Pricey ITG,
I went to my second Met Gala! It’s so thrilling and enjoyable to go as a result of the evening is at all times surprising. You don’t know who’s going as a result of nobody needs to let you know who they’re taking. But it surely’s thrilling to see my friends and what they’ve labored on. It’s type of like a reunion in a method. We get to hang around and giggle and spill some tea. Nonetheless, it’s so scary strolling up the Met steps. It’s such an extended stroll, and I’m at all times nervous 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 12 months was ‘Backyard of Time,’ I considered how the Costume Institute is bringing out these attractive clothes which might be so fragile they’ll break, and naturally, I considered flowers. I dressed Lil Nas X this 12 months, and he was type of like my flower. He had a peplum second encrusted in 56,000 Swarovski crystals and three,000 lined buttons on his swimsuit, pants, and high. It was very tailor-made, very polished, and really stylish. It took a minute to make. My look was somewhat bit extra demure. It had a whole lot of lined 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 at all times been a magnificence woman. My mother has at all times been a giant inspo. I imply, she’s very Latina. She takes care of her pores and skin, and I’ve at all times wished to emulate that. I’m like, ‘Woman, I’m not attempting to age both. I’m attempting to be Benjamin Button.’ That’s all to say I used lots to prep for the Met, however first, I acquired a facial with Jordan Esposito from Barbara Sturm.
I nonetheless use MAC Prep + Prime Repair+—I preserve it within the fridge. I sprayed that on in the beginning. Then I went in with my serums. The Dr. Barbara Sturm Exoso-Metic face serum is absolutely cute. It’s a extremely intense face serum that helps rejuvenate the pores and skin and offers you a extremely lovely glow. I additionally love the iS Medical 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 achieved 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 appears actually pure, and yo, that shit appears good. I don’t wish to look matte, and the combo is absolutely dewy. Then I put the Glossier Haloscope in Quartz on my cheekbones. It makes you tremendous glowy however not in a nasty method. Lots of highlighters make me look nuts. I put somewhat little bit of the JLo Magnificence That Star Filter Complexion Booster on high 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, in order that they don’t want a lot, however I actually need them to stay down. I truly like Göt2b Glued for them as a substitute of a forehead gel. I comb it via with somewhat child hair comb. To form my beard, I like RED by Kiss Tintation momentary hair shade 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 want a recent fade earlier than I step out anyplace. It’s a really basic type of Latino-ism. [Laughs] I acquired one achieved early within the morning by Ariel Rodriguez, who additionally lower my hair for the Met final 12 months. He’s superb. And Naomi Yasuda did my nails. I went for a basic clear polish as a result of I like my nails to appear like glass.
I acquired 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 somewhat robust and I wish to make individuals really feel disturbed, like I would like individuals to say, ‘Oh, there she goes’ once I stroll by they usually can odor me. And so they did.
Love,
Raul
—As instructed to Daise Bedolla
Photographed by Alexandra Genova on the Soho Home New York on Might 6, 2024. Embedded picture through Getty.