Rihanna’s gilded Met Gala makeup featured a sneaky Fenty launch
It’s always a good Met Gala when Rihanna shows up. And for the 2026 carpet, she arrived gilded from head to toe, serving a molten, light-catching beauty look that did more than complement her crystal-drenched ensemble.
The biggest headline for us Fenty fans? The look quietly introduced a new drop from the brand. Yes, nestled within all that golden glamour was a sneaky debut: Fenty Beauty’s soon-to-launch Sun Stalk’r Soufflé Pressed Mousse Cream Bronzer.
Created by makeup artist Hector Espinal, Rihanna’s look was all about mirroring the texture and tone of her outfit. “We wanted the beauty look to echo the textures of her dress,” Espinal explained. “We played up gold and bronze tones around her eyes, complexion, and lips.”
The unsung hero of the look (the new pressed mousse bronzer) was layered in sheer, buildable veils to create that soft-focus, airbrushed warmth. With its bouncy texture and skin-like finish, it melted seamlessly into Rihanna’s complexion, delivering definition without heaviness.
But the bronzer didn’t work alone. Espinal crafted a multidimensional base using a lineup of Fenty favourites. The Pro Filt’r Soft Matte Longwear Foundation ($64 at Sephora) set the stage, while the We’re Even Longwear Concealer ($49 at Sephora) brightened and perfected.
A touch of the Shake N’ Play Buildable Liquid Blush ($42 at Sephora) brought life back into the cheeks, and the iconic Killawatt Freestyle Highlighter in ‘Lightning Dust/Fire Crystal’ (currently $31.50 at Sephora) dialled up the luminosity, catching the light in all the right places.
On the eyes, shimmering gold tones played off the intricate crystal detailing, while the Trace’d Out Longwear Waterproof Pencil Lip Liner in ‘Rose Amber’ ($32 at Sephora) polished off the look.
You might have thought that today’s Met Gala was the most important date in your May calendar, but the Sun Stalk’r Soufflé Pressed Mousse Cream Bronzer lands in Australia on May 22…
Main image credit: Getty
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Delaney began her career in the Australian beauty media industry in 2015, landing amidst the glossy world of women’s lifestyle magazines (or more literally, in their beauty cupboards). Since then, she has gone on to write across a multitude of beloved Australian media brands, including OK!, NW, InStyle, and Harper’s BAZAAR. She’s covered every side of beauty content, from directing beauty editorial shoots to rounding up the best glossy serums for golden hour skin. Having spent nearly a decade immersed in the beauty realm, Delaney’s knowledge of beauty is as extensive as her collection of tinted lip oils (read: extremely extensive). Delaney is currently the Digital Managing Editor of BEAUTYcrew, and her beauty wisdom also appears across beautyheaven, ELLE and Marie Claire. She enjoys channelling her personal hobby (testing beauty products) into her professional work (talking about testing beauty products), and considers perfecting the art of a cat eye in a moving car her life’s greatest accomplishment.
