The new season, AW26, is bringing a moodier tone to beauty, with makeup trends shifting towards deeper pigment, diffused definition, and a stronger emphasis on the eyes. Berry, plum, espresso, and oxblood are emerging as the season’s defining shades.
Sharon Drugan, a Dubai-based makeup artist, creative director, and educator, is well-placed to translate these trends into real life. With over 15 years of experience working with celebrities, editorial, and luxury beauty, her portfolio includes names like Sharon Stone, Lindsay Lohan, and Tyra Banks.
Adapting Beauty Trends for Everyday Wear
Sharon shares five ways to adapt AW26’s key beauty trends for everyday wear. One of the main trends is a more considered approach to luminosity, with skin remaining healthy and radiant but glow concentrated rather than spread across the entire face.
“In Dubai, the heat will naturally create shine throughout the day, so I am very specific about where I add luminosity,” Sharon says. “I keep it on the cheekbones and temples, while the forehead, nose, and chin remain fresh.”
To achieve a subtler result, Sharon suggests layering foundation lightly and adding opacity only on spots that require it. Instead of dusting powder over the whole face, dab it softly onto the T-zone, allowing the rest of the skin to retain its natural glow.
Softening the Sculpted Cheek
Bronzer still features in the AW26 look, yet the pronounced contoured cheek is being replaced by gentler, more blended hues. Runway collections showcased cranberry, rose, muted berry and terracotta shades, as well as light pink washes.
She advises applying blush a bit higher on the cheek and sweeping it toward the temple to create an uplifting, contemporary look. With bronzer, let the two tones merge gently instead of forming sharp color bands.
“Bronzer and blush do different jobs, so I wouldn’t say one has replaced the other,” Sharon says. “I still use bronzer to add warmth to the complexion, but the heavily carved cheek feels less current.”
The Smoky Eye and Deep Lips
AW26 brings the smoky eye back, using shades like espresso, plum, charcoal, gunmetal and deep green as milder options to pure black. Yet this year the style appears more relaxed, with liner placed near the lashes, shadows blended softly, and intentionally uneven edges.
To achieve a gentler version, she recommends keeping part of the natural eyelid exposed and slowly adding pigment around the outer eye. Selecting brown, plum or charcoal can add dimension while avoiding the harshness of black.
Another hallmark of AW26 is the deep-lip trend, featuring berry, raisin, wine and oxblood in looks ranging from subtle stains to fully opaque pigments. The secret to pulling off these classic autumn tones lies in tailoring the finish to the setting.
“A deep lip can be worn in completely different ways,” Sharon says. “For daytime in Dubai, I like berry or wine pressed into the lips, so the color looks softer. For evening, a full oxblood lip against clean skin can look incredibly beautiful.”
Her concluding tip is to avoid trying to incorporate all trends simultaneously. “If the eyes are smoky, I would keep the lip quieter,” she states. “Choose what you want people to notice first and build the rest of the makeup around it.”
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