HOW MAKEUP ARTIST SHEIKA DALEY PREPPED DA’VINE JOY RANDOLPH FOR THE MET GALA
Very few people can make a fire ginger hair and a floor-length Gap denim gown fashun, but then again, not everyone is Da’Vine Joy Randolph. After an awards-sweeping season for her portrayal in The Holdovers, the Hollywood darling is back to dazzling on the red carpet, this time for the 2024 Met Gala, which celebrates the Costume Institute’s “Garden of Time” theme, complete with a look worthy of an award of its own.
Met Gala is a high-stakes event, a spectacle as frantic as the typical awards season red carpet, which means a makeup artist’s kit needs to be stocked with everything to create a long-lasting, flawless, photo-ready look to last from carpet debut to the infamous bathroom photo and post-Gala after parties. For moments like the 2024 Met Gala, Randolph’s go-to makeup artist, Sheika Daley, says she always opts for “long-lasting, high-pigment products,” which includes the likes of a “setting spray, waterproof mascara, touch-up powder, versatile lip colors, and a reliable primer to keep everything in place amidst the chaos,” she tells ELLE.com.
Each year, the Met Gala’s theme sparks a tapestry of interpretations, from sartorial selects to picturesque beauty. For Daley, this year’s theme, “Sleeping Beauties: Reawakening Fashion,” ignited images of dreamy romance, “soft, pastel hues, ethereal textures, and subtle shimmer.” What that translated to in real life was delicate, airbrushed, glamour that complimented Randolph’s eye-catching ginger hair. “While hair color can influence certain makeup choices, I believe that great makeup transcends hair color. I adapt the makeup look to complement Randolph’s ever-changing hair hues, ensuring that her features are enhanced and her overall look remains cohesive and striking, regardless of the color palette,” Daley says.
On days like the Met Gala, a sheet mask is almost always in tow. Daley prepped the skin with a trio of Lancome hydration salves, including the Advanced Génifique Hydrogel Sheet Mask, Absolue Revitalizing & Brightening Soft Face Cream, and Absolue Revitalizing Anti-Aging Eye Cream to plump the skin for makeup application.
To build Randolph’s flawless complexion base without straying too far from the actress’s natural beauty, Daley went in with the Lancome Priming Serum and Teint Idole Ultra Wear 24H Full Coverage Foundation in 445N and 500C; Randolph’s face was highlighted with Teint Idole Ultra Wear All Over Full Coverage Concealer in 460 Suede Warm.
From there, Daley began softening the look by swiping the Lancôme Blush Subtil in 161 Absolutely Happy along the apples of the cheeks, and topping the cheeks with the Dual Finish Powder Highlighter in 05 Sparkling Pêche to add a warm, peach tone to the look.
“I’m currently loving the trend of dewy, radiant skin and natural, fluffy brows. It’s all about enhancing natural beauty and embracing individuality,” she explains. She continued this by keeping the eyes subtle with a pop of color on the waterline using Idôle Liner in 03 Aegean Blue. The lips were lined with Lancôme L’Absolu Rouge Intimate Soft Matte Lipstick in 450 Surprise Surprise and topped with the L’Absolu Lip Lacquer Gloss in 274 Beige Sensation in the center.
Trends Daley hopes to die? “Overly exaggerated contouring, and heavy, cakey makeup come to mind. Beauty should enhance, not mask, one’s features,” she offers.
Ahead, shop Da’Vine Joy Randolph’s 2024 Met Gala look.