This Fashion Month Will Go Down in History—Here's Every Major Autumn/Winter 2026 Beauty Look to Know

I have been quite outspoken over the past few years about the way in which I have witnessed the importance of fashion month dwindle and then rise again within the beauty industry. Over the past few seasons, I have started to see more beauty trends emerge from runways than from social media—and this, naturally, fills me with joy. We have started to return to a slower beauty trend cycle. But nothing has made me more sure that fashion month is set to start dictating our beauty trends even more than the autumn/winter 2026 runways.

Yes, the curtain on A/W 26 fashion month has officially fallen—and the impact it made was unprecedented. We saw Matthieu Blazy's Chanel dominate the zeitgeist, Jonathan Anderson's Dior make waves and clips of Demna's star-studded Gucci runway become inescapable on our feeds. And while the chatter has, up until this point, been focused on fashion, as a beauty director, I have had my eyes firmly on the beauty.

This is every major A/W26 beauty look you're going to want to reference next season—trust me.

PARIS

Inspired by metamorphosis and the lifecycle of the butterfly, Matthieu Blazy's Chanel was nothing short of a feat—and the high-shine, silvery beauty accents dotted throughout the show are sure to prove monumental next season.

Matte lips made a big return at Victoria Beckham, where makeup artist Lucia Pica created a matte-pink-lip focal point, using Victoria Beckham Beauty Posh Balm in Colette.

Christian Dior put fresh-faced Parisian chic firmly on the agenda. Created by Peter Philips, creative and image director for Dior Makeup, he explains the look by saying, “I created a natural, fresh, very contemporary look, with a luminous complexion and eyes subtly accentuated with touches of black kohl. Like traces of make-up, for the light, nonchalant effect, in ‘Parisian girl’ style.” It's the lips plumped with Dior Addict Lip Maximizer in 001 Pink that wins the whole thing for me.

We saw washes of brown eyeshadow at Rabanne. The hue was extended beyond the lid and smoked out around lower lashes to create an exceptionally well-polished take on an otherwise grungy makeup look.

Delicately gelled up-dos at Dries Van Noten were paired with sharp feathered brow accents.

High-glam led the way at Saint Laurent with a retro smokey eye, berry lips and masterfully slicked-back hair.

I haven't been able to stop thinking about the slightly blurred, messy, berry-chocolate lips at Carven since I first set eyes on them.

And speaking of dark, stained lips, the precise application of the deep plump-brown lipstick at Elie Saab is something I've definitely taken note of.

Chloé-girl hair is epitomised by long, flowing, bohemian waves, but for A/W 26 the house explored elements of folk, too. Anthony Turner, lead hair stylist, says, "We used the Dyson Supersonic r to mimic the effect of real wind: holding out the hair, shaking it gently, then using the concentrator attachment to blast air through. This creates that fluffy, flyaway effect—totally light, totally alive.”

Bend-It-Like-Beckham-style stretchy hair combs made a comeback at Miu Miu.

Grey smoked eyes and wet-look, slicked-back hair led the way at Givenchy. Makeup artist Lucia Pieroni, who created the look, says, “The idea was to convey strength through the eyes. These were framed in an almost diffused black so that it felt worn and personal, not harsh but luxurious.”

The subtly flushed cheeks at Louis Vuitton are sitting front and centre of my A/W vision board.

High-gloss, statement blush, dewy highlight and iridescent eye shadow—Balenciaga had it all.

The looks at Stella McCartney are always a masterclass in natural beauty. This season, models had nude but perfected nails with Kure Bazaar's Base Intensive Hyaluronique. Skin was prepped with skincare and left glowing. And on hair, Eugene Souleiman, hair director and Kevin Murphy pro ambassador, created a look that restored each model's hair to its healthiest, most natural state.

MILAN

Demna's Gucci really delivered night-time glam, and smokey eyes were the focal point.

The messy Prada girl is going nowhere for A/W, and this season's beauty masterpiece came via dishevelled ponytails and smudged liner.

Jil Sander was a masterclass in how to nail balmy skin and a statement lip.

Velvet waves and silky skin made for the ultimate beauty combination at Fendi.

Undone hair and imperfect partings proved commonplace on A/W runways, and this look at Giorgio Armani sums things up expertly.

Side-swept, '80s-esque volume in hair also made a major comeback. This Boss look is beautifully nostalgic.

Cold-girl blush and brushed brows define autumn/winter for Missoni.

LONDON

The beauty looks at Harris Reed are always major, and this season proved no exception. Created by global artistry director at Charlotte Tilbury, Sofia Tilbury, the graphic liner (created with Charlotte Tilbury Classic Eyeliner in Classic Black and Rock 'n' Kohl in Bedroom Black) made a bold impact. “Harris’ vision this season is bold, expressive and sculptural, so we wanted the makeup to feel equally powerful. The graphic liner creates structure and strength, while fresh, lit-from-within skin and softly enhanced lips bring balance. It’s about creating tension between the dramatic and refined, the bold and wearable,” she says.

Draped blusher and matte textures stood out at Simone Rocha. Makeup artist Thomas de Kluyver created the look with Byredo, using Stromboli and Reunion Matte Lipstick.

Emilia Wickstead is always very much about a fresh-faced glow, and we have not been let down for A/W 26. Eve Lom facials were given to models backstage using the Eve Lom exclusive London Fashion Week Skincare Bundle, while Bobbi Brown Cosmetics global pro artist, Amy Conway, amplified the skin with a sheer glow and brushed brows. "We introduced gentle structure to the eyes using Stone Long-Wear Cream Shadow Stick. The result is a look that feels modern, confident and quietly powerful, while remaining true to the individuality of each model,” she says.

