From ‘Mermaid Eyes’ to Statement Bobby Pins, NYFW’s Best Beauty Looks Were Wonderfully Playful

Fashion Week is upon us once again, and this spring/summer 2026 season, New York really pulled out the stops when it came to beauty. Sure, while most people fixate on the clothes, I like to have a closer look at what lies above the shoulders, and there's been no dearth of inspiration this week.

From Pat McGrath's fresh pops of colour at Anna Sui to the sun-kissed bronze at Michael Kors, it's evident that make-up is no afterthought, especially in the summer months. Our breakdown ahead.

Old Hollywood glamour

Christian Siriano turned the Macy's store on Herald Square into a masterclass on Old Hollywood styling, and this extended to the face. To contrast with the largely black-and-white ensembles, make-up artists channelled classical Hollywood tropes with a sculptural twist. Model Coco Rocha, who opened the show, had velvety skin, graphic eyeliner, and, like the rest of the models, a statement, matte orange-red lip.

Sunkissed minimalism

At Michael Kors, simplicity ruled, but every detail—cheeks to eyes—carried a soft bronzed glow. Cheeks had a warm, almost windswept flush, and lips wore just a hint of sun-kissed colour. The spring/summer ’26 show drew inspiration from desert landscapes and far-flung travel, and the makeup perfectly captured that sense of wanderlust.

Ghost lashes

Ghost lashes have been a standout trend over the last few months—and Kate Barton is clearly a fan. On the runway, models were almost bare-faced, with their fresh, dewy skin carrying the entire look. Indeed, there appeared to be no mascara whatsoever, and it was a similar story over at Ralph Lauren and Calvin Klein; where models looked similarly ethereal.

If you're keen to replicate this at home, but like to have some definition, swap out jet black for brown, or just use less for a more editorial spin on your everyday look.

Uber sleek bobs

If 2025 was the year of the bob, then 2026 might well be too. At Kate Barton, the long bobs or "lobs" were sleek and polished, in the vein of the "office siren". In some cases, models' hair grazed their shoulders, but others sported more avant-garde takes on the style with choppy fringes or rounded, bowl-like shapes. In any case, each look was super shiny, with not one hair out of place.

Gothic beauty

I've been tracking the rise of "gothic beauty" all year. It first came on my radar with the release of Nosferatu, and the beautiful, Victorian-inspired make-up looks Lily-Rose Depp wore during the film's press run, and then I started noticing that the likes of Gabriette Bechdel, Charli XCX, Mia Goth, Amelia Gray and Zoe Kravitz had all been channelling something similar—so, hollowed out cheekbones, and cool-toned smoky eyes.

At Grace Ling, make-up artist Diane Kendal very much tapped into this vibe, describing the looks as "sombre romance glam". But here, everything was a bit warmer, with burnt-out smoky eyes transitioning into deep brown shades that perfectly complemented the models' skin tones. Think of it as a more wearable approach to the trend.

Pops of orange

While we've seen very little colour so far at NYFW, L'Enchanteur more than made up for it with all the electric orange accents. Make-up artists applied super shimmery pops of electric orange all over the face, including the eyelids, the tops of the cheekbones and even around the cupid's bow.

Graphic eyeliner

If you skew more maximalist, then the eye looks at Alexander Wang are worth a gander. Models sported pitch black, sculptural wings that extended past the eye and brow, almost looking like little horns on the face. This was counterbalanced by super-glossy skin and almost nothing else on the cheeks and lips.

Romantic Waves

At Altuzarra, romantic waves ruled the runway. The collection blurred reality and illusion, and the hair echoed those fluid silk florals—long, loose, and full of lived-in volume. Natural texture took centre stage; you could see every curl pattern and subtle bend. Most models wore clean middle parts or a soft side sweep, giving that effortless “cool-girl” energy with the femininity dialled up.

Mermaid Eyes

Anna Sui's Spring/Summer '26 show was titled 'Desert Blooms', and Pat McGrath very much delivered on the assignment. "The look fused windswept romance with painterly sky-blue lashes, glowing twilight eyes and unapologetic makeup maximalism," wrote the make-up artist on Instagram. There was a lot to pick from, but some of the standout looks were playful baby blue mascara, ombré mermaid-inspired eyeshadow and pink, doll-like cheeks and lips.

Bobby pins are back

The '90s reigned supreme at Khaite. Diane Kendal gave Kendall Jenner straight, skinny brows and clear, luminous skin, which looked beautifully lived-in. The hair was a similar story, and was styled in loose, casual variations on traditional office tropes, including half-updos and buns. Hairstylist, Guido Palau, added an extra wink to the '90s by incorporating bobby pins into the looks—these were not meant to be hidden, but rather shown off.