Celebrity Beauty
8 Years Ago, Rihanna Predicted The "Blush Blindness" Trend At The Met Gala
It's a glam moment that's gone down in beauty history.
When Rihanna stepped onto the Met Gala carpet in May 2017, there was so much we didn’t know. We didn’t know then that her seminal 2016 Anti would be the last album she graced us with for over a decade. We didn’t know she’d soon enter her maternal era (as mother to RZA and Riot, not proverbial mother to us) and public appearances would become rarer and rarer. And we didn’t know that her makeup look would predict the current “blush blindness” trend that has taken the beauty world by storm.
The theme for the 2017 Met Gala was "Rei Kawakubo/Comme des Garçons: Art of the In-Between," celebrating in-betweenness in fashion. RiRi stopped the show in an ornate Comme des Garçons runway look and sky-high strappy heels. The look was instantly iconic, and one of the most memorable of the night — but it was her makeup that evening that has gone down in beauty history.
Rihanna’s Draped Blush
Some stars opt for more simple beauty looks at the Met Gala to let their designer gowns have all the attention. But when has Rihanna ever followed the crowd? The entrepreneur and hit-maker is known for turning out equally striking fashion and beauty looks — especially at the Met.
Instead of allowing her sculptural couture dress fully steal the show, Rihanna matched its pinkish-red tones with highly pigmented berry-toned blush. Her makeup artist, Lora Arellano, founder of Melt Cosmetics, was inspired by ’70s-style “draping,” a high, exaggerated flush made for partying.
The blush look is so memorable that it overshadowed the equally gorgeous berry-toned lip Rihanna wore that night. Eight years later, the singer’s blush continues to stand out for its uniqueness — and its foreshadowing of the makeup trends that would dominate in the 2020s.
Blush Blindness Predecessor
If you were to describe a 2024-2025 makeup look, it might include buttery skin, a glossy lip look, and matching bright, exaggerated flush. And that’s exactly what Rihanna wore to the 2017 Met Gala.
As just the beginning of the glazed, dewy makeup era, RiRi’s fuchsia blush that evening featured a shimmery radiance that almost looked wet as it swooped from her cheeks and up to her temples.
In 2025, we would call this part of the “blush blindness” movement and attribute it to celebs like Sabrina Carpenter. Consider Rihanna’s 2017 red carpet glam further proof that the superstar is a trendsetting trailblazer.
With A$AP Rocky co-chairing the 2025 Met Gala, chances are high that the world will be blessed with a Rihanna appearance on the first Monday in May. Fingers crossed.
