Smoldering eyes and rouge lips bring bold, retro glamour back to the Fall/Winter 2026 runways.

After seasons of barely-there makeup, <a href="https://www.lofficielusa.com/fashion/fall-winter-2026-fashion-campaigns-trends-photos-inspiration-looks-jackets-coats">Fall/Winter 2026</a> ushered in a darker, vampy mood, pairing luminous skin with smoky lids and statement red lips for a look that felt equal parts <a href="https://www.lofficielusa.com/fashion/kurt-cobain-90s-grunge-style-impact">’90s grunge</a>, <a href="https://www.lofficielusa.com/beauty/icon-skincare-launch-products-founders-marilyn-monroe-skin-routine-makeup">Old Hollywood</a>, and <a href="https://www.lofficielusa.com/pop-culture/victorian-fashion-trend-outfit-inspiration-runway-photos-gothic-style-revival">gothic</a> romance. At <a href="https://www.lofficielusa.com/fashion-week/gucci-fall-winter-2026-collection-runway-photos-demna-debut-models-kate-moss">Gucci</a>, <a href="https://www.lofficielusa.com/beauty/sam-visser-ysl-beauty-global-director">Sam Visser</a> swept smudged charcoal shadow toward the brow bone, extending it into a dramatic cat-eye offset by a glossy vermilion lip. <a href="https://www.lofficielusa.com/beauty/pat-mcgrath-interview-quotes-louis-vuitton-collaboration-la-beaute-infrarouge-dune-collections">Pat McGrath</a> echoed <a href="https://www.lofficielusa.com/fashion-week/balenciaga-fall-winter-2026-runway-images-paris-fashion-week-hudson-williams">Balenciaga’s</a> “Clair-Obscur” light-and-shadow theme with heavily kohl-lined eyes and wine-stained lips, while Saint Laurent and Jean Paul Gaultier embraced undone glamour through hazy charcoal eyes and richly pigmented crimson mouths.

Softly smudged smoky eyes and a bold red lip backstage at Gucci Fall/Winter 2026. Courtesy of Gucci.

Wet, slicked hair and a smudged grey wing at Gucci Fall/Winter 2026. Courtesy of Gucci.

Smoky eyes and deep berry lips at Gucci Fall/Winter 2026. Courtesy of Gucci.

Glossy red lips and dark, winged eyeshadow at Gucci Fall/Winter 2026. Courtesy of Gucci.

Sculpted cheekbones, smoky eyes, and red lips at Gucci Fall/Winter 2026. Courtesy of Gucci.

Red-on-red dressing and dramatic makeup backstage at Gucci Fall/Winter 2026. Courtesy of Gucci.

Gucci’s show was <a href="https://www.lofficielusa.com/fashion/gucci-demna-debut-collection-photos-lookbook">Demna</a>’s first runway collection for the house, and Sam Visser handled the makeup. He worked mostly with one product, Gucci’s Stylo Contour des Yeux in 01 Noir, running the black pencil along the upper and lower lash lines before smudging it out with a brush. The liner stayed sharp on a few models and spread into a grey, almost blue haze on others, at times reaching the brow bone.
Skin was kept minimal, with a little cool contour under the cheekbones. Red lips showed up next to a cropped red knit polo worn with a GG choker. They appeared again with a black satin zip-front jacket and low-rise satin trousers, pieces that recall Tom Ford’s Gucci of the late ’90s. Other models walked with nude lips or plain gloss. Kate Moss closed the show.

Smoldering smoky eyes, dark red lips, and statement earrings at Saint Laurent Fall/Winter 2026. Getty Images.

<a href="https://www.lofficielusa.com/beauty/pat-mcgrath-interview-runway-makeup-to-night-out-glam-makeup-tips-tricks">Pat McGrath</a> had a busy week in Paris. At Saint Laurent, <a href="https://www.lofficielusa.com/fashion/anthony-vaccarello-exits-saint-laurent-official-announcement-new-creative-director-next-move">Anthony Vaccarello</a> marked 60 years of Le Smoking with 14 takes on the tuxedo. There, she blended graphite and espresso shadow well above the crease, edged the lash line in thick black liner, and gave the lips a matte burgundy so deep it nearly turned brown. Hair was slicked flat to the head, leaving room for statement earrings, from gilded floral cuffs to crystal clusters hung with green drops.

Smudged black eyeshadow and berry-toned lips at Balenciaga Fall/Winter 2026. Getty Images.

<a href="https://www.lofficielusa.com/fashion/pierpaolo-piccioli-balenciaga-archives-cristobal-moda-lofficiel">Pierpaolo Piccioli</a> titled his Fall/Winter 2026 Balenciaga collection “Clair-Obscur,” after the painting technique built on strong light and deep shadow. McGrath’s makeup for the show used heavy kohl, rubbed around the eye and drawn out into a soft wing. Lips were stained a dark wine color and blotted matte. One model wore a black hood pulled tight around her face, and another wore a thick gold collar over black leather. Both had wet, combed-back hair and very pale skin, which made the dark eyes and lips stand out even more.

Sculptural checked tailoring and oversized earrings at Jean Paul Gaultier Fall/Winter 2026. Courtesy of Jean Paul Gaultier.

A close-up of the sculptural headwear and red lips at Jean Paul Gaultier Fall/Winter 2026. Courtesy of Jean Paul Gaultier.

Graphic black-and-white checks meet bold runway makeup at Jean Paul Gaultier Fall/Winter 2026. Courtesy of Jean Paul Gaultier.

Dramatic smoky eyes and glossy red lips at Jean Paul Gaultier Fall/Winter 2026. Courtesy of Jean Paul Gaultier.

Corsetry and exaggerated proportions at Jean Paul Gaultier Fall/Winter 2026. Courtesy of Jean Paul Gaultier.

Tailoring takes on a sporty edge at Jean Paul Gaultier Fall/Winter 2026. Courtesy of Jean Paul Gaultier.

Oversized black tailoring and sharp red lipstick at Jean Paul Gaultier Fall/Winter 2026. Courtesy of Jean Paul Gaultier.

Black-and-white checks take sculptural form at Jean Paul Gaultier Fall/Winter 2026. Courtesy of Jean Paul Gaultier.

Jean Paul Gaultier was the glossiest of the four. <a href="https://www.lofficielusa.com/fashion/duran-lantink-jean-paul-gaultier-creative-director">Duran Lantink</a>’s second collection for the house took Marlene Dietrich as a reference, and makeup artist Thomas de Kluyver gave models smudged charcoal eyes and red lips with a high, wet-looking shine. The Dietrich connection showed in the clothes, too.
Oversized black coats and blazers came with white shirts and narrow ties, close to the tuxedo she wore in&nbsp;Morocco (1930). One look paired a sheer corset and black bra with suede trousers, a reminder of the corsetry Gaultier became known for after designing Madonna’s cone bra for the 1990 Blond Ambition tour.
At home, the simplest version starts with a soft black kohl pencil smudged along the lash line with a fingertip. For the lips, choose a matte red, like Gucci’s Rouge à Lèvres Mat in 25 Goldie Red, or a glossier finish if you’d rather follow Jean Paul Gaultier. Keep the skin luminous and the cheeks quiet. With this much going on at the eyes and mouth, there’s no need for heavy bronzer or blush.

Smoke and Scarlet: Fall’s Red Lip Comes With a Smoky Eye

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