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 desires to inform you who they’re taking. But it surely’s thrilling to see my friends and what they’ve labored on. It’s sort of like a reunion in a manner. 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 fearful I’m going to journey or the photographers will get a loopy shot of me.
After I learn that the theme and costume code this yr was ‘Backyard of Time,’ I considered how the Costume Institute is bringing out these attractive clothes which can be so fragile they will break, and naturally, I considered flowers. I dressed Lil Nas X this yr, and he was sort of like my flower. He had a peplum second encrusted in 56,000 Swarovski crystals and three,000 lined buttons on his go well with, 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 loads of lined buttons, too, with an extended sash.
I labored for MAC for years; she was a counter lady as soon as upon a time. However I’ve at all times been a magnificence lady. My mother has at all times been an enormous 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, ‘Lady, I’m not making an attempt to age both. I’m making an attempt to be Benjamin Button.’ That’s all to say I used rather a lot to prep for the Met, however first, I obtained 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 at the start. Then I went in with my serums. The Dr. Barbara Sturm Exoso-Metic face serum is admittedly 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 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 accomplished 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 to be like actually pure, and yo, that shit appears to be like good. I don’t wish to look matte, and the combination is admittedly dewy. Then I put the Glossier Haloscope in Quartz on my cheekbones. It makes you tremendous glowy however not in a foul manner. Plenty 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, 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 somewhat child hair comb. To form my beard, I like RED by Kiss Tintation momentary hair colour spray in Medium Brown.
I blended 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 contemporary fade earlier than I step out wherever. It’s a really traditional type of Latino-ism. [Laughs] I obtained one accomplished early within the morning by Ariel Rodriguez, who additionally reduce my hair for the Met final yr. He’s wonderful. 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 obtained 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 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 Could 6, 2024. Embedded picture through Getty.
