Last Week’s Best Beauty Looks Expanded The Language Of Red-carpet Glamour

February 24, 2026

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Black women have long approached red carpets and editorial sets as spaces for reinterpretation. Last week proved no different. Across premieres, magazine spreads, and especially at the just-concluded 2026 BAFTA Film Awards, beauty looks took the lead with striking originality. Retro references resurfaced with sharper edges, while familiar glam codes were rewritten with confidence. Above all, what stood out most was the sense of freedom—freedom to flip the ’90s on its head, to let natural hair take up space, and to move seamlessly between softness and structure without apology.

Moreover, there was a clear rhythm to the week’s beauty direction. Smoky eyes carried echoes of decades past. Deep-lined lips nodded to vintage glamour. Sculptural updos and feathered flips reminded us that Black hair has long shaped trend cycles, often years before the mainstream catches up. Taken together, the looks were both archival and entirely current.

The Looks

Makeup

Keke Palmer leaned fully into ’90s beauty nostalgia with a smoky eye crafted from deep purples and warm browns blended through the crease and outer corners. To brighten the gaze, a lighter shimmer highlighted the inner lid, while sharp liner along the lower lash line added definition and edge. Meanwhile, her complexion carried warmth through terracotta blush and subtle contour, creating depth without overpowering the look. The lip pairing (dark liner filled with matte plum or burgundy) sealed the nostalgic mood. It was a confident callback to an era when contrast and sculpted definition ruled beauty.

Teyana Taylor entered the 2026 BAFTA beauty conversation with a look that balanced bold structure and softness. Her smoky, feline-shaped eye served as the centerpiece, framed by strong brows and voluminous lashes. In addition, a defined cat-eye liner sharpened the gaze while cooler undertones added subtle dimension. She paired the dramatic eye with a throwback lip—deep brown liner topped with a nude gloss that delivered a glossy, vinyl-like finish. The overall result was deliberate and controlled, honoring retro influence without sacrificing modern clarity.

Hairstyles

At the center of the BAFTA beauty narrative, Wunmi Mosaku embraced her natural texture through a formal yet architectural updo. Her hair was parted cleanly down the middle, then shaped into two voluminous, rounded puffs positioned high on either side of her head. A silver-toned cuff accent placed along the part introduced a subtle but effective detail. Most importantly, the style allowed texture to take up space on a global red carpet, reinforcing how natural hair continues to redefine elegance on its own terms.

Victoria Monét’s editorial hairstyle explored layered volume with a nostalgic nod to decades past. A deep side part immediately introduced drama, while feathered ends flipped outward around her shoulders in soft motion. Additionally, the rich brown base threaded with caramel highlights brought warmth and dimension to the style. A sweeping fringe framed her face, echoing retro beauty icons while still feeling contemporary. Ultimately, the look demonstrated how vintage references often find new life through thoughtful updates in texture, movement, and proportion.