Beauty in 2026 is less about following rigid rules and more about intentional choices, thoughtful ingredients, and a deeper connection between self-expression and self-care. The emerging beauty trends shaping the year ahead reflect a blend of high-tech innovation, minimalist routines, and a renewed appreciation for natural textures, skin-first makeup, and sustainability.
Consumers are becoming savvier, asking not just how products look, but how they are made, who they benefit, and what impact they leave behind.
At the same time, creativity is thriving. Bold colors, experimental finishes, and highly personalized beauty routines are redefining what “beautiful” looks like in 2026. From hyper-customized skincare to hybrid makeup-skin products, fragrance-forward body care, and digital beauty tools, the industry is moving toward experiences that feel both futuristic and deeply personal.
In this guide to the biggest beauty trends of 2026, we explore how technology, culture, and consumer values are reshaping everything from skincare to makeup, hair care, and wellness. Whether you love minimalist routines or statement looks, 2026 is set to be a year where beauty feels smarter, more inclusive, and more expressive than ever before.
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Emerging Makeup Trends
No Makeup Makeup
We saw this trend in 2025, and it’s set to be bigger than ever as we move through 2026. People are ditching the heavy concealer and foundation in favor of natural radiance. Think tinted moisturizer with a sheer finish, if you wear anything at all.
Clear mascara gives lashes the glimmer you want without looking like you’re wearing makeup. Clear lip gloss and sheer coverage can help you pull off this natural look. Remember that it’s not about covering what used to be flaws anymore; now, it’s all about showing the world your pores, freckles, imperfections, and being beautifully imperfect.
Cloud Makeup
Cloud makeup made a splash in 2025, and it’s sticking around for 2026. Cloud makeup is all about soft, blurred lines instead of harsh, defined looks. Blur the edges of your lips instead of defining them with liner. You can still wear contour, but put it on first for a softer appearance.
Blur face makeup, such as blush, and you can finally get rid of the tape you use to get flawless lines when you’re doing eyeshadow looks. These beauty trends embrace soft, romantic looks and velvet lips.
Vibrant Eyeshadow
Colors like hot pink and electric blue will be seen throughout 2026, especially during warmer seasons. This trend is all about self-expression. There are no rules. Instead, people are wearing their favorite vibrant shades and loving them. You can easily mix it with metallic lip color or simply rock bold eyeshadow.
Mixing Finishes
You don’t have to go all matte or metallic anymore. Instead, it’s time to add dimension by mixing and matching finishes. Experiment with matte eyeshadow and metallic lip gloss. Opt for an eyeshadow only look with holographic eyeshadow.
Skincare Trends You Need To Know
Science-Backed Skincare
Consumers aren’t satisfied with clinical studies anymore; they want to know which ingredients are used and where they come from. Brands that already use science-backed ingredients, like Dr. Brandt Skincare, are seeing a surge in new customers thanks to their transparency.
Natural Alternatives
As more people research ingredients, more are discovering the cancerous chemicals they’ve been using for years. This beauty trend will continue to pick up steam. More people will continue to research the benefits of ingredients and oils to create DIY skincare products. DIY skincare isn’t all about saving money, even if it’s more affordable; it’s about thoughtful formulas and science-backed ingredients.
Slow Aging
The slow-aging trend comes from Korea and is one of the biggest emerging trends across America. Slow aging is about intentional products that help slow the aging process, rather than harsh skincare routines that focus on eliminating or reversing its signs. For example, swapping out retinol for bakuchiol, which can be gentler on the skin. This trend focuses on ensuring proper hydration and prevention methods, such as always remembering SPF.
Red Light Therapy
Red light masks were huge last year, and their popularity continues to grow as more people take a natural approach to beauty. Expect to see more red light masks and lamps, and plenty of content about the amazing benefits of red light masks.
Skincare Routines
Skincare routines will continue to take a new shape as the year progresses. Skincare routines are about thoughtful, simplified routines. Instead of ten different products, people are investing in a few key products that provide the targeted results they want. Skincare routines are easier, more targeted, and full of mindful purchases, rather than everyone falling for the latest buzzy ingredient.