Sam McKnight MBE created the hair look as "an ode to the '30s, with natural textures and waves defined, tied low with an androgynous silhouette."

The main beauty event at Burberry? The sort of balmy glow I could only dream of come winter.

Joseph was all about that hair. Anna Cofone, global creative advocate for Authentic Beauty Concept and hair lead for the show, says, “The inspiration for the hair was a blend of ’70s freedom and ’80s power femininity. The ’80s power comes through in that pushed-back, slightly oblique shape—we didn’t want a sharp parting, it had to feel like she’d had her hair done three or four days ago. She’s someone with a high-flying job, she parties, she goes for long walks—there’s a realness to her." The look was achieved by heroing Authentic Beauty Concept Hydrate Spray Conditioner and Authentic Beauty Concept Airy Texture Spray.

Tilbury also took the lead on makeup at Julien Macdonald, where full glam once again reigned supreme. “This season, the Julien Macdonald woman is strong, confident and unapologetically glamorous. The collection reflects a beautiful fusion between softness and structure, femininity and strength—and we wanted the makeup to mirror that same duality," says Tilbury. The highlight for me is, well, that highlight—created with Charlotte Tilbury Hollywood Flawless Filter.

Everything about the beauty look at Erdem was, in my opinion, perfection. Skin was prepped by renowned facialist Hadda Akrim with SkinCeuticals Express Glass Skin Sculpting Facials backstage, heroing the brand's cult P-Tiox serum."The intention is all about creating a strong, hydrated base. We use specific techniques to ensure the skin is plump and hydrated, focusing on products that offer immediate results without feeling heavy,” says Hadda.

Makeup came courtesy of Fara Homidi. "I really wanted them to be their own characters. Even though we're doing basically a similar look on everyone, it's just emphasising their own personal features," she says. For me, it's the wash of warming brown over lids that sold me on the Fara Homidi Essential Eye Compact in No. 20.

And as for the hair? Another Souleiman creation with Kevin Murphy. “It needed to feel real,” says Souleiman. “It didn't feel like it was styled in front of a mirror. It was like hair that women could do themselves; that's what we did." To achieve the look, hair was freshly washed and air-dried before a light misting of Kevin Murphy Anti Gravity Spray from a distance.

Both hair and skin glowed with unparalleled sheen and health at Toga.

Dishevelled glam led the way at Di Petsa with out-of-place hair and morning-after-the-night-before makeup.

At Tolu Coker, hair was preened to perfection by Efi Davies using Toni & Guy, while matte shadow also tapped into the overarching sense of nostalgia.

Electric blue lashes framed the upper lash line at Edeline Lee.

In true Richard Quinn fashion, Sam McKnight MBE created glossy chignons with form-fitting twists using his Superlift and Easy-Up Do volume and texturising sprays.

Hair at Chet Lo was nothing short of a work of art. Creative by Cofone with Authentic Beauty Concept, she explains, “The inspiration for the hair was a reflection of Southeast Asian identity, drawing from the iconic headdresses of Peking Opera. In opera, the feathers create these beautiful calligraphic lines that extend the performer’s movement. We wanted to reinterpret that in a simple, modern way. The glass-straight hair keeps everything disciplined and refined, and then the feathers or sculptural chignon details interrupt that precision. It’s about control and movement existing together. At the heart of every look was Authentic Beauty Concept Glow Spray Serum— the hero product backstage—delivering high-impact shine and that ultra-reflective, glass finish that feels modern and directional. I think we’re going to see glass-like, ultra-straight hair return after seasons of larger, more natural and textured styles."

Conner Ives showcased '90s beauty perfection with this look. Grey lids and pencil-thin brows shone, while hair, which was created by Claire Grech for Bumble and bumble, championed a high-shine side-part, created by warming a small amount of Bumble and bumble Sumo Gel between hands and glazing over the surface of the twist for added gloss.

NEW YORK

Beautifully bronzed skin proved their is always a place for winter glow at Ralph Lauren.

I am a sucker for a bare-face/red-lip combination, and the intentionally messy application of lipstick at Michael Kors is perfectly imperfect.

There's no doubt that winged liner is set for somewhat of a resurgence in A/W 26, and this look at Tory Burch makes a strong case for it.

Whatever the season, in my opinion, there is always room for a clumpy lash look, and this one at Proenza Schouler sets the standard.

Glowy skin dominated at Sandy Liang, but in a sleepy-girl sort of way. The dreamy plumpness was achieved with Beauty of Joseon Ginseng Essence Water, Revive Under Eye Patches and Dynasty Cream.

LaQuan Smith was all about mega volume in the hair and precisely framed eyes.

Over the past couple of years, I have become totally enamoured with Coach's approach to bed-head hair—and this season proved no different.

I have been predicting an almost-black lipstick movement for some time now, and this look at Khaite makes a very strong case for it.

A brand famed for its expert approach to prettiness, this pink-on-pink look at Carolina Herrera is nothing short of beautiful.

Slicked-back knots paired minimalism with intricate styling at Altuzarra.

Another side-parted, power hairstyle, the way Calvin Klein's slicked-back look remains soft and playful is divine.

COPENHAGEN

High-shine dolphin skin is looking set to make a major comeback as we venture into the second-half of the year, and Baum und Pferdgarten knows it.

Cofone preserved individuality in hair texture at Holzweiler. "Rather than changing the hair, we wanted to elevate how it already is, celebrating what makes each person unique. It has that two-day-old feeling: polished, but very lived-in. We focused on products that I use across the red carpet, runway and everyday. Authentic Beauty Concept’s Hydrate Spray Conditioner is one of my essentials for bringing moisture back into all hair textures without weighing the hair down," she says.