 3.0 Espresso ($13)

If you’ve ever wondered exactly what color hair dye a favorite celebrity uses, good news. Kerry Washington’s exact Met Gala hair hue (on her newly debuted pixie cut) is 3.0 Espresso from salon-grade, at-home hair color brand Schwarzkopf.

BUY NOW – $13

Vaseline Radiant X Replenishing and Hydrating Body Oil ($12)

Cardi B‘s bold Met Gala look was opulent from head to toe, so it came as a surprise when makeup artist Erika La Pearl revealed the rapper’s glow came from a drugstore body oil. “With such an extravagant gown, we had to make sure her body was just as radiant and glowing to match,” she shared with us. It really melts into the skin and leaves such a nice glow without feeling sticky.”

BUY ON AMAZON – $12

BUY ON TARGET – $12

CeraVe Hydrating Foaming Oil Cleanser ($20)

Just like the rest of us, celebs know a great skincare product when they see one, regardless of price. This Award-winning, dermatologist-recommended oil cleanser was the go-to pick for music superstar Usher. Celebrity makeup artist and groomer Lola Okanlawon used the ceramide-rich cleanser as step one in Usher’s Met Gala prep. “It was key for me to enhance Usher’s skin for the Met Gala,” Okanlawon explained. “CeraVe’s product lineup helped achieve a healthy and hydrated skin barrier to ensure his radiant skin was a focal point of his look.” 

BUY ON AMAZON – $20

BUY ON ULTA – $19

CeraVe Ultra-Light Moisturizing Gel ($20)

For the moisturizer step—which Okanlawon considers “the most important” in any red carpet skin-care prep—she used CeraVe’s Ultra-Light Moisturizing Gel. “It has a weightless feel and glides onto the skin easily without tugging or pulling, while layering well under makeup and sunscreen. I used a pea-sized amount and applied it evenly onto his face and neck for all-day hydration from the red carpet to the event and beyond!”

BUY ON AMAZON – $20

BUY ON ULTA – $20

Deborah Lippmann Gel Lab Pro Nail Polish in Love at First Sight ($20)

Karlie Kloss‘ pink Swarovski Couture gown was the inspiration for her “timeless” manicure using this Deborah Lippmann gel polish in shade “Love at First Sight.”

BUY ON AMAZON – $20

BUY ON NORDSTROM – $20

Nailboo PREMIER Forever Glaze Top Coat ($12)

If you haven’t seen GiGi Hadid’s stunning 3D floral manicure yet, stop and click here. (You’re welcome.) Mei Kawajiri, the nail artist behind the art, set the whole look with Nailboo’s Forever Glaze Top Coat. “A no-wipe top coat is essential,” she says.

BUY NOW – $12

OPI Nail Lacquer in It’s a Boy! ($12)

Espresso singer Sabrina Carpenter also used an under-$20 polish on her fairytale Met Gala nails. “Sabrina has been wearing a lot of blue lately, which is a great color for her and really enhances her eyes,” manicurist Zola Ganzorigt says. “The black and blue fairytale gown she wore is so elegant and classic. To complement the look, I used OPI ‘It’s a Boy!’ with Chrome Effects in ‘Tin Man Can’ (available in select salons) and adorned the nails with rhinestones.”

BUY ON OPI – $12

BUY ON AMAZON – $12

CoverGirl Exhibitionist Crème Lipstick in 485 Coral Dreams ($8)

Celebrity makeup artist Kelsey Deenihan was the woman behind country superstar Kelsea Ballerini’s Met Gala makeup. Using a bevy of CoverGirl products, Deenihan went with this “beautiful, light coral” lipstick. “This is my go-to CoverGirl lipstick, because it’s super moisturizing and lasts all night,” she explains.

BUY ON AMAZON – $8

BUY ON CVS – $7

Addiction Tokyo The Eyeshadow in Duomo ($20)

Greta Lee’s etheral white lace LOEWE dress brimming with floral appliqués was the “guiding principle” for Lee’s makeup, explains celebrity makeup artist Nina Park. Using Addiction Tokyo makeup products, Park drew inspiration from “celestial hues of dawn and dusk” for the entire look—including this gold beige creamy eyeshadow Park used as an under-brow highlighter.

BUY NOW – $20

Revlon SkinLights Prismatic Bronzer ($14.50)

Madelyn Cline’s fairytale waist-length waves aren’t the only thing worth highlighting. Walking the green carpet with designer Tommy Hilfiger, I was struck by the actress’ just-back-from-vacation complexion. After a bit of digging, I was pleasantly surprised to find out it’s thanks to this under-$15 bronzer from Revlon that promises a warm glow and silky-smooth skin.

BUY ON AMAZON – $10

BUY ON ULTA – $14.50

ECO STYLE Professional Olive Styling Gel ($4)

Celebrity hairstylist Davontae Washington created a straight and sleek hair look with an incredible level of shine for supermodel Naomi Campbell with Eco Style, a vitamin K-enriched haircare brand. “To ensure [Campbell’s] hair complemented her elegant style, we opted to keep her hair down for a timeless look,” Washington said. The final step involved the brand’s olive-oil infused gel for ultimate edge control” and a “polished look.”

BUY ON TARGET – $4

BUY ON AMAZON – $6