The 98th Annual Academy Awards delivered the expected big-screen drama, but on the red carpet, beauty told its own story. One Battle After Another led the night with Best Picture and six total wins, Jessie Buckley took Best Actress for Hamnet, and Michael B. Jordan won Best Actor for Sinners. But beyond the trophies, the 2026 Oscars made one thing clear: beauty was sharper, sleeker, and more considered than it has been in years.
Rather than leaning into oversized glamour or heavily set red-carpet hair, this year’s standout looks felt more edited. The strongest beauty moments came down to shape, finish, and control. Short cuts had real presence, shine mattered and makeup complemented the dresses. The overall mood was polished, but not overdone.
The Top Trends from the 2026 Oscars
Short Hair Takes The Lead
The bob had a real red-carpet moment at the 2026 Oscars. On a night that often favors long, flowing hair, shorter cuts felt fresher and far more modern. Emma Stone’s bob helped anchor that shift, while Bruna Marquezine brought one of the strongest takes of the evening with a sleek 90s power bob. Finished with flipped-out ends, the look had a playful retro edge that still felt polished and current. What kept it from reading costume was the finish: refined, glossy, and light-catching in motion. A touch of Kérastase Elixir Ultime Serum was worked through the lengths to seal the cuticle and lock in that luminous red-carpet shine, giving the style a smooth, polished surface that complemented the shape beautifully.
The pixie was just as strong. Jessie Buckley’s look was one of the most memorable because every part of it worked together. Her side-parted blonde pixie was polished to a mirror-like finish, making the crop feel bold and expensive rather than delicate. Paired with a vibrant red lip and a two-tone Chanel gown, it felt precise in the best way. It also pointed toward a beauty direction that feels especially relevant now: glassy blonde tones, sharp short cuts, and one strong pop of color used with purpose.
Teyana Taylor continued that short-hair conversation with the sculpted pixie she has worn throughout awards season. At the Oscars, it read sleek, refined, and timeless. According to Nikki Nelms, the celebrity stylist behind Teyanas look, Nelms created the look using OGX® Bond Protein Repair Heat Protect Spray, OGX® Silk Blowout Quick Drying Thermal Spray, the Dyson Supersonic r™ Professional Hair Dryer, OGX® Coconut Oil Weightless Hydrating Mist, and both OGX® Flexible Hold Hairspray and OGX® Strong Hold Hairspray for a clean finish with lasting hold.
Shine Replaced Excess
If there was one finish that defined Oscars 2026 hair, it was gloss. Not stiff, lacquered hair, but shine that made the cut and shape feel even stronger.
Hudson Williams wore wet, effortless curls that hit that balance perfectly. The look had control, but it still felt soft. Hairstylist Aika Flores created the shape while the hair was damp, using the Dyson Supersonic r with a diffuser attachment to preserve natural movement and guide the hair into place by hand. The end result felt clean and sculpted without losing ease.
Demi Moore took shine in a more classic direction. Her custom feathered Gucci gown already had movement and drama, so the hair worked best by bringing polish rather than competing for attention. Dimitris Giannetos created an iconic Demi Moore blowout with a middle part, soft bounce at the ends, and a glossy finish that looked rich under the lights. The prep included Kérastase Chronologiste Bain Régénérant Shampoo, Chronologiste Masque Intense Régénérant Hair Mask, Densifique Densimorphose, Chronologiste Overnight Youth Hair Serum, Chronologiste Thermique Régénérant Heat Protecting Cream, and Laque Couture Hairspray to finish.
Even the after-party hair stayed within that same beauty mood. Sarah Pidgeon’s Vanity Fair look leaned into nineties effortlessness with sleek, ultra-straight hair that nodded to Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy while still feeling current. Styled by her hairstylist, David von Cannon and created with the Dyson Airwrap™ i.d. multi-styler and dryer and refined with the Dyson Airstrait™, it was minimal, smooth, and softly modern.
Zoey Deutch carried that same after-party mood in a slightly glossier direction at the Vanity Fair Oscars Party. Created by celebrity hairstylist Bridget Brager, her hair was sleek, luminous, and quietly striking — the kind of polished finish that does not ask for attention, but gets it anyway. Inspired by clean lines, minimalism, and a subtle nod to ’90s glamour, the look featured ultra-smooth lengths with a softly curved finish that felt timeless under the lights. To create it, Brager prepped damp hair with Kérastase L’Incroyable Blowdry Hair Lotion and Kérastase Densifique Densimorphose Mousse, then blow-dried the hair straight and refined the shape with a flatiron, curving the ends inward for a clean concave line. Kérastase Glaze Drops added that glass-like shine through the lengths, while Kérastase Laque Couture Hairspray kept the finish polished but still touchable.
The Return of Color
One of the most refreshing beauty shifts on the carpet was the return of color. For the past several seasons, awards-show makeup has often played it safe. At the 2026 Oscars, there was finally more personality.
Chase Infiniti made the case for pastel eyes with lilac shadow that tied directly back to her dress. Jayme Lawson wore a flash of cobalt-blue eyeliner that sharpened her entire look. And Buckley’s red lip proved that one strong beauty choice can pull everything together when it speaks to the fashion.
That was one of the clearest takeaways from the night: matching your glam to your dress no longer feels overly literal when it is done well. In fact, it can make a look feel far more complete.
Sparkle + Restraint
Fashion at the 2026 Oscars loved shimmer, embellishment, and light-catching detail. Wunmi Mosaku in Louis Vuitton, Red Ami in Rahul Mishra, Audrey Nuna in Thom Browne, EJAE in Dior, and Emma Stone in Louis Vuitton all brought sparkle to the carpet in different ways. But what kept so many of those looks from tipping into too much was that beauty stayed controlled.
Hair was glossy rather than overstyled. Skin looked luminous rather than overloaded. Color was used carefully. Even when the gowns were dramatic, beauty helped ground the look.
A few of the night’s strongest red-carpet moments succeeded for exactly that reason. Gwyneth Paltrow in Armani Privé looked effortless and impeccably dressed. Jessie Buckley’s Chanel moment landed because the cropped pixie and red lip made the dress feel even stronger. Nothing felt disconnected.
The Biggest Oscars 2026 Beauty Takeaways
The beauty mood at the 98th Academy Awards was not about doing more. It was about doing the right amount, very well. A sharp bob, a sculpted pixie, curls with shape, a glossy blowout with soft bounce, a bright lip or liner that actually means something within the look—that is what made the strongest Oscars 2026 beauty moments stand out.
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