The Red Carpet Report: The Beauty Trends of Award Season Poised to Shape 2026
If you embraced a trendy gray smoky eye in the past year, you can attribute that to Doechii's glamorous look from the 2025 Grammys, which led the way. If you opted for a haircut and found yourself questioning your choices while at the sink ("Should I... try baby bangs?"), it’s likely that the striking red carpet looks of Ariana Grande or Zoë Kravitz influenced your thoughts. While it might not always be evident, the award season significantly impacts our beauty preferences. For many, the roughly four-month span highlights the finest in film, television, and music. However, for fashion and beauty aficionados, it serves as the ultimate style showcase and a guide to upcoming trends. This year's array of stunning looks is no exception, instantly captivating audiences in both fashion and beauty realms. Inspiration is certainly plentiful this award season, but recreating the celebrity-level glamour often proves to be more feasible than trying to achieve those extraordinary fashion statements. While I may not be wearing a custom Swarovski gown like Amelia Gray Hamlin (a girl can dream), I can definitely replicate her equally dazzling makeup with the right highlighter and a touch of soft lilac shadow before it takes over the spring makeup scene. Before we reach the peak of the award season, I’m excited to present Who What Wear's first Red Carpet Report: your comprehensive source for all the A-list beauty trends across the 2026 awards circuit. Below, I'm cross-referencing red carpet moments and pinpointing the trends set to lead the way for the rest of the year, along with expert tips for recreating each look and the specific products used by all the household names. Get ready to familiarize yourself; these trends will start emerging sooner than you think.
Mermaid-Length Locks
Bobs are here to stay, but the trend is shifting towards longer, mermaid-like hair. Take inspiration from Zara Larsson's waist-length locks—she looked like a real-life mermaid in her midriff-baring yellow two-piece—alongside Halle Bailey and Daniela Avanzini of Katseye at the Grammys, and Tessa Thompson, Blackpink's Lisa, and Chase Infiniti at the Golden Globes. "There's a refreshing lightness to mermaid hair that I love. It complements the romantic, almost ethereal styles we've been seeing on the carpet," says celebrity hairstylist Malcolm Marquez, who styled members of Katseye for the Grammys. John Novotny, the stylist behind Larsson's stunning tresses at the Grammys, adds that we can expect plenty of long locks that can "swing around" throughout 2026. After all, "it's the year of the horse," they assert.
While long hair never truly goes out of style ("hair that moves will always be in vogue," Novotny jokes), Marquez predicts a rise in mermaid hair as we enter spring and summer. (A hint of this trend? Lola Tung's flowing lengths on the cover of our Spring Issue.) It’s clear: that effortlessly "just left the beach" vibe shouts sun goddess, and among red carpet styles, this one is relatively easy to achieve. All you need is a hair waver or crimper combined with a ton of texturizing spray for those tousled waves, plus clip-in extensions if your hair is naturally shorter, or if you’re fully committed to the mermaid aesthetic. If your hair already has some curls, you can simply enhance your natural texture with curl-defining cream, mousse, or gel before air-drying or diffusing. Marquez also suggests loosely braiding the hair while damp to create heatless waves—just remember to keep them relaxed to avoid any prominent creases.
If you prefer some heat styling, "rough-dry your hair in its natural falling direction, using a bit of thickening spray at the roots or a root-lifting mousse for added volume. We used OGX at the Grammys," Novotny explains. Once dried, you can create exaggerated waves with your crimper. "If necessary, I’ll go back over sections with the same tool or a smaller curling iron in the opposite direction to break up the wave pattern," he suggests. "This helps disguise any curling iron marks and creates an organic look as if styled by wind and sea salt!" Finish with a generous spritz of oil mist for a glistening shine, and hold any shorter, face-framing strands in place with hairspray.
Low and Loose Knots
"There’s a genuine transformation occurring," states celebrity hairstylist Evanie Frausto. "After years of sleek, sculpted styles, people are longing for something that feels romantic and natural again." Enter the low, tousled knot—arguably the most sought-after hairstyling trend at red carpet events. Whether it's a loose twist like Sabrina Carpenter, Jenna Ortega, and Miley Cyrus, or a relaxed ponytail like Brittany Snow and Sarah Pidgeon,
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