The stars of television stepped out for the 78th Emmy Awards on Monday, September 14, and the beauty looks offered endless inspiration for real life.
While summer is barely over, the red carpet heated up with all manner of bling, however silhouettes draped fluidly. The beauty looks followed suit. Forget over-the-top, mile-long lashes and traditional red carpet mega-makeup. The A-list opted for decidedly low-key glamour by way of glowing-from-within rosebud cheeks, blurred lips and lightened-up mascara creating the look of touchable, fluttery lashes that softened the entire face. As for hair, close crops were a major trend — including Zendaya’s shortest pixie yet — plus languid waves as seen on Cailee Spaeny, Chase Infiniti and Selena Gomez.
Behold the best beauty at the 2026 Emmys:
Sarah Pidgeon
To complement the sheer lilac hue of the Love Story star’s dress, makeup artist Emily Cheng applied a “whisper of sparkle” to the eyes using Chanel Healthy Glow Natural Eyeshadow Palette in Cool. The effortlessly chic vibe extended to hair, too. Stylist Christian Wood used K18 products to create the smooth waves, finishing. the look with K18 Molecular Repair Hair Oil to heighten shine. On her nails: Two thin Coats of The GelBottle BIAB 17, a milky nude, applied by nail tech Iram Shelton.
Chase Infiniti
Simply stunning. Makeup artist Amber Dreadon added “extra luminosity” to the Testaments actress’s decolletage and shoulders with a spritz of Aveeno Daily Moisturizing Body Oil Mist in Cocoa Butter Vanilla. To create perfectly bended hair ripples, hairstylist Lacy Redway relied on the ghd sculpt and ghd wave tools.
ELLE FANNING
The Margo’s Got Money Troubles lead’s longtime makeup artist, Erin Ayanian Monroe, wanted her to look “like the best version of herself,” so she played up cheeks with L’Oreal Paris True Match Hyaluron Tinted Balm Embellisher in 3 Rose Lumiere. “An easy smudge” of L’Oreal Colour Riche Satin Lipstick in Worth It infused lips with just enough color. To create glossy, touchable waves, hair pro Jenda Alcorn smoothed a drop of L’Oreal Paris Elvive Glycolic + Gloss High Shine Leave-In Serum before styling.
Lukita Maxwell
Retro fabulous! The Shrinking acress debuted a flapper-inspired ’20s bob styled by Amber Duarte. Makeup artist Leticia Llesmin painted a perfectly muted cat-eye using La Beauté Louis Vuitton LV Ombres Eyeshadow Palette in 724, the Monogram Dune eye kit that’s part of the Pat McGrath x Nicolas Ghesquière collaboration for the French maison. She swiped on LV Baume in 098, layerine LV Rouge Matte Lipstick in 109 on top for “a true soft, blurred, silky lip,” she says.
CAREY MULLIGAN
A nude attitude. The Beef star’s makeup artist, Nina Park, used Dior Beauty products for a heightened neutral look, playing up eyes with Diorshow 5 Couleurs Eye Palette in 649 Nude Dress, and painting her pout by layering Rouge Dior Contour in 329 Nude Blush and Nude Ribbon, Rouge Dior On Stage Ink in 217 Dare in Coral and Dior Addict Lip Glow in 012 Rosewood. For the touchable updo, hair pro Irinel de Leon added shape with the Dyson Coralle CoolShine Straightener, ideal for “creating effortless texture rather than a uniform wave.”
Selena Gomez
Lengthy locks! Hairstylist Renato Campora prepped the Only Murders in the Building actress’s tresses with Joico Defy Damage Heat Protecting Shield before running a drop of Joico Dream Blowout Glass 72H Frizz Fighter through and blow-drying the ultra-long locks, which stylist Nikki Lee fashioned before the big nigh unsing Great Lengths extensions. Makeup artist Hung Vanngo used PCA Skin to heighten glow before applying Rare Beauty makeup. As for her sparkling nails, manicurist Tom Bachik applied Essie’s Gel by Essie in Frost Yourself “to match her Louis Vuitton dress.”
Nicole Kidman
The prettiest rose! Makeup artist Gucci Westman enhanced the Practical Magic 2 star’s features with skincare and makeup by Cle de Peau. Hair pro Lorenzo Martin styled a modern chignon with bouncy curtain bangs using K18 AstroLift Reparative Volume Spray.
Louisa Jacobson
The Gilded Age actress paired a pulled-back coiff with a shimmering rose pout.
Cailee Spaeny
The Beef beauty kept eyes clean while a pop of pink brightened up cheeks and offset blurred red lips.
Quinta Brunson
“Skin is always on the mood board,” says the Abbott Elementary star’s makeup artist Rebekah Aladdin. She prepped the complexion with Aveeno Positively Radiant Vitamin C Serum.
Emmy Rossum
The perfect pairing: voluminous curls and a softly blot ruby pout.
Carrie Coon
The key to the Gilded Age actress’s beauty look was a glowing, hyper-sculpted complexion for which prep started days before the awards show, with an The Method by Augustinus Bader facial by celebrity esthetician Lord Gavin McLeod-Valentine. Makeup artist Rebecca Restrepo hightened the effects on Emmys night with the high-tech ZIIP Halo beauty device, which lifts, sculpts and depuffs via microcurrent. A dab of Beau Domaine’s The Rich Cream created a smooth canvas for makeup.
Zendaya
Blushing beauty! The Euphoria lead’s makeup artist Ernesto Casillas layered Prada Beauty Touch Cream-to-Powder Blush in Tulip and Cherry plus Light Glow Highlighting Powder in Pink, Champagne and Champagne Deep for multi-dimensional glowing cheeks that softned her close-cropped pixie. The short cut was styled by hair pro Coree Moreno using the arachne MINI Shine-Boost hairbrush, lifting sections from the roots to boost volume.
Claire Danes
Golden goddess! A sleek, buttery bob brought light to the Beast in Me actress’s look. Hair pro Peter Butler used Goldwell products to style the side-parted ‘do, running Goldwell StyleSign Bodifying Control Mousse before blowdrying with a round brush. A spritz of Goldwell StyleSign Blowout & Texture Spray run through ends once dry added “dimension and a more effortless texture.” He finished the look by misting with Goldwell StyleSign Shaping & Finishing Spray.
Joy Sunday
Silver belle! The Wednesday actress’s sparkling lids matched her beaded gown.
Rhea SeEhorn
The Pluribus star’s sharp bob was trimmed on Emmys night by Matthew Collins. “We wanted a strong line with soft movement,” he says of the look inspired by “classic Hollywood Glamour and modern edginess.” He prepped locks with Dyson Omega Leave-In Scalp Treatment before blow-drying with the Dyson Supersonic R. Once hair was dry, he used the Dyson Corrale CoolShine to create the c-shaped wave.
