The biggest Autumn/Winter 2026 makeup trends are less about following the rules and more about knowing which ones to break. Beauty is feeling much more individual: skin is fresh and touchable, colour is generous, and classic makeup staples are being exaggerated, softened or simply switched up.
The key? Makeup that looks intentional, rather than perfect.
Brown not black
Black mascara and eyeliner have always been the go-to options, but this season, swap them for something softer, brown. From espresso to chocolate and warm chestnut, brown liner instantly takes the severity out of eye makeup while still giving you definition. It’s particularly beautiful when paired with fresh skin and softly flushed cheeks, as it creates that slightly undone, expensive-looking finish.
And don’t stop at liner. Brown mascara is having a major moment, particularly on the lower lashes. It gives definition without creating the hard, graphic effect that black can sometimes give.
My Go-to Brown Mascaras
NARS Notorious Mascara in Brown
RUM Tubing mascara in Double Shot
My Go-to Liquid Blush
Lisa Eldridge Seamless Glide in Burnt Umber
YSL Liberated Eyeliner in Deconstructed Brown
Oversized eyeliner
Forget the tiny flick. Eyeliner is going supersized.
This is liner with attitude: thicker, longer and deliberately more noticeable. Rather than carefully tracing the lash line and blending the product into the lashes, this season we’re allowing eyeliner to become the makeup.
The trick is to embrace the shape rather than obsess over perfection. Extend the wing, thicken the outer corner and let the line have a little personality. It can be graphic and sharp, or softened and smudged for something more rock ‘n’ roll. And try a jewel tone for added impact and a flash of unexpected colour. Keep the rest of the face relatively fresh so the eyes remain the focus. And if you’re nervous about creating a perfectly symmetrical wing? Don’t be. A little imperfection is exactly what makes this feel modern.
My Go-to Jewel Tone Eyeliner
Marc Jacobs Drawn This Way Longwear Eyeliner in 190 Hit it
Victoria Beckham Beauty Satin Kajal Liner in Sequin Green
More is more blush
Blush is no longer the finishing touch. It’s the main event.
We’re moving away from the tiny, carefully placed flush and embracing a much more generous application. Think colour swept across the apples of the cheeks, pulled upwards towards the temples and, if you’re feeling brave, carried lightly across the bridge of the nose. The finish is almost deliberately excessive, as though you’ve just come in from the cold.
Cream and liquid formulas are perfect for this because they melt into the skin rather than sitting on top of it. Try layering textures and contrasting shades too: a cream blush underneath a soft powder blush gives you that gorgeous, dimensional flush that lasts all day.
The important thing is to blend the edges, but don’t remove the colour. We want to see the blush.
My Go-to Liquid blush
Armani Luminous Silk Cheek Tint
Fenty Beauty Shake n’Play Buildable Liquid Blush
My Go-to Cream Blush
My Go-to Powder Blush
MAC Skin Finish Colourstruck Blush
Juicy lips
After years of matte and blurred lips, the pendulum has swung firmly in the opposite direction. Lips are glossy, juicy and unapologetically shiny.
But this isn’t necessarily about the traditional clear lip gloss. Think sheer washes of brown, rose, nude and berry underneath a high-shine finish. The result is a lip that looks almost wet, plump, hydrated and incredibly tactile. I love pairing a juicy lip with minimal eye makeup, but it also works brilliantly against a more dramatic liner. And don’t be precious about it. This is makeup that should be reapplied, blotted, reapplied again and generally enjoyed. The new rule: shine is the finish, not the afterthought.
My Go-to Gloss
Real skin
We’re seeing less obsession with completely perfected, poreless complexions and more interest in beautiful texture, freckles, natural luminosity and strategically placed coverage. The idea isn’t no makeup. It’s makeup that doesn’t hide the person underneath it.
Use foundation where you actually need it, leave the rest alone and let your natural skin texture show through. A little concealer, cream bronzer and blush can be far more modern than a full face of coverage.
Nude but not nude
The nude lip has had a makeover. Instead of matching your natural lip colour, we’re taking the pigment out altogether.
Think softly concealed, almost erased lips in pale beige, pinky nude and muted caramel tones. The trick is to avoid actually using concealer which can leave lips looking dry and flat and instead choose a creamy nude lipstick or lip pencil that’s a shade lighter than your natural lip. Pair it with glowing skin and a strong eye to stop it looking dated.
My Go-to Nude Lipsticks
Hourglass unlocked Satin Cream Lipstick
Charlotte Tilbury The Super Nudes
TEAM
Photography: Ruben Davies
Makeup
Lisa Potter-Dixon @ A-Frame
Hair
Chinami Hamaguchi
Stylist
Gali Halyna Humeniuk
Model
Francesca A @ Established
