Ash K. Holm To the rest of us, the Met Gala is the biggest night in fashion—but to celebrity makeup artist Ash K. Holm, it’s the Olympics. “There’s so much pressure, and you want to give it your absolute best,” she tells me ahead of this year’s Met on May 5. “It’s truly like a wedding day—every angle has to be flawless.” To help ease the pressure, Holm only takes on one client per Met to be able to give her all that day to one person. It’s what she really loves, she tells me—giving clients individualized attention—and it’s also logistically simpler. “I used to do two to three clients, but the logistics were tough,” she says. She adds that, unless all of her clients were at the same hotel, there’s the risk of getting caught in Met traffic and running behind schedule. “But now, I choose quality over quantity,” Holm continues. “My focus is on making one person feel their most beautiful, and that’s enough for me.” Ash K. Holm Holm’s makeup artistry will be on display at the Met this year, though she didn’t specify to me who, exactly. She has done five Mets so far, and, for context, Holm’s roster includes the likes of boldfaced names like Ariana Grande, whose makeup she did in 2018 (“Her first Met, and mine too,” Holm tells me), Camila Morrone in 2019, Megan Fox in 2021 and Jennifer Lopez in 2023. MORE FOR YOU Google’s Update Decision—Bad News For 50% Of Android Users ‘NYT Mini’ Clues And Answers For Thursday, May 1 NYT ‘Strands’ Today: Hints, Spangram And Answers For Thursday, May 1st Far ahead of the first Monday in May, “I do a lot of homework on my clients,” she says. “I look at their past four Met Gala looks, their social media, what they’re drawn to, what they’re confident in. That helps me find the line between honoring their essence and pushing their boundaries—which is where the real magic happens.” Like any good makeup artist, Holm knows she can’t work in a silo. Once she knows whose makeup she’s doing on any given year, she starts her Met Gala process with a conversation with that celebrity’s stylist to see what their client is wearing. From there, Holm builds out multiple mood boards “because there are usually several dress sketches,” she says, “and we don’t always know which one is getting picked until the day before or even the morning of. So I come prepared with plenty of looks.” In addition to working with a client’s stylist, Holm also coordinates with their entire glam team—think hairstylists, nail techs and so on—to make sure that no one element is overpowering the others. “Everything should complement each other,” she says. Holm also loops her client into the creative process, sharing her makeup ideas to get their feedback and see what they’re comfortable doing. “That way, we can land on something beautiful together,” Holm says. “The best glam happens when there’s trust between you and the person in your chair.” Holm getting Jennifer Lopez ready for the Met Gala. Courtesy of Ash K. Holm Holm’s reputation precedes her—she’s worked with not just the aforementioned celebrities for the Met but a host of other A-listers, from Kim Kardashian and Khloé Kardashian to Lindsay Lohan, Camila Cabello, Shay Mitchell, Bebe Rexha, Becky G, Candice Swanepoel and more. (In addition to the Met, Holm has also done makeup for Paris Fashion Week, the Oscars and Emmy-winning television series.) While she’s often worked with clients before they collaborate for the Met, “Sometimes it’s a new relationship, and we’re meeting for the first time,” she says. “But I always remind myself—if I’m in this room, I deserve to be here.” Holm—who describes her makeup aesthetic as “classic, timeless, sultry bombshell”—is also known for tailoring her style to each person who graces her chair. (“Everyone’s features are different, so the look should feel like them, just elevated,” she explains.) Holm behind the scenes prepping Ariana Grande for the Met Gala. Courtesy of Ash K. Holm When clients book her for the Met before they’ve ever worked together, Holm sees it as “a huge compliment,” she says. “It says a lot about the trust they place in my work. When someone hires you for the Met, it’s not just glam—you’re creating a memory together. And more often than not, it leads to future collaborations.” Preparation for the big night begins about a month out, in a perfect world—but sometimes occurs just a week out depending on when the invite comes in, she says. Holm pays attention to the theme of that particular year’s gala, but also is constantly prepared to pivot. “You have to be quick, flexible and have endless ideas ready,” she says. “My wheels are always turning. I can’t shut it off, and honestly, I think that’s what’s helped me get to where I am. I’m obsessed with what I do.” When she did Lopez’s makeup for the 2023 Met, “her stylist showed me at least four or five different sketches with totally different palettes, and we didn’t know which one she’d wear until the day of, so I prepped multiple looks to be ready for anything,” Holm says. Jennifer Lopez attends the 2023 Met Gala celebrating "Karl Lagerfeld: A Line Of Beauty" at The ... More Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 1, 2023 in New York City. (Photo by Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images for The Met Museum/Vogue ) Getty Images for The Met Museum/Vogue While she admits that “every Met is a little wild,” she points to Lopez’s Met—where the multihyphenate wore Ralph Lauren—as a banner moment. Lopez had “a huge team in the room—more people than I could count,” Holm tells me. “I was doing the biggest makeup look of the year with constant interruptions and people walking up to the glam chair. But J.Lo gave me her full trust. I had the time and space to do what I needed, and I just blocked out everything else and focused in.” Sometimes Holm and her client will do a trial the day before the Met; occasionally, they’ll