The Top Spring Makeup Trends, According To Makeup Artists

Meet The Experts

• Mali Magic is a Los Angeles-based celebrity makeup artist whose clients include Kelly Rowland, Mary J. Blige, Adut Akech, and Niecy Nash.
• Sheika Daley is a makeup artist with celebrity clients like Zendaya, Beyoncé, Taraji P. Henson, and Serena Williams.
• Melissa Hernandez is celebrity makeup artist with clients like Olivia Rodrigo, Sydney Sweeney, Amanda Seyfried, and Jennifer Coolidge.

1. Candlelit Skin 

Natural, glowy skin ruled Spring/Summer 2026 runways. The first step to achieving a lit from within glow is a skin-forward approach. "Everything really starts with skin. When skin is supported, makeup becomes enhancement instead of correction," makeup artist Mali Magic says. "Clean, luminous skin is a trend that never really disappears; it just evolves."

With the beauty industry evolving and becoming more inclusive, brands are expanding color ranges and offering matches for more skin tones—the key to makeup that actually looks like skin and to a natural glow. Spring/Summer 2026 runways (including Bach Mai, Brandon Maxwell, Lacoste, and Niccolò Pasqualetti) were all about healthy, hydrated, and rested skin—skin that looks (and feels) alive, and like with a softly-lit glow. Not too matte, not too luminous, the key is to conceal unevenness and powder the T-zone, but apply a liquid highlighter, like CHANEL Baume Essentiel Multi-Use Glow Stick to the high points of the face.

2. Lived-In Lips 

"Spring beauty is shifting toward soft, lived in sensuality: skin that breathes, color that's diffused, and makeup that feels emotional rather than engineered," Daley says. We can expect to see sheer coverage, blurred edges, and tones that melt into the skin instead of sitting on top of it. We're talking about beauty feels real and worn in, rather than perfectly done up.

In the same vein, we can also expect to see lived-in lips sans liners and stains. Goodbye, sharp edges and heavily lined and defined lips; hello, embracing natural shapes, imperfection and all. "For Spring 2026, I see people gravitating toward soft washes of color with a subtle blurring effect," Hernandez says. "Think lips that look kissed, worn-in, and imperfect in the best way. Instead of sharp edges and high contrast, it’s about diffused color that melts into the lips and enhances what’s already there." This trend could be seen on the runways of Caroline Hu, Sportmax, and Aje, to name a few; Violette's Bisou Balm is the perfect product for achieving this look because of its naturally-balmy texture.

And if you want to step it a notch, just add gloss. "The next layer is a translucent, watercolor gloss over that blurred base, which adds light and movement without taking away the shape," she says. "It keeps the lip looking lived-in, but elevated."

3. Texture Play  

If used to be that you were either matte or dewy, minimal or maximal. But according to Mali Magic, we're moving into a "texture edit," which she says is the future of multi-dimensional makeup. "People are no longer choosing between dewy or matte; they're combining them," she says. "Understanding where each texture belongs creates dimension that enhances natural features instead of flattening them."

At Zomer, models wore matte eyeshadow paired with glowy, gleaming skin; at Emporio Armani, models had matte skin with shimmery lids. So, take this as permission to combine elements from different aesthetics, repurpose products intended for one thing, and mix textures that you wouldn't expect.

4. Statement Eyes 

Whether it means sticking to and relying on your tried and true essentials or playing with makeup without even thinking about what's trending, expression through makeup is highly encouraged in 2026. "The emerging trend I'm seeing is what I call the 'personal playbook," Mali Magic says. "With so many options available, people are longer chasing every new launch. They're becoming more thoughtful about what actually fits into their routine."

The easiest way to experiment? Start with a 3-D eye accent. At Thom Browne, this meant blue and green eyelashes, courtesy of Lashify; at Prabal Gurung, this meant foiled gold statement eyes (Danessa Myricks Colorfix in Jewelz will give a similar effect). With the Spring/Summer 2026 runways embracing colorful pops of color and texture, we're reminded to have fun with our makeup routines again.

5. Everything's Coming Up Pink

Pink truly had its moment through makeup on Spring/Summer 2026 runways. For Chloé's Spring 2026 show, makeup artist Yadim Carranza was all about the bubblegum pink lip and rosy cheeks. These looks, which served both as contrasting statement and ode to the Chloé's vintage inspirations, were achieved with the help of Saie's liquid dew blush and lip gloss oil.

For Leonard Paris's Spring 2026 runway show, makeup artist Lucia Pieroni practiced blush (and eyeshadow) blindness with a bold fuchsia pink. Other designers embraced pink in all shades and ranges, too: Sandy Liang with berry pink blush, Prabal Gurung with pale pink lips, and Christian Siriano with neon '80s inspired lips, for example.