Blake Lively wholly embraced the theme of this year’s MET Gala; not only with her dress choice but with her make-up look as well. The event took place in Manhattan’s Metropolitan Museum of Art, where Hollywood’s biggest names gathered to launch the annual fashion exhibition at the Costume Institute. This year’s theme was ‘Heavenly Bodies: Fashion and the Catholic Imagination’, examining the relationship between fashion and Catholicism.

The actress wore a hand-made, floor-length gown with gold embroidery and extensive beading. Created specifically for her by Versace, the dress is intricate and ornate; everything a traditional Catholic gown should be.

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The religious theme carries through to her beauty routine too. The star’s make-up artist, Kristofer Buckle, drew on religious statues and artefacts for inspiration, saying in a press release, “Blake’s look tonight was inspired by Italian religious paintings. We wanted to create a very structured look with strong bone contouring like the statues of Saints I’ve seen.” As well as contouring, Buckle incorporated the red tone of Lively’s dress into her make-up; using red hues on her eyes and lips.

Like what you see? You can recreate this MET Gala look simply with the beauty products below:

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Skin

Make-up artist Kristofer Buckle swears by this purse-friendly foundation by L’Oreal Paris. True Match Liquid Foundation, €14.99, has a highly blendable, velvety formula and comes in a wide range of shades. A little goes a long way with this; the emphasis of the look should be on the contour, lips and eyes. If you prefer a more high-end product, Laura Mercier Flawless Fusion Ultra-Longwear Foundation, €48, is ideal for evening wear or weddings.

As Buckle said, the look is all about structure and bronzer is the best way to achieve this. No7 Beautifully Defined Contour Kit, €17.50, is made up of blendable bronzing powders that can be applied to the hollows of the cheeks; along the hairline; and on the sides of your nose to create structural definition. If you’re more of a cream contour gal, Fenty Beauty by Rihanna Match Stix, €24, is long-wearing and very easy to apply.

 

Eyes

Huda Beauty Obsessions Eyeshadow Palette, €28, in ‘Mauve’ includes nine, highly pigmented mattes and shimmers for a smokey red eye. Alternatively, Charlotte Tilbury’s Colour-Coded Eye Shadow Palette, €50, in ‘Vintage Vamp’ is worth a wear. Bold shades like these can be hard to get used to; start with light coverage and build it up when you feel more confident.

Lips

Tom Ford Lip Colour Matte, €49, in shade ‘Pussycat’ is very similar to the one Blake Lively wore to the MET Ball. While on the more expensive end of the price spectrum, its creamy texture and long-lasting colour make it worthwhile. Bourjois Rouge Edition Velvet Lipstick, €11.99, is another good option. Its lightweight formula is surprisingly durable and it’s enriched with evanescent oils to prevent your lips from drying out.

 

 

Photo: Blake Lively by Damon Winter/The New York Times

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While we have you, check out our new podcast The Spill, with Sophie White and Rhona McAuliffe. In this week’s episode, the women chat about designer vaginas, beauty politics and bi-curiosity.