These French Beauty Trends Will Define the Year Ahead

If there is one country that provides endless style inspiration for beauty trends, France will undoubtedly top the list for many of us. From their wardrobes and sense of effortlessness that comes with everything that French women do, from their hair down to their nails and the French beauty essentials they acquire (if I’m visiting Paris, then I cannot resist a visit to a French pharmacy to top up my skincare).

It’s unsurprising, then, that the rest of the world looks to them for beauty inspiration. And as a beauty journalist, I’m obliged to look to them for French beauty trends for 2026 as part of my day job. But on a personal level, I’m always looking to French women for timeless beauty inspiration when I want to refresh my beauty routine.

So what French beauty trends can we expect to see in 2026? After scrolling through the feeds of the chicest French women I know, looking at the launches of French beauty brands and going through the SS26 Paris shows with a fine-toothed (French) comb, these are the French beauty trends we can expect to give us all the inspiration this year.

1. French Pins

When I saw the hair at The Row’s SS26 last year, I just knew we’d be seeing more and more French hair accessories. Lo and behold, French pins, French combs and French hair sticks have been flooding my feeds of late, which are perfect for securing your hair into a French twist or chic updo in mere seconds. You’ll find many stores in Paris selling beautiful ones in horn and tortoisehell-style finishes, but you don’t need to hop on the Eurostar to get one. Thankfully, more and more French pins and French side combs are cropping up on UK shores, too.

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2. Objets d’Art

If there’s something that all the French women I’ve met have, it’s a perfectly curated beauty collection. Even the most mundane of beauty objects they own wouldn’t look out of place inside the Louvre. Think lip balm cases embossed with their initials in gold to hairbrushes that look like heirlooms. In 2026, the French are inspiring me to invest in beauty products that upgrade every-day moments into luxurious ones.

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3. Bouche Mordue

One of the biggest makeup trends of 2026 is blurred lips, but it’s a makeup look that French women have been doing for years. In fact, they call it “bouche mordue”, which translates as “bitten lips”. Usually, you could achieve it by applying lipstick and blotting away the excess, but now, a new generation of blurred lipsticks means you can get a French-kissed look in one swipe from your bullet, simultaneously giving you the softening texture of a lip balm. My personal favourite is the Violette_FR Bisou Balm (which I was first introduced to by a Parisian, who pulled it out of her handbag) and creates a blurred, lived-in look that is both chic and low-maintenance.

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4. Milky Manicures

It’s no secret that French women always have impeccable nails. And as I scroll through the most stylish French feeds, it’s clear that the milky manicure isn’t going anywhere for 2026. The key is to look for a sheer, creamy white—as opposed to opaque white—which brightens the nail plate and is like “no-makeup” makeup for your nails. It’s one of the chicest nail colour trends around.

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5. Birkin Bangs

ICYMI, fringes are big, big news for 2026. The French have always championed fringes, but the reach of Birkin bangs (inspired by French icon Jane Birkin) continues to inspire the rest of the world, and just about every hairstylist I speak to has tipped their return for this year. So if you’ve been thinking of trying a fringe, take this as your sign to call the salon.

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