Fall is right around the corner, and with it comes cozy sweaters, changing leaves and a craving for deeper lipstick and smokier eyeshadow. As our wardrobes shift from light summer staples to richer colors and textures, our makeup follows suit. This autumn, celebrity makeup artist and Halo42 Skincare cofounder Tim Quinn says it’s all about “richer, more refined color,” and he predicts a move “away from perfection and into authenticity.”
So what does that mean in makeup form? Expect deep berry lips, makeup that looks lived-in, soft smoky eyes and more. Keep scrolling for the complete list of fall 2026 makeup trends to embrace this season.
Featured Experts
- Tim Quinn is a celebrity makeup artist and cofounder of Halo42 Skincare
- Christian Briceno is a celebrity makeup artist
Healthy Velvet Skin
“One of the biggest shifts I’m seeing is a move away from that ultra-glossy glass skin we’ve all loved, and toward what I like to call healthy velvet skin,” says Quinn.
Deep Berry Lips
Fall always embraces darker makeup shades, and this year is no different. “Color this season feels richer and more sophisticated,” says Quinn. “I’m loving deep berry lips like blackberry, mulberry, oxblood and wine. They instantly feel like fall, especially when paired with fresh skin and simple eyes.”
Inky Accents
Bring a little bit of the fall/winter runway to your makeup look this season with inky accents, or “concentrated touches of black placed around the eye as a design element rather than traditional eyeliner,” says celebrity makeup artist Christian Briceno. “It can be a short stroke at the outer corner, a calligraphic line, an exaggerated piece through the lashes or even an unexpected accent through the brow. The rest of the eye can be almost bare.”
The good news? You don’t need a full graphic liner look to pull this off. “The runway versions can be very graphic, but the real-life interpretation might be a shortened black wing, one dense stroke at the outer third of the eye or a tiny piece of liner that appears only when the person turns their head,” he says. Start with just a little bit of eyeliner to avoid overdoing the look. “My biggest watch-out is adding too much,” he says. “If you add a thick wing, a heavy waterline, a smoky shadow and dramatic lashes, the accent disappears. It becomes a conventional black eye.”
Soft Smoky Eyes
The classic smoky eye has gone softer this season. “Think espresso, chocolate, olive, plum and charcoal with everything blended so there are no harsh edges,” says Quinn. “It feels romantic, modern and very wearable.”
Soft Wash Glow
No surprise here: “Blush continues to be one of my favorite ways to bring life back into the face,” says Quinn. “Instead of heavy contouring, I’m seeing soft washes of pink, rose and berry tones that give you that natural, healthy glow.” He recommends cream formulas because “they melt into the skin and keep everything looking fresh,” he adds.
Intentional Simplicity
This season isn’t just about new makeup looks—it’s also about what’s in your makeup bag. “Another shift I’m noticing is what I call intentional simplicity,” says Quinn. “Women don’t want a million products anymore. They want fewer, better ones with products that truly perform and make their routine feel effortless. It’s more about a curated approach than an overfilled makeup bag.”
Monochromatic Makeup
Combine monochromatic makeup with blush draping this fall—taking a “cool pink tone high along the cheekbones, out toward the temples and even onto the eyelids,” says Quinn. “After all the blush-draping conversation this summer, I think this cooler interpretation feels incredibly chic for fall and is a refreshing departure from summer’s bronzes and peaches.”
Undercorrected Eyes
As much of beauty goes more natural this year, the undereyes are getting the same treatment. This fall, rather than focusing on totally brightening the undereye area, let your makeup look a little more lived-in, as if you just woke up like this.
“The undercorrected eye is about treating some of the natural shadow around the eyes as part of the face rather than automatically treating it as something that needs to be erased,” says Briceno. “A little taupe, violet, brown, rose or blue underneath the eye can actually add depth and character to the face. Sometimes that coloring is already naturally there. Sometimes it is subtly reinforced with makeup. The important part is that the eye still looks considered and the skin around it looks healthy.”
He adds that natural pigmentation around the eyes can be “beautiful,” adding that “it can make the eyes look deeper, more expressive or even more sensual.” Essentially, you can still cover up your dark circles with this trend, but there’s no need to overly brighten several shades lighter than the rest of your skin.
