From sculptural looks to dimensional colors, this year's Met Gala styles and looks took over the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Stylist’s created polished looks perfectly curated to finish and elevate the styles and the muses attending the Fashion is Art themed event.
Ciara's Golden Crown
For the 2026 Met Gala, Ciara stepped out in a sculptural, gold-crowned hair moment created by Cesar Ramirez (@cesar4styles) using Rizos Curls. Inspired by Queen Nefertiti, the look balanced a sleek, controlled foundation with a hand-sculpted, gilded crown, designed to feel architectural, modern and editorial.
GET THE LOOK:
- Begin by leaving the edges soft and natural around the hairline to create a delicate frame.
- Pull the rest of the hair into a sleek high bun, using Rizos Curls Strong Hold Gel to lock in structure and create a strong foundation.
- Build a custom crown shape on top of the bun, sculpting and detailing the structure piece by piece.
- Use Rizos Curls Strong Hold Gel to create and mold structured sections of hair, shaping each piece and glazing with gold leaf to achieve a metallic, gilded effect.
- Set the overall structure with Rizos Curls Volumizing Hair Spray to ensure hold and longevity.
- Use the Rizos Curls Hair Wax Stick to blend Ciara’s natural hair into the crown and help adhere gold detailing, creating the illusion that the structure is formed from her own hair.
- Finish with the Rizos Curls Sleek Styling Cream + Taming Wand to refine edges, smooth flyaways, and add a polished, high-shine finish.
Karlie Kloss’s Sculptural Look
Jacob Rozenberg
Inspired by Karlie Kloss’ Dior dress, celebrity hairstylist Jacob Rozenberg (@jacobrozenberg) used PHYTO to achieve Karlie Kloss' exquisite look at the 2026 Met Gala. Keeping in mind Dior’s acclaimed structuring and geometry, Rozenberg and his team created a hairstyle that complemented and balanced Kloss’s look.
GET THE LOOK:
- Jacob began with a solid foundation, prepping the hair with Phyto's Pro Style Volume Mousse, followed by a touch of the Phyto 7 Universal Enhancing Oil and the REPAIR 230°C Heat Protection Spray Anti-Breakage.
- After a smooth blowout, the hair was brushed into a low ponytail at the nape.
- To create structure, he incorporated subtle padding and sculpted the hair into a defined shape. He then pinned in pre-made hairpieces to introduce geometric detail, enhance dimension, and streamline the styling process.
- Lastly, he used the Pro Style Texturing Paste to tame baby hairs and keep flyaways down. The look was finished with Pro Style Laque Soie hairspray for a polished, long-lasting hold.
Polished Platinum
Supermodel Alex Consani stepped onto the red carpet displaying a dimensional twist on her usual platinum blonde hair, created by celebrity colorist Jaz Shepard (@jazshepard). To execute a bright shade, the look was completed two days before Consani walked the carpet.
To achieve the look, Shepard used precision foiling with Schwarzkopf Professional’s Foiled Cashmere technique, one of the defining hair color trends of 2026.
GET THE EXACT COLOR FORMULA:
- Highlights: BlondMe Lightener 9+
- Lowlights:
- 8-00 (.25g) + 9-00 (1.25g)
- Roots:
- 10-14 (1.25g) + 9-55 (.75g)
- Ends:
- 10-14
Golden Melt Blonde
Tate McRae stunned the red carpet in collaboration with Matt Rezz with a look that featured a mix of honey, caramel, and pale gold throughout the hair, creating an undone-but-intentional, it-girl look.
GET THE LOOK:
- Base Bump (soft lift + neutral canvas using Paul Mitchell The Color)
8A
½ oz 10 volume + ½ oz 20 volume (creates ~15 vol)
1 pump shampoo (for softer viscosity + diffusion)
→ Lifts natural level 6 to a soft, beige level 7 without overexposing warmth
2. Highlights (controlled brightness + dimension using Paul Mitchell Dual Purpose Lightener)
30g lightener + 30g 20 volume (1:1)
2 pumps bond repair treatment
→ Lift to level 8 through lengths, level 9 around hairline for face-framing brightness
3. Root Melt (seamless blend at the base using Paul Mitchell The Demi)
Equal parts 7N + 7NB + dash of 8MT
Mixed with 7 vol processing liquid
→ Softens the root and blurs into highlights for a natural grow-out
4. Gloss (tone + reflective finish using Paul Mitchell The Demi)
2 parts Clear + 1 part 9G + dash of 9.34
Equal parts 7 vol processing liquid
→ Adds sheer golden tone and high-shine reflect without heaviness
Shiny Burnette
Taking the fashion-forward approach, Troye Sivan brought a dimensional but polished look to the Met Gala. Los Angeles-based colorist, Jacob Schwartz, put a twist on Sivan's natural hair color with Schwarzkopf Professional’s Igora Vibrance to create depth throughout the hair.
- Schwartz used Schwarzkopf Professional Igora Vibrance demi-permanent technology to create seamless tonal saturation while maintaining movement and light reflection throughout the hair.
- The process began with a root gloss and precise hairline refinement, using a combination of natural and ash-based tones to deepen the overall result while preserving softness and dimension around the face.
2. At the root, Schwartz layered natural, cool, and muted tonal reflects to build a dense yet nuanced base, giving the color its signature glossy effect without appearing one-dimensional.
3. Through the mid-lengths and ends, the formula was refined with balanced natural and cool tones to ensure tonal continuity and deliver a glossy, liquid-like finish under the Met Gala lights.
The use of Igora Vibrance is key, as its demi-permanent formula allows for rich tonal layering and high-shine refinement while keeping the final result soft, touchable, and modern.
Here’s the exact formula:
Root gloss: Schwarzkopf Professional Igora Vibrance
Hairline: 7-0 + 7-1 + 8-11 > 6 vol, 18 min
Roots: 7-0 (15g) + 6-1 (15g) + 6-23 (15g) + 6-0 (15g) > 6 vol, 18 min
Ends: 7-0 + 7-1 + 8-0 > 6 vol, 18 min
Both looks highlight the versatility of Igora Vibrance, which allows colorists to build dimension through layering and tonal refinement rather than relying on heavy saturation. The result is hair that feels modern, luminous, and effortlessly polished under the Met Gala lights.
