Jessie Buckley's Sparkling Blonde Pixie Is the Ultimate Short Hair Inspiration at the 2026 Oscars

Glossy and sleek is the name of the game.

jessie buckley oscars
(Image credit: Getty Images)

Jessie Buckley’s beauty looks are taking a more experimental turn lately, which makes her Oscars appearance all the more fun to watch. Between her gothic couture moment during the London The Bride! premiere and the softer elegance of her Hamnet appearances, the Best Actress nominee has been moving between aesthetics with A-lister ease. Tonight, Sunday, March 15, at the 2026 Academy Awards, Buckley arrives at the Dolby Theatre as a nominee for her performance in Hamnet in one of her most playful beauty looks yet.

For Hollywood’s biggest night, she wore her hair in a super sleek, side-parted blonde pixie polished to a mirror-like shine—the kind of glossy finish that makes a short cut feel especially striking on the Academy Awards carpet (and on par with her nomination). I also can’t help but see this as a bit of a spring beauty trend preview: glassy hair in shades of "sparkling blonde" and makeup that features bright pops of color.

It’s a fun choice for Buckley, who pairs the short chop with a vibrant red lip that mirrors the scarlet fold of her two-tone Chanel gown, tying the entire look together.

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Jessie Buckley at the 98th Annual Oscars held at Dolby Theatre on March 15, 2026 in Hollywood, California.

Jessie Buckley at the 98th Annual Oscars held at Dolby Theatre on March 15, 2026 in Hollywood, California.

(Image credit: Getty Images)

The contrast works beautifully: the sculpted pixie keeps the look modern, while the bold lipstick and dramatic neckline bring the glamour. Buckley perfectly balances playful and polished on the red carpet, without sacrificing on fun for the big night. Her envious "sparkling blonde" hair color was created using Schwarzkopf's professional line by Jacob Schwartz. As for the rest of her glam, Buckley's skin is luminous and glowing, with a minimal eye look that has a touch of highlight in the inner corners.

And if you've ever wanted to know how an A-lister smells on one of the most important events of their career, her go-to hairstylist, Bryce Scarlett, clued us in: he layered Initio Parfums Privés Hair Perfume and Extrait de Parfum in Musk Therapy for a soft, skin-like scent—the perfect cherry on top to what's set to be a huge night for the actress.

Shop Buckley's Look

Siena Gagliano
Beauty Editor

Siena Gagliano is the Beauty Editor at Marie Claire, where she writes and edits reported features, trend stories, and expert-backed shopping roundups. Before joining the team full-time, she was an editor at Cosmopolitan, where she specialized in SEO-first beauty content and commerce strategy. Her bylines have also appeared in Allure, ELLE, Bustle, Well+Good, Popsugar, and Women's Health, covering everything from the best products for brighter, glowier skin to the science behind face mapping. Curious about the behind-the-scenes magazine life and her go-to beauty picks? Follow her on Instagram at @sienagagliano.