Haus Labs by Lady Gaga: From a Met Gala Hint to a Full Face

Haus Labs by Lady Gaga first arrived on September 17, 2019, under the name Haus Laboratories, and it was the first beauty line to launch exclusively through one online retailer. Fans had been guessing for months. At the May 2019 Met Gala, people suspected her makeup was a preview of the brand, and a launch video called Our Haus. Your Rules., directed by Daniel Sannwald, followed on July 9. Gaga's first big makeup role had been a 2011 lipstick campaign, so she came to the category with a lot of practice at wearing it in public.

The brand relaunched on June 9, 2022, this time with a major beauty retailer as its partner, so it was no longer only an online launch. This is not only a line for stage looks, and the base here is the part I would try first.

Triclone Skin Tech Medium Coverage Foundation with Fermented Arnica is the anchor, a medium coverage formula that looks like a complexion rather than a mask. The Hydrating and De-puffing Concealer follows it, and I press it under the eyes with a ring finger. Bio-Radiant Gel-Powder Illuminating Highlighter and Power Sculpt Velvet Talc-Free Powder Bronzer are the two for the face's high and low points, and Bio-Blurring Talc-Free Loose Setting Powder softens everything at the end.

Apply the foundation in thin layers, and use the powder only where you shine. Blend the concealer with a fingertip and let it sit for a minute before you set it. Then step back from the mirror and check your face from arm's length, because that is how everyone else sees it.

If there is a single thing that the Haus Labs lip products understand, it is that lips are where a face can be dramatic without much effort. I keep a few in rotation, and they behave in very different ways.

PhD Hybrid Lip Glaze Plumping Gloss is the shiny one, a plumping gloss with a lot of shine, and it is what I put on top of anything. PhD Hybrid Hydrating Tinted Lip Oil is softer, more like a sheer wash of color, good for days when a gloss feels like too much. Le Monster Lip Crayon is a vegan lipstick and liner in one, the one to reach for when you need a bold shape without a mirror. The Edge Long-Lasting Shaping Lip Liner is a slimmer pencil for anyone who likes a clean, drawn outline.

Then there are the two sticks for the face. Precision Sculpt Shaping Balm Contour Stick and Bio-Radiant Glassy Balm Highlighter Stick are both easy to use in a car or a bathroom, since you can swipe and blend with your fingers. I use the contour under the cheekbone, blend upward, and then dot the highlighter right on top.

One thing I would add: line the lips first, fill in with the crayon, then add the gloss to the center only. It helps keep the shape neat. Blot once with a tissue if it feels too glossy.

Color is where I slow down. The pieces here are made to show up, so I build them slowly and start with less than I think I need.

Color Fuse Talc-Free Blush Powder with Fermented Arnica is the one I would try, since a powder blush is the easiest to control. Tap the brush off first, then sweep it across the cheeks and up toward the temples. B Structural Volumizing and Lengthening Mascara is made for length and volume, and Clear Cut Waterproof Liquid Eyeliner is the sharp finishing detail for a flick or a thin line along the upper lid.

What I would skip: putting on all the color at once. If the liner is sharp and waterproof and the lip is bold, keep the blush light. A face with three strong points looks confused, and a face with one looks like a decision. Give the blush a full minute to settle into your skin before you decide it is too soft, since powders often look lighter on the brush than on the face. Also skip the waterproof liner on days when you do not want to scrub it off, and remember it needs a proper eye makeup remover. If your eyes get irritated, take it off and stop using it, and see a doctor if the irritation lasts.

My advice for starting is to choose two products, not ten. Take the foundation and a lip oil, or the blush and the mascara, and wear them for a week.

Learn how each one behaves at lunchtime, on camera and at night. Then add a third piece, like the lip crayon or the highlighter stick. Take a photo in natural light every few days so you can see what is working, and keep the ones you actually reach for when you are in a hurry. Those are the pieces worth building a routine around. Haus Labs rewards patience, and it looks best when a bit of your own skin shows through. It is a brand that started as a spectacle. It works best worn as ordinary daily makeup.