Beauty Trends
Minimalism
Minimalism continues to dominate the beauty scene as more people are ditching the 12-step routine in favor of fewer products and less waste. We see this in minimal hair care and makeup routines. While there’s still room for a bold eye look, people are using the least amount of products possible to pull it off.
High-Shine Nails
Some people call them soap nails; others, glass nails. Whatever you call them, they’re the same thing. It’s a neutral color with several coats of a high-shine top coat to give your nails a glassy aesthetic. The end result is a timeless look that oozes elegance into any occasion. This versatile, sophisticated look can be worn anywhere.
Scalp Care
Scalp care is no longer a niche beauty trend for hair-obsessed people. Instead, it’s quickly becoming mainstream for anyone who cares about their personal wellness. Scalp brushes designed to increase circulation and eliminate buildup are popping up in everyone’s shower, and we can expect to see more scalp products like serums and tools hit the shelves as the year goes on.
Tech Meets Beauty
Technology is being integrated into the beauty industry, sparking several emerging trends. Apps that can tell you what skin type you have or what ingredients to use are surging in popularity. People are investing in apps to see how a makeup product or a new hairstyle will look on them before spending money on the product or going to the salon.
Personalized serum dispensers give people the opportunity to do their own professional treatments. Smart masks and devices that custom-blend foundation to match your undertone continue to show consumers how technology will revolutionize the beauty industry.
Hair Trends
Hair trends are already showing up for the year, and there are a few beauty trends that you should make a mental note of. Instead of glamorous up-dos, we’re seeing more casual hairstyles with loose, almost beachy waves.
We also see more people leaving a little something in the front. Think of a ponytail with a curled section left down in the front or side-swept bangs.
Slick-backs still have a place, but this style is slowly fading away, and the fashion industry is packed with natural flyaways to complement natural makeup looks.
Hair gloss will continue to trend. This year, it’s being called “glass hair.” The thought is still the same, though: shiny hair that looks like it’s made of glass.
Brand Trends
As beauty trends, including current ones, continue to take shape, the brands people shop with are changing. Brands will need to be mindful of a few changes to stay relevant, and consumers will always be on trend if they keep these things in mind.
Affordability
While luxury products will always have a place in our hearts and on our vanities, consumers continue to discover that drugstore makeup doesn’t always mean bad or ineffective makeup. Affordable brands offering effective solutions to modern dilemmas are increasingly popular.
There’s nothing wrong with luxury brands, but people are almost done judging those who prefer more affordable brands. We continue to see brands like Milani and e.l.f. Cosmetics take center stage.
Eco-Friendly
Consumers continue to take a more ethical stance, just as they did last year. Previously, this was a niche beauty trend most thought was a fad. Now, it’s common and continues to increase in popularity.
However, instead of being satisfied with recyclable packaging, consumers are more climate-conscious than ever before. Everything is about being eco-friendly, from eco-friendly skincare routines to prioritizing brands that are committed to helping the planet.
Wellness Integration
One of the biggest shifts we’ve seen, and will continue to see, is the integration of overall wellness into skincare and beauty trends. People have discovered the importance of the gut-brain axis and its impact on your skin. This is leading the way in current beauty trends.
Skincare isn’t all about having the perfect topical cream to help reduce redness anymore. It’s also about eating a healthy diet to reduce inflammation and about reducing stress to minimize its impact on the skin. People will continue to integrate wellness into skincare and beauty to ensure they are healthy from the inside out.
Beauty Trends
The beauty trends of 2026 range from bold looks that showcase your personality to natural, soft glam looks. Contour will still be seen, but we won’t see that as much as we will softer beauty trends. Check out the rest of the site to learn everything you need to know to stay on trend this year. Whether it’s a DIY hair gloss recipe or romantic glam looks you can wear every day, we’ve got you covered.
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