The 2026 Grammys Red Carpet Is Hyper-Fixated on Bleached Brows, Braids, and Intentionally Dark Under-Eye Circles

Off to a strong start.

collage of best looks from the grammys
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Well, Awards Season is officially in high gear. Currently up on the circuit: the 68th annual Grammy Awards, which are taking place on Sunday, February 1. The guest list—which includes everyone from Sabrina Carpenter to Lady Gaga—is a strong indicator that the beauty looks will deliver more than the average red carpet.

The current batch of winter beauty trends are in full effect. I'm seeing dark under-eye circles (confirming that tired girl makeup is very in), red hair, and lots of fringe. But let it be known that glam this good takes a whole team of top-tier pros to execute. Ivan Pol spent three days prepping Carpenter's skin (it shows), Andrew Dahling has been brainstorming Chappel Roan's look since she was named a MAC ambassador last month, and I can only imagine Nikki Nelms and Teyana Taylor have been waiting for the perfect moment to break out this hair look.

Because I live and breathe beauty for a living, I was able to get the inside scoop on the products and techniques that brought these looks together. To discover everything you ever wanted to know about the best Grammy Awards beauty looks—from tips and tricks to the products used—scroll ahead.

Olivia Dean

maekup at the grammys

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The "Man I Need" singer has had quite the year. To kick off her first Grammy Awards, she teamed up with Tangle Teezer to get these gorgeous knot-free curls. And if I had to guess, she's also wearing Burberry Her perfume.

Sabrina Carpenter

maekup at the grammys

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These wispy face-framing pieces (brought to us courtesy of Redken hair products) are the perfect compliment to this stunning berry lip. I'll be recreating this entire vibe for my Valentine's Day glam.

Chappel Roan

maekup at the grammys

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Roan is taking her newest gig as MAC ambassador very seriously. This is up there in my favorite glam ever for the singer, and that's saying something. The tightline and heavy blush combo is just too good.

PinkPantheress

best looks at the grammys

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The British singer is the embodiment of winter hair trends: honey blonde hair color, a messy updo, and French girl fringe.

Ciara Miller

best looks at the grammys

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The Summer House star arrived on the red carpet with a deep smoky eye, shadow on her lower lash line, and gorgeous braids.

Karen Wazen

best looks at the grammys

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This is probably my favorite eye makeup look of the night so far, brought to us by makeup artist Anthony Merante, who used a full Anastasia Beverly Hills kit. To get the look, go for a mauve-brown shadow (he used Embers Eye Shadow Palette and the new Glidr Shadow Stick in Dusty Rose and Cocoa Drip) and drag it under the lower lash line with a thin, flat brush.

FKA Twigs

best looks at the grammys

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The red hair! The bleached brows! But if you look close enough, you'll see the best part of this glam: the metallic eyeshadow accent along her lower, inner corner.

Kehlani

best looks at the grammys

(Image credit: Getty Images)

If you needed proof that side parts are back, just look to Kehlani. (PSA: if you need tips on how to get volume this good, I just dropped my favorite volumizing products last week.)

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Samantha Holender
Senior Beauty Editor

Samantha Holender is the Senior Beauty Editor at Marie Claire, where she reports on the best new launches, dives into the science behind skincare, and shares the breakdown on the latest and greatest trends in the beauty space. She's studied up on every ingredient you'll find on INCI list and is constantly in search of the world's glowiest makeup products. She's constantly tracking the biggest nail and hair trends to pop up in the beauty space, going backstage during fashion weeks, tracking celebrity looks, and constantly talking to celebrity hair stylists, nail artists, and makeup artists. Prior to joining the team, she worked as Us Weekly’s Beauty and Style Editor, where she stayed on the pulse of pop culture and broke down celebrity beauty routines, hair transformations, and red carpet looks. Her words have also appeared on Popsugar, Makeup.com, Skincare.com, Delish.com, and Philadelphia Wedding. Samantha also serves as a board member for the American Society of Magazine Editors (ASME). She first joined the organization in 2018, when she worked as an editorial intern at Food Network Magazine and Pioneer Woman Magazine. Samantha has a degree in Journalism and Mass Communications from The George Washington University’s School of Media and Public Affairs. While at GWU, she was a founding member of the school’s HerCampus chapter and served as its President for four years. When she’s not deep in the beauty closet or swatching eyeshadows, you can find her obsessing over Real Housewives and all things Bravo. Keep up with her on Instagram @samholender.