4 min readfrom Latest from Marie Claire

The Best Venice Film Festival Beauty Looks Bring High Octane Glamour to the Red Carpet

Our take

The 2026 Venice Film Festival red carpet has ignited a new era of high-octane glamour, showcasing some of the year's most captivating beauty looks. From bold lip statements to ethereal hairscapes, the stars are redefining cinematic style. This year's trends prioritize confidence and artistry, moving beyond fleeting fads to embrace enduring elegance. Discover the looks that are setting the standard for red-carpet beauty, proving that a touch of artistry can elevate any ensemble.
 The Best Venice Film Festival Beauty Looks Bring High Octane Glamour to the Red Carpet

The return of awards season always brings a wave of anticipated glamour, and the 2026 Venice Film Festival is proving no exception. The red carpet has become a fertile ground for both established and emerging beauty trends, and this year’s iteration is already generating significant buzz. It’s fascinating to observe how these events increasingly serve as a testing ground for what will trickle down into wider fashion and beauty consciousness. Consider, for example, the rise of niche brands gaining visibility through celebrity endorsements – a phenomenon explored in Courting Is The Tennis Brand Fashion Girls Are Watching, demonstrating how strategic placement can elevate a brand's profile considerably. The heightened scrutiny and immediate global reach of these red carpets necessitate a deliberate and often meticulously planned approach to personal style, making the beauty choices particularly noteworthy. It's not simply about looking beautiful; it's about making a statement, and the Venice Film Festival, with its distinct European aesthetic, often encourages a more understated elegance than, say, Hollywood’s more maximalist approach.

This year's looks, according to reports, are leaning into a high-octane glamour that feels both modern and timeless. We’re seeing a move away from the overtly trendy and towards a refined sophistication—a return to classic techniques executed with exceptional skill. The emphasis seems to be on enhancing natural beauty rather than masking it, with a focus on luminous skin, sculpted features, and carefully considered hair styling. It aligns with a broader cultural shift towards authenticity and a rejection of heavily filtered or artificial appearances. Interestingly, this also echoes the thoughtful approach to personal style highlighted in I'm an Executive Shopping Director—These Are the New Fall Items I Keep Talking About (Chic!), where curated, high-quality pieces are prioritized over fleeting trends. The beauty looks at Venice are essentially a wearable extension of that philosophy – an investment in enduring style rather than a fleeting moment of visibility. The subtle nods to artistry and craftsmanship are what truly elevate these looks beyond mere aesthetics.

The significance of these beauty trends extends beyond the immediate visual impact. They reflect a broader cultural conversation about femininity, power, and self-expression. The shift towards understated glamour signals a move away from performative beauty and towards a more confident, self-assured approach. It’s a celebration of individual features and a rejection of unrealistic beauty standards. This resonates deeply with the current zeitgeist, where authenticity and self-acceptance are increasingly valued. The influence of personal style, even in a high-profile context like the Venice Film Festival, is undeniable. It sets a tone, inspires conversation, and ultimately shapes our collective understanding of beauty and elegance. Furthermore, the seemingly simple act of choosing a lipstick shade or a hairstyle can become a powerful form of self-expression, a quiet declaration of individuality in a world saturated with images. Even the playful, almost whimsical inspiration cited in was inspired by the strawberry chocolate i ate highlights the power of unexpected influences in shaping personal style.

Looking ahead, it will be fascinating to see how these trends evolve and influence mainstream beauty practices. Will the emphasis on refined glamour persist, or will we see a return to bolder, more experimental looks? The key will be to strike a balance between embracing individuality and adhering to a sense of timeless elegance. The Venice Film Festival has consistently served as a barometer for what's next in the world of beauty, and its 2026 iteration suggests a continued appreciation for quality, craftsmanship, and a quiet confidence that transcends fleeting trends. Ultimately, the question becomes: how can we translate this understated luxury and emotional depth into our own personal styles, creating a look that feels authentically *us*?

The start of September means we're easing our way back into awards season, and for the past few days—until 12 September—I'll be enjoying the best hair and makeup looks on the 2026 Venice Film Festival red carpet. There's just a certain something to the Italian event that coaxes out some of the most glamorous beauty moments of the year. Maybe it's because we're all not-so-secretly mourning the end of summer, celebrities included, that inspires a touch more glitz and glam. Whatever it may be, I know that we've only seen the start of the best beauty looks in Venice, from Old Hollywood-inspired curls (thank you, Brittany Snow) to the type of come-hither smokey eye that announces that, yes, you are so winning the breakup (ahem, Nina Dobrev).

Keep scrolling for plenty of hair and makeup inspiration courtesy of the 2026 Venice Film Festival red carpet, and stay tuned for more beauty updates over the next few days.

The Best Beauty Looks at the 2026 Venice Film Festival

Zazie Beetz

a black woman with long curly hair in a pink gown

With voluminous curls that defy gravity and an otherworldly glow to her skin, Zazie Beetz is schooling us all on rocking natural glam on the red carpet. (Image credit: Getty Images)

Amal Clooney

a white woman with dark brunette hair in a black gown

It may have been her husband, George, receiving the Lifetime Achievement Award in Venice this year, but my vote goes to Amal Clooney for her flawless cascading waves. (Image credit: Getty Images)

Bianca Balti

a white woman with a short brown bob in a pink dress and wings

Angelic indeed! Bianca Balti paired a razor sharp bob in espresso brunette with her angel wings in Venice, like a true supermodel. (Image credit: Getty Images)

Nina Dobrev

a white woman with a slick bun in a black and green gown

With the sleekest slick back of the season and fierce smokey eyes, Nina Dobrev proves this lethal beauty combination never fails on the red carpet. (Image credit: Getty Images)

Maggie Gyllenhaal

a white woman with a dark brown bob in a black gown

Another flawless glam combo! Maggie Gyllenhaal makes the case for a soft smokey eye and artfully waves bob. (Image credit: Getty Images)

Brittany Snow

a white woman with blonde hair in a black plunging gown

Petition to have Brittany Snow rock a kiss curl for the rest of the year! She looks oh-so-chic on the Venice red carpet, and her soft glam makeup is the perfect addition. (Image credit: Getty Images)

Laura Dern

a white woman with blonde hair in a pink gown

The Oscar-winner basically wrote the book on wearing bangs on the red carpet. Laura Dern's buttery blonde color is also the perfect summer send-off. (Image credit: Getty Images)

Claire Foy

a white woman with brown hair in a red gown with red lipstick

I present, Claire Foy in the most perfect shade of red. I'm all for the monochrome trend when your red lipstick is this stunning. (Image credit: Getty Images)

Why Trust Marie Claire

For more than 30 years, Marie Claire has been an internationally recognized destination for news, fashion, and beauty trends, investigative packages, and more. When it comes to the products Marie Claire recommends, we take your faith in us seriously. Every product that we feature comes personally recommended by a Marie Claire writer or editor, or by an expert we’ve spoken to firsthand.

Read on the original site

Open the publisher's page for the full experience

View original article