The Best Beauty Looks at the 2026 Emmy Awards

Published: September 15, 2026 Last Updated 14 minutes ago by Esther Ejoh

The 78th Primetime Emmy Awards delivered a red carpet filled with beauty moments that felt polished without looking overly constructed.

Held at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles on September 14, the ceremony brought together some of television’s biggest names, and the beauty looks were every bit as memorable as the gowns.

The official Television Academy coverage of the 78th Emmy Awards confirms the scale of the evening, while beauty editors were quick to identify the hair, makeup and finishing details that made this year’s carpet stand out.

Across the 2026 Emmy Awards beauty looks, one message came through clearly: beauty is becoming less about dramatic transformation and more about thoughtful detail.

Soft, luminous skin, romantic waves, textured updos, polished short cuts, flushed cheeks and carefully chosen lip colours appeared throughout the evening. Instead of relying on heavy contour or rigid hairstyles, many stars allowed movement, texture and individuality to do the work.

The result was a red carpet that felt glamorous but still connected to real-world beauty. There were hairstyles that could inspire a salon appointment, makeup combinations that could easily translate to an evening out and small details that made otherwise familiar looks feel fresh.

From Zendaya’s dramatic pixie and Selena Gomez’s romantic lengths to Nicole Kidman’s low, intentionally undone updo, the 2026 Emmy Awards beauty looks offered plenty to study. 

Here are the beauty looks that stood out most from the night.

Zendaya’s hair was arguably one of the biggest beauty talking points of the evening. She arrived with a dramatic new pixie that immediately changed the tone of her look.

Hairstylist Coree Moreno approached the cut with a modern editorial direction, drawing inspiration from classic pixie shapes while keeping the finish sleek and contemporary.

The cropped silhouette gave her face a sharper frame while maintaining enough texture to keep the style from feeling severe. Rather than treating the pixie as a purely minimalist haircut, the styling introduced movement and shape through the crown, creating a softer finish.

Her makeup followed the same philosophy. Warm bronzy tones complemented her complexion without competing with the hair. The skin remained polished and luminous, while the eyes and cheeks were defined with restraint.

This combination made Zendaya’s look particularly effective. The haircut was the statement, so the makeup did not need to compete for attention. It was a strong example of how the best 2026 Emmy Awards beauty looks often relied on one clear focal point supported by quieter details elsewhere.

Her Prada gown provided another layer of visual interest, but the beauty look remained distinct enough to stand on its own. 

Selena Gomez took a very different approach. Where Zendaya embraced a dramatic change in length, Gomez leaned into softness and movement.

Her long dark hair fell in loose, romantic waves, creating an easy contrast against her gold Louis Vuitton gown. Vogue noted the contrast between her flowing hair and the structured metallic gown, while broader red carpet coverage confirmed her gold Louis Vuitton column as one of the evening’s standout fashion moments.

The beauty styling remained intentionally understated. Her complexion looked fresh and luminous, with a soft flush through the cheeks and subtle definition around the eyes. The makeup allowed the hair and gown to work together rather than competing with either.

There is something particularly appealing about this type of red carpet beauty. Long waves can look glamorous without appearing rigid, and Gomez’s version had enough movement to feel current.

Among the 2026 Emmy Awards beauty looks, this was one of the easiest to translate into everyday inspiration.

The overall formula — healthy-looking skin, softly flushed cheeks, defined eyes and loose waves — works for weddings, date nights and formal events just as easily as it works on an awards carpet.

Sarah Pidgeon offered another lesson in how a simple change in hair colour can completely shift an overall appearance.

Her warm blonde shade had a sun-kissed quality rather than the icy finish that has dominated certain blonde trends in recent years. The warmer tone gave the hair dimension and worked beautifully against her lilac Chanel look.

The style itself remained relatively soft, allowing the colour to become the main feature. Rather than relying on elaborate styling, the movement through the hair gave the blonde different levels of light and depth.

This is particularly relevant as warm blonde continues to find its place within the broader 2026 hair conversation.

For anyone considering a colour refresh, Pidgeon’s look demonstrates why honey, beige and beach-inspired blonde tones can feel softer and more wearable than extreme platinum shades.

Quinta Brunson brought a polished interpretation of the mermaid-wave trend to the carpet.

Her long, centre-parted waves extended down her back, creating an elongated silhouette that worked beautifully with her overall look. The hair had plenty of shine but did not appear overly stiff or heavily sprayed.

The makeup followed a similar tonal direction. Rather than introducing a completely different colour story, the beauty team kept the complexion warm, radiant and cohesive with the hair.

This monochromatic approach is one of the reasons the look worked so well. When hair, skin and makeup exist within related colour families, the result can appear much more intentional.

For anyone studying the 2026 Emmy Awards beauty looks for inspiration, Brunson’s appearance is a good example of the power of coordination.

You do not always need a dramatic lip or elaborate eye makeup to create impact. Sometimes, consistency is what makes a beauty look memorable.

Dakota Fanning demonstrated why the red lip remains one of the most dependable beauty choices for a formal event.

Her makeup was relatively restrained, allowing the lip to take centre stage. The red was clean and defined, while soft pink blush added warmth to the complexion.

The combination worked particularly well against her black-and-white gown because the red became an immediate focal point.

What made the look successful was the lack of unnecessary competition. The eyes were not heavily smoked, the contour remained subtle and the skin retained a fresh appearance.

The result was classic without looking dated — exactly the kind of beauty formula that can survive beyond one awards season.

Nicole Kidman delivered one of the clearest hair trends of the night with a low, intentionally messy updo and long curtain bangs.

According to Marie Claire’s breakdown of Nicole Kidman’s 2026 Emmys hair, the hairstyle featured a low bun with loose pieces around the face, while her makeup included softly defined eyes, flushed pink cheeks and a glossy peach-pink lip.

