The 2026 Emmy Awards red carpet leaned into beauty that felt polished without looking overly worked. Soft waves, romantic updos, bronzed skin and a noticeable return to more natural texture dominated the night, while a few stars pushed things further with sharper haircuts and stronger eye makeup.
From Zendaya’s modern pixie to Selena Gomez’s long mermaid waves, these were some of the beauty looks that stood out.
Zendaya
Zendaya’s newly cropped pixie cut was easily one of the biggest beauty moments of the night. Hairstylist Coree Moreno kept the shape sleek around the edges with light, piecey texture and a little height through the crown, giving the classic cut a more editorial finish. Makeup artist Ernesto Casillas paired it with bronzed skin, slim brows and a softly defined ’90s-inspired lip.
Selena Gomez
Selena Gomez went in the opposite direction with long, flowing mermaid waves that fell well past her shoulders. The softness of the hair balanced her gold Louis Vuitton gown beautifully, while peachy pink cheeks, a subtle berry-toned lip and luminous skin kept the makeup romantic rather than overly glamorous.
Sarah Pidgeon
Sarah Pidgeon debuted a warmer beach blonde for the Emmys, moving away from the cooler shade associated with her recent Love Story role. She wore the colour in loose, understated waves and kept the makeup similarly restrained, allowing her lilac Chanel gown to remain the strongest colour moment.
Ayo Edebiri
Ayo Edebiri brought a little more drama with a textured braided updo, shaped into a soft bun with delicate curls and a tiny kiss curl framing the face. Smoky eyes, pink blush, berry lips and a bright inner-corner highlight gave the makeup enough definition to stand up to her periwinkle Chanel gown without overwhelming it.
Nicole Kidman
Nicole Kidman leaned into romantic softness with a low, deliberately undone updo, long curtain bangs and wispy strands framing her face. The makeup stayed fresh and light, with softly defined eyes, flushed pink cheeks and a glossy peach-toned lip that worked beautifully against her pale Chanel gown.
Grace Gummer
Grace Gummer made a convincing case for the return of the low ponytail. Worn sleek and understated, the style gave her black red carpet look a clean, almost minimalist finish. It was simple, but that was the appeal: elegant hair without unnecessary drama.
Chase Infiniti
Chase Infiniti embraced a warm, monochromatic beauty palette built around bronze and brown tones. Her softly bronzed eyes and coordinating lip worked with her complexion rather than sitting on top of it, while voluminous brushed waves brought softness and movement to the overall look.
Carey Mulligan
Carey Mulligan kept things beautifully classic with a romantic chignon and minimal makeup. The softly gathered updo had just enough looseness to avoid feeling formal, while clean skin and understated colour kept the whole beauty look elegant and very refined.
Florence Pugh
Florence Pugh went for an artfully undone high bun, with plenty of volume and a slightly messy finish that gave the style a strong mid-2000s feel. The texture kept the updo from looking too polished, which worked especially well with her romantic lavender Vivienne Westwood gown.
The Beauty Mood of the Night
What tied many of these looks together was a move away from perfection. Hair had softness, movement and sometimes a little deliberate messiness, while makeup leaned into luminous skin, flushed cheeks and tonal colour.
Even the stronger beauty moments, like Zendaya’s pixie or Ayo Edebiri’s smoky eye, still felt controlled rather than overdone.
If the 2026 Emmys are setting the tone for the next red carpet season, the message is clear: polished beauty is staying, but it is getting softer, more personal and much less rigid.
