Few aesthetics sing a melody as quietly beautiful as that of a French-girl beauty look. Barely brushed bobs fall casually around their faces, their porcelain skin free from heavy bases, with pinched-pink cheeks, fluffy brows, bare lashes and, of course, a classic red lip. The overarching theme that ties the French beauty ideal together in a neat bow? A laissez-faire approach to self-care that oozes cool.
And whilst no doubt stereotyped, the French-girl beauty aesthetic has proven seemingly cookie-cutter for almost a decade. When Polish hairstylist Antoine Cierplikowski first cut the garçone bob on Coco Chanel in the 1920s, the gold standard of French beauty was set. And now, over 100 years later, the house of Chanel is redefining the French-girl beauty aesthetic with the launch of its Rouge Noir makeup collection.
Taking perhaps one of the most iconic French beauty products ever made, Chanel's Rouge Noir nail polish and its dark, nearly black shade of red, has come to epitomise chic Francominimalism—deep yet refined, statement-making yet effortless. And now, Rouge Noir is redefining the French makeup codes.
In 2026, a year when maximalist makeup is seeing a resurgence (a movement long considered the antithesis of French-girl minimalism), we're welcoming a new era for the French makeup aesthetic. Chanel UK makeup artist Anna Payne shows us how the French girl has a whole new look: she's young, she's fun and she's a lot more daring.
Pinched cheeks and "bouche mordue" lips? A French-girl classic. But in 2026, this look is more fun and youthful than ever before. Whilst blush is still dusted lightly over cheeks and pinky-red lipstick is patted into lips from bullet to finger, the placement creates a more modern result. Blush is placed high up on the cheekbone towards the hairline, and finished off with dabs of glow, whilst balmy lipstick is diffused beyond the lip line.
The finishing touch? Smudged eyeliners and deep taupes are considered French uniform, but this season, things are turning grey. Washes of cool-toned greys are swept over lids to keep things light, bright and breezy.
Whilst a bare-faced, red-lipped look has long gone hand-in-hand with French-girl beauty, this year, we're seeing an evolution. Pillar-box reds are being swapped out for deeper, moodier shades. The premise remains the same: make one colour statement whilst everything else stays pared-back.
By keeping skin soft-focus, matte and natural-looking, colour texture is also yours to play with—whether you want a matte, diffused finish or a high-shine gloss added to a razor-sharp, stencilled lip.
A French smokey eye is a thing of dishevelled perfection; smudged kohl in taupe and foggy greys that extend below the lower lash line have proven a staple ever since Jane Birkin monopolised the look in the 1960s, paired with a quiet cut-crease of liner. The 2026 level-up sits entirely in the colour choice. Instead of the usual browns, we make way for plummy burgundies with a sheeny finish.
This new-gen smokey eye proves more versatile than ever. Colour can be smudged over lids with fingers for a wearable daytime look, or paired with a Birkin-esque cut-crease and more defined edges for an after-dark option. Doll-like lashes also take on a softer form as we switch blacker-than-black mascara for matching burgundy hues.
Whilst quintessential French-girl beauty might conjure mental images of baguette-carrying, jeans-and-T-shirt-clad women meandering the streets of Le Marais, the new French girl might instead be walking home down the Champs-Élysées at 3 am with her heels swinging in her hand—and she's not afraid to play. Bold purples, chrome finishes, winged liner and full-coverage bases are never out of the question.
Shop the Looks:
Photographer: Lulu McArdle
Editor in Chief: Jane McFarland
Beauty Director: Shannon Lawlor
Director of Photography: Ben Marshall
Makeup Artist: Anna Payne at Blend Management using CHANEL Rouge Noir Collection and No.1 de CHANEL Body Serum-In-Mist
Hair Stylist: Tomi Roppongi at Julian Watson Agency using Oribe
Manicurist: Ami Streets using CHANEL Le Vernis in 397 Rouge Noir and CHANEL La Crème Main
Model: Anick Chan at IMG Models
Stylist: Sophie Watson
Junior Beauty Editor: Grace Lindsay
Makeup Assistant: Tamsin Ballingall
Photography Assistant: Jed Barnes
Photography Assistant: Ryan James
Digital Technician: Liam Aylott
Production: Town Productions