The style was particularly interesting because it moved away from the ultra-slick updos that have dominated red carpets in recent years. Instead of every strand being tightly controlled, Kidman’s hair retained softness.

The curtain bangs also helped break up the structure of the bun. They created movement around the face and made the overall style feel more relaxed.

NewBeauty similarly identified Kidman’s textured bun and face-framing pieces as one of the night’s standout beauty moments.

This may be one of the most wearable ideas to emerge from the 2026 Emmy Awards beauty looks. A low bun with soft pieces around the face can work beautifully for anyone who wants an elegant hairstyle without looking overly formal.

Ayo Edebiri showed how tiny details can completely change a beauty look.

Her hairstyle incorporated a delicate kiss curl near the face, while a strategically placed inner-corner highlight brightened the eyes.

Neither detail was particularly large, but both gave the overall look personality. This is part of a larger beauty movement toward micro-details — small decisions that become more noticeable when photographed up close.

Edebiri’s look proved that a red carpet moment does not always require an elaborate transformation. Sometimes, one tiny curl or precisely placed highlight can be enough.

Sheryl Lee Ralph brought colour into the eye-makeup conversation with a sparkly combination of green and rose-gold.

The shades added dimension without making the makeup appear heavy. The green provided richness, while the rose-gold introduced warmth and reflected the light beautifully.

A neutral lip allowed the eyes to remain the centre of attention.

The look offered an important lesson for anyone interested in experimenting with colourful makeup: you do not have to cover the entire face in bold colour. Choosing one area as the focus can make even unconventional shades feel sophisticated.

Emmy Rossum embraced natural texture with soft, romantic curls that framed her face.

Rather than forcing the hair into a rigid shape, the styling allowed the curl pattern to remain visible. That choice gave the overall appearance an airy quality.

She paired the hair with bronze-toned eye makeup, soft pink cheeks and a blurred red lip.

The blurred finish gave the traditional red lip a more relaxed quality. Instead of a perfectly defined edge, the colour appeared softer and more integrated with the complexion.

It was another example of how the 2026 Emmy Awards beauty looks moved toward finishes that feel less artificial and more lived-in.

Jessica Williams created an interesting contrast by combining baby bangs with long, glamorous waves.

The short fringe introduced a contemporary edge, while the waves brought in a classic Hollywood reference. A side part helped connect the two ideas.

Baby bangs can be a difficult trend to wear because they immediately change the proportions of the face. Williams’ styling demonstrated how softer lengths and movement can prevent the fringe from feeling too severe.

The result was playful but still appropriate for an awards carpet.

Forget the pixie cuts and cascading waves for a moment. Florence Pugh brought a playful twist to the 2026 Emmy Awards red carpet with a softly styled bun, complete with loose, face-framing pieces that gave the look a relaxed, youthful feel.

The hairstyle struck a balance between polished and undone, proving that an updo doesn’t have to be sleek or overly structured to make an impact.

Her makeup followed another beauty direction seen throughout the evening: bronzed skin without the usual sweep of blush.

Instead of rosy cheeks, Pugh’s makeup focused on warm, sun-kissed bronzer that added definition and dimension while keeping the complexion fresh and understated.

The result was a warm, modern beauty look that let her features — and that playful hairstyle — take centre stage.

Additional Standout Beauty Moments

The 2026 Emmy Awards beauty looks extended well beyond the biggest names.

Supriya Ganesh embraced a sleek, glossy wave with a modern finish, while Lukita Maxwell wore a short Italian-inspired bob with curled ends that gave the haircut bounce and personality. Florence Pugh opted for a playful bun with loose pieces around the face and warm bronzy makeup.

Niecy Nash-Betts delivered classic red-carpet glamour, while Cailee Spaeny created a strong monochromatic effect by coordinating her crimson lip with her dress.

Host Mariska Hargitay also brought a polished beauty look to the evening, wearing loose, volumized waves with soft makeup. NewBeauty’s coverage of stars over 50 specifically highlighted Hargitay’s polished waves as one of the evening’s notable hairstyles.

Together, these appearances showed just how broad the evening’s beauty direction was. There was no single formula that everyone followed. Instead, the common thread was attention to texture, proportion and finishing details.

The Biggest Beauty Trends at the 2026 Emmys

Looking across the 2026 Emmy Awards beauty looks, several trends became particularly clear.

First was the continued popularity of luminous, natural-looking skin. Heavy matte coverage appeared less dominant, replaced by complexions that allowed dimension to remain visible.

Second was the return of soft blush. Pink, rose and warm tones appeared across multiple looks, adding life to the face without requiring strong contour.

Hair was equally varied. Long waves remained popular, but they were softer and more mobile. Textured buns offered an alternative to slicked-back updos, while short cuts — particularly Zendaya’s pixie — provided a sharper direction.

Face-framing details were another recurring idea. Curtain bangs, baby bangs, loose strands and tiny curls all created movement around the face.

The night also reinforced the continuing strength of the red lip. Whether sharply defined or intentionally blurred, red remained one of the easiest ways to create an immediate focal point.

Looking at the 2026 Emmy Awards beauty looks as a whole, the message is clear: polished beauty does not have to mean heavily done beauty. Skin can remain fresh, hair can move, curls can retain their shape and makeup can be expressive without becoming overwhelming.

That balance may ultimately be the defining beauty lesson of this year’s Emmys. The most compelling looks were not necessarily the loudest. They were the ones where every element — from the haircut and colour to the blush, lip and smallest finishing detail — felt considered.

And that is what makes the 2026 Emmy Awards beauty looks worth watching beyond one night: they offer ideas that can actually leave the red carpet and become part of how we approach beauty every day.

Photo: Getty Images