Olivia DeJonge Wore a Priscilla Presley-Inspired Lip Combo for Her Met Gala Debut

Hear us out: The Met Gala, which occurs every year on the first day of May, is considered the Super Bowl of fashion. It's where our favorite celebrities go all out and sport everything from custom designs to iconic frocks. The 2022 theme, In America: An Anthology of Fashion, spotlights foundational American fashion and those behind it. Specifically, this year's dress code was "gilded glamour" and encouraged guests to pay homage to the 1870s through 1890s era when America was on the brink of cultural and technological emergence. That means this year there will be lots of puffy sleeves, bustier tops, and other Gilded Age details.

However, there's one aspect that's often overlooked thanks to the extravagant outfits that dominate our Instagram feeds: the glam. Yes, there are specific looks that do make the headlines. But the behind-the-scenes moments, which include hair, makeup, and nail pros working to tie the whole look together, tend to stay in the shadows. To celebrate the 2022 Met Gala and dive into one of our favorite beauty moments, we spoke to Matin Maulawizada, who partnered with Lancome to create a breathtaking makeup look for Olivia DeJonge, the rising star playing Priscilla Presley in the upcoming Elvis biopic alongside Austin Butler.

Keep reading for the inside scoop directly from Matin, including the inspiration behind the look, the products used, and more.

The Inspiration

"The theme is gilded age. It’s all about natural beauty and opulence. I wanted to create a fresh look that reflected the era, as well as showcase Olivia’s natural beauty."

"Olivia is the epitome of ingénue, she’s statuesque, beautiful, and gorgeously real. With Hollywood turning into a factory with thousands of shows on streaming platforms, it’s really hard to get to experience this kind of debut for a young talented actress. She’s wearing a gorgeous Prada dress with an amazing geometric silhouette and embellishments that dreams of the Gilded Age with a modern feel. We wanted to create a clean fresh look that reflected the era as well as showcase Olivia’s natural beauty.

"The freshness of the makeup is indicative of the theme and era. It was an era of opulence but also it was very restrained. Women wore opulent clothing and headdresses with little-to-no makeup. So, for me, it was all about beautiful skin and a very fresh look for Olivia.

"We all discussed our visions and luckily we were all on the same page. We all have worked together before and was wonderful to be a part of this debut on her big red carpet moment. My vision was a fresh face and barely-there makeup but, obviously, highlighting her features. My goal was to make her look like a beauty campaign."

The Look Breakdown

Skin

"Beautiful skin and skin prep are always important for me to create a good canvas to paint on. I started using Advanced Genifique Hydrogel Sheet Mask ($15) while she was getting her hair done. Then I massaged the new Absolue Serum ($200) to her face followed by Absolue Soft Cream ($131). The combination rendered skin with the most incredible glow."

"I like relying on skin and enhancing skin with makeup rather than putting a thick mask of foundation and recreating glow or contours on the face. So, CurrentBody ($400) mask is one of the tools I always use on my repeat clients. I used CurrentBody on Olivia prior to starting her skincare and make-up for the Met Ball. She has been using the mask for a few weeks already and today we used it again to keep up with her pre-skincare routine.”

Complexion

"I applied Teint Idole Ultra Foundation ($47) in 110 with a brush on her face to even out her skin tone without covering up her gorgeous skin and glow. I followed it with Teint Idole Ultra Wear All Over Concealer ($29) to spot-treat and add coverage where needed. Then, I lightly set her makeup with a dusting of loose powder to get it ready for color."

Face

"My focus was on blush and cheekbones. I used the Blush Subtil Powder in Rose Liberte 347 ($33) and Cedar Rose 208 ($33) to sculpt and create a “pinched cheeks” look. Then using the blush brush and bronzing brush, I used Dual Finish Highlighter in Shimmering Buff ($42) to highlight the face and body."

Eyes

"On her eyes, I started with a lash curler and dotted the Lash Idole Liner Eyeliner ($22) between lashes for a dark thick lash line. I used Hypnose 5-Color Eyeshadow Palette French Nude ($50) and the Color Design Eyeshadow in Drape ($23) to highlight and slightly contour her eyes, giving them a “bare” eye look. Then I used Artliner Precision Felt-Tip Liquid Liner in Smoke to extend the outer corner of her eyes without looking like a graphic line. Finally, I used the new Le 8 Mascara (launching May 20) to get a nice volume lash without going too far into another era."

"On her brows, I used the Brow Shaping Powdery Pencil in 01 Natural Blond ($28) and Sourcils Styler Brow Gel in Blond ($28) to enhance her already gorgeous natural brows."

Lips

"Finally, on her lips, I used a slightly darker lip liner, the Le Lip Liner in Charme #277 ($28), as a nod to Priscilla and L’Absolue Rouge Cream Lipstick In 250 Tendre Mirage ($32). 

Olivia's Red Carpet Essential

"I sent her to the carpet with a compact powder, her lipstick, and a Juicy Tubes in Marshmallow Electro ($20) ."

The Techniques

"I applied the foundation with a flat foundation brush to even out her tone without covering up her beautiful skin and glow. Then spot treated anything that needed special coverage with Teint Idole concealer."

How to Recreate the Look at Home

"Be frugal with foundation. Use just a little and don’t use it to hide anything—especially your skin. Go back with concealer and treat problem areas without compromising the beauty and glow of your skin."

How Priscilla Presley Influenced The Look

"I didn’t want to go ’60s with the makeup. It would have clashed with the theme of the gala but the one thing that gives a nod to Priscilla was keeping the makeup youthful and fresh. We did a touch of darker lip line and a pale lipstick to honor the look she had at the time she met Elvis."