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If I See You Wearing Any of These Early-Trend Beauty Looks, I'll Think You Frequent NYFW

By Swedan Margen

If I See You Wearing Any of These Early-Trend Beauty Looks, I'll Think You Frequent NYFW

This New York Fashion Week was a fashion feast of earthy elegance, coastal glamour, sensual minimalism, and cool-girl sophistication, but the buffet of beauty looks is not to be overlooked. Similarly, we were absolutely fed. As I sit here scrolling through my notes and the many (oh so many) backstage clips in my camera roll, I'm still reeling from the avant-garde glam moments that literally took my breath away, including the gilded lashes at Ulla Johnson, the pierced nails at Kim Shui, and the literal takes on hat hair at Collina Strada. (Suddenly, I need a Mustafa Yanazified baseball cap wig in my closet.)

The inspiration will linger long after the runway shows come to an end, so take a gander through my NYFW trend report and familiarize yourself with these looks sooner rather than later. The collections themselves may be geared toward spring/summer 2026, but beauty trends cycle in and out of the spotlight at breakneck speed. I'd wager these 10 will be on your feeds in a blink. Adopt them early on, and I'll know you have impeccable, influential taste.

Colorful Lashes

Collage of colorful lashes from NYFW spring/summer 2026.

Put down the black mascara! According to the spring/summer 2026 runways, lashes won't look inky. They'll be neon pink, translucent white, and aquamarine. Consider Collina Strada, where lead artist Isamaya Ffrench used colorful lash clusters to create an extra-fluttery effect. "Everybody has a beautiful little piece of colored wing at the end of their lash that looks great with the combination or is a bit of a contrast," she says backstage. At Eckhaus Latta, however, the iconic MUA opted for white, semitransparent lashes for a more ethereal aesthetic. "They catch the light in a way that feels delicate and dreamlike," Ffrench says.

Anna Sui also featured some otherworldly lashes (and swirls of eye shadow that looked straight out of a watercolor painting—more on that later), and models' wisps at Ulla Johnson appeared coated in liquid gold. No gold mascara? No problem. "I'm crushing gold with mixing medium, and we're painting the lashes—top and bottom—and leaving whatever haphazard little mistakes that come on the lash line," lead makeup artist Romy Soleimani tells me backstage.

Seen Backstage

Les Phyto-Ombres Eyeshadow

Sisley-Paris

Les Phyto-Ombres Eyeshadow in Glow Gold

Isamaya X Lashify Edge Gossamer® Lash - Edge / Black

Isamaya X Lashify

Edge Gossamer Lash

Phyto-Eye Palette

Sisley-Paris

Phyto-Eye Palette in Tender Toffee

Divine Cream Blush: Legendary Glow Color Balm - Divine Rose Glow

Pat McGrath Labs

Divine Cream Blush: Legendary Glow Color Balm

Boho Waves

Collage of boho waves from NYFW spring/summer 2026.

The term "undone waves" is somewhat of an oxymoron (it often takes just as much, if not more, effort to make them appear effortless), but leave it to Cynthia Rowley, Simkhai, and Anna Sui to host a master class on lived-in bends. At the latter, Garren, celebrity hairstylist and cofounder of R+Co, styled those loose boho waves with '20s-inspired victory rolls at the crown—think haphazard texture combined with a bit of structure. Whimsical waves were the main event at Cynthia Rowley, where models' strands twirled in the breeze at the outdoor show in Wagner Park. "We're not using any curling irons," lead stylist Justine Marjan tells me about how the stylists kept the bends from looking too uniform. "We're either using a diffuser or a flat iron to enhance the wave pattern."

"You just want to mess it up a little bit but not in a grungy way or the surfer, ocean-y wave that we've seen," Simkhai lead Holli Smith says regarding the show's "pool hair" inspiration. Mousse and texturizing spray will be your hero products here. Just make sure to break up any lingering cast to keep the style from looking too done.

Seen Backstage

R+co Bleu Rose Water Wave Spray 6.8 Oz

R+Co Bleu

Rose Water Wave Spray

target,

Tresemmé

Dry Texturizing Spray

Volumizing Mousse

Moroccanoil

Volumizing Mousse

Nail Jewelry

Collage of nail jewelry from NYFW spring/summer 2026.

Three-dimensional nail art isn't going anywhere, but rather than sticking gemstones on top of your nail plate, level up the trend and have them dangling off the tips—you know, like teeny piercings. These elements can't help but be a statement, whether you opt for edgy chain details like Coca Michelle at Grace Ling or dainty initial charms like Sojin Oh at Kim Shui. (No, it doesn't hurt, assuming your nails extend far enough from the base of your fingertips.) Feel free to pierce every nail for a bold teardrop effect, or stick to one or two tips to keep it minimalist chic.

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If I See You Wearing Any of These Early-Trend Beauty Looks, I'll Think You Frequent NYFW - Vanity Fair Fashion