Expensive ITG,
I went to my second Met Gala! It’s so thrilling and enjoyable to go as a result of the night time is all the time sudden. You don’t know who’s going as a result of nobody desires to let you know who they’re taking. However it’s thrilling to see my friends and what they’ve labored on. It’s form of like a reunion in a manner. We get to hang around and snicker and spill some tea. Nonetheless, it’s so scary strolling up the Met steps. It’s such an extended stroll, and I’m all the time apprehensive I’m going to journey or the photographers will get a loopy shot of me.
Once I learn that the theme and gown code this yr was ‘Backyard of Time,’ I considered how the Costume Institute is bringing out these beautiful clothes which can be so fragile they’ll break, and naturally, I considered flowers. I dressed Lil Nas X this yr, and he was form of like my flower. He had a peplum second encrusted in 56,000 Swarovski crystals and three,000 coated buttons on his go well with, pants, and prime. It was very tailor-made, very polished, and really stylish. It took a minute to make. My look was a little bit bit extra demure. It had lots of coated buttons, too, with an extended sash.
I labored for MAC for years; she was a counter woman as soon as upon a time. However I’ve all the time been a magnificence woman. My mother has all the time been a giant inspo. I imply, she’s very Latina. She takes care of her pores and skin, and I’ve all the time wished to emulate that. I’m like, ‘Lady, I’m not attempting to age both. I’m attempting to be Benjamin Button.’ That’s all to say I used rather a lot to prep for the Met, however first, I received a facial with Jordan Esposito from Barbara Sturm.
I nonetheless use MAC Prep + Prime Repair+—I hold it within the fridge. I sprayed that on at the start. Then I went in with my serums. The Dr. Barbara Sturm Exoso-Metic face serum is absolutely cute. It’s a very intense face serum that helps rejuvenate the pores and skin and offers you a very stunning glow. I additionally love the iS Scientific Professional-Heal serum, Dr. Barbara Sturm eye cream, Marco Castro Amazonicoil hybrid serum, and Peter Thomas Roth Water moisturizer. As I went in, I had the MAC Squirt Plumping Gloss Stick in Simulation, a nude, on my lips.
After skincare, I went in with my make-up. I don’t wish to look too performed up; I wish to appear like I didn’t put something on. I like to combine the Glossier Stretch Concealer with Glossier’s Futuredew so it seems to be actually pure, and yo, that shit seems to be good. I don’t wish to look matte, and the combination is absolutely dewy. Then I put the Glossier Haloscope in Quartz on my cheekbones. It makes you tremendous glowy however not in a nasty manner. A variety of highlighters make me look nuts. I put a little bit little bit of the JLo Magnificence That Star Filter Complexion Booster on prime of my cheekbones, too, proper over the Haloscope. I set my face with the MAC Repair+ Keep Over Setting Spray.
For my brows and mustache, I used the MAC Definer forehead pencil in Spiked. Giselle B. at Humorous Faces in Williamsburg laminates my brows each 5 weeks, so that they don’t want a lot, however I actually need them to stay down. I truly like Göt2b Glued for them as an alternative of a forehead gel. I comb it by means of with a little bit child hair comb. To form my beard, I like RED by Kiss Tintation non permanent hair coloration spray in Medium Brown.
I combined Dr. Barbara Sturm’s Tremendous anti-aging physique serum with the Glossier Physique Hero oil mist. I don’t need my face to look tremendous cute and glowy after which have my physique look dry, so I added within the Dr. Barbara Sturm Glow Cream. It moisturizes you want loopy.
I’m very Dominican, so I would like a contemporary fade earlier than I step out anyplace. It’s a really traditional type of Latino-ism. [Laughs] I received one performed early within the morning by Ariel Rodriguez, who additionally minimize my hair for the Met final yr. He’s superb. And Naomi Yasuda did my nails. I went for a traditional clear polish as a result of I like my nails to appear like glass.
I received L’Artisan Parfumeur Contes du Levant in Marrakesh some time in the past. It has pink pepper, rose, and patchouli. I put on this fragrance for particular events as a result of it’s a little bit robust and I wish to make individuals really feel disturbed, like I need individuals to say, ‘Oh, there she goes’ once I stroll by and so they can odor me. And so they did.
Love,
Raul
—As informed to Daise Bedolla
Photographed by Alexandra Genova on the Soho Home New York on Might 6, 2024. Embedded picture by way of Getty.