even shoot some content to see how it photographs, Holm shares. But other times, it’s a day of situation, with Holm arriving about four hours before they have to leave to head to the Metropolitan Museum of Art (and its legendary stairs). Depending on the client, Holm will do their makeup at their home, at a penthouse or at one of the two go-to hotels in New York City for the Met—The Mark or The Carlyle. If you’re a celebrity staying at one of those spots, Holm tells me, a bonus is that you get a paparazzi moment walking to your car before the Met itself. Ariana Grande attends the Heavenly Bodies: Fashion & The Catholic Imagination Costume Institute Gala ... More at The Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 7, 2018 in New York City. (Photo by John Shearer/Getty Images for The Hollywood Reporter) Getty Images for The Hollywood Reporter The chaotic leadup to the Met sees the celebrity getting makeup, hair and nails (including, sometimes, a pedicure) all at once. “Everyone finds their space and just locks in,” Holm says. “It’s a full team effort.” She adds of the day of prep that it’s “a full production, and things are constantly moving.” Most clients book photographers to capture behind-the-scenes moments of their Met prep. “It really is like a wedding day,” Holm says. “It’s not just makeup—it’s an experience,” she adds. Preparing skin before an event means makeup applies better and lasts longer, Holm says, and as such, many of her clients get a facial the day before the Met, which “makes a huge difference,” she says. Skincare products Holm points to include Sonya Dakar’s Barrier Bliss Serum to “lock in hydration,” Holm says. “Everything you apply after just melts into the skin.” Megan Fox attends the 2021 Met Gala celebrating In America: A Lexicon Of Fashion at The Metropolitan ... More Museum of Art on September 13, 2021 in New York City. (Photo by Theo Wargo/Getty Images) Getty Images If a client has more oily skin, Holm turns to Rhode Barrier Restore Cream; if they’re dry to normal, she likes La Mer’s The Moisturizing Soft Cream and Sonya Dakar Omega Oil underneath. When I ask Holm about what’s in her makeup kit, she’s candid: she likes Dior lip liners in rosy, neutral tones, which are “perfect for layering and customizing,” she says. She also leans towards Tatcha Water Cream or Dewy Skin Cream—“I switch depending on skin type,” Holm says. A decade-long favorite, she adds, is Kiehl’s Crème de Corps, which “gives the most hydrated, luminous glow.” For lashes, she turns to Falscara Studio Sets, which are “like DIY extensions in different lengths and styles and perfect for tailoring to each face,” she says. For makeup brushes, Holm turns to her own Morphe brush set—“I can create any look with it,” she tells me. We may not all be headed to the Met on May 5, but Holm is generous with tips we can do at home to make it feel like we are. A top tip? “Set only where you need to,” she says. “Don’t matte down your whole face—just the T-zone or creasy areas. Let the skin shine through where it can.” (It all really does harken back to proper skincare, doesn’t it?) Holm also taught me what she calls “the lip flip”—she overlines just the center of the top and bottom lip to catch the light and create natural-looking fullness. “It’s subtle, but powerful,” she says. As for eyes, she says to not ignore under-eye detail: “Instead of a harsh liner, use a soft shadow and a small brush to define the lower lash line,” she says. “It adds depth without overwhelming the look.” (Holm, by the way, tells me she’s “really leaning into education this year,” constantly looking for new ways to teach makeup. “I want to empower people to feel confident doing their own glam, even if they’ve never touched a brush before,” she says, hinting that there might be products in development that can help the masses achieve an Ash K. Holm-style look at home.) Ash K. Holm Ahead of big events, “I also take care of myself physically and mentally before a big carpet, especially the Met,” Holm says. For her, this means getting an immunity IV from Dripology [the med spa Holm and her husband own] the day prior to stay hydrated, “since I know I won’t have much time to drink water once I’m in the zone,” she says. She customizes by adding B12 and NAD+, which she calls “brain fuel” that helps with mental clarity, energy and fine motor skills (essential when you’re a makeup artist). The Met really is that hectic, Holm tells me, which is why for this specific event, one client is her limit. (“One is more than enough,” she says, while telling me that for other red carpets, she’ll take on multiple clients. The Met is, after all, not your typical red carpet affair—much, much more elaborate than the rest.) “You’d think that something planned for months would be done early, but fittings get delayed, accessories get swapped, zippers break, hair changes last minute and the entire makeup vibe can shift based on lighting or mood,” she says. “You’re doing touch-ups while someone’s literally being sewn into their gown. It’s calm and chaotic—but when that car pulls up, it’s magic.” Jennifer Lopez prepping for the Met Gala behind the scenes in 2023. Courtesy of Ash K. Holm As she watches her client hit the carpet and take their turn climbing the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s stairs, “It’s the kind of feeling that carries you through the rest of the month,” she says. “Total cloud nine. It’s such an honor and a huge moment every single time.” Camila Morrone attends the 2019 Met Gala Celebrating Camp: Notes on Fashion at Metropolitan Museum ... More of Art on May 6, 2019 in New York City. (Photo by Neilson Barnard/Getty Images) Getty Images “I’ve come to realize I’m a moment makeup artist,” she adds. “I get called in for those major glam moments—and I wouldn’t have it any other way.” Editorial StandardsForbes Accolades