All the Backstage Beauty Details From the 2026 Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show

The angels are officially among us, now that the 2026 Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show has arrived. This year, the annual event takes place at Sony Studios in Los Angeles and is packed, as usual, with several can’t-miss performances, one-of-a-kind celestial wings, and, of course, plenty of glamorous hair and makeup looks.

It’s no surprise that supermodels and Bazaar cover stars, like Paloma Elsesser, Alex Consani, and Anok Yai, were spotted backstage wearing personalized satin Victoria’s Secret robes paired with sky-high rollers, a method used by hair lead and celebrity stylist Guido Palau and team to achieve the runway’s signature bouncy blowout look.

For maximum lift, Palau turned to backstage staples like L’Oréal Paris Elnett hairspray, Color Wow’s Dream Coat Supernatural spray, and the brand’s Xtra Large Bombshell Volumizer, plus a few extensions for added volume. “The direction for the 2026 Victoria’s Secret show is to celebrate the ultimate expression of luxurious healthy hair,” the stylist tells Bazaar. “The aesthetic includes the mega blowout combined with a celebration of natural textures and curls. A modern take, luxury without limitation.”

To give the angels an ethereal, otherworldly glow as they stomp down the catwalk, Dame Pat McGrath has returned for a second year in a row as Victoria’s Secret’s makeup lead. “Working with Adam and Guido is always such a joy. They’re great friends, and we have this wonderful, almost unspoken language creatively,” McGrath explains of their recent collaboration. “We share a love of transformation, glamour, and creating a complete vision where every detail works together. This year, we wanted to embrace the extraordinary fantasy of Victoria’s Secret, with beautiful, luminous skin, dazzling shimmer, and gorgeous lashes. It’s about celebrating that iconic glamour while bringing a fresh, modern energy to the runway.”

A spotlight-worthy glow is always in the cards on the Victoria’s Secret runway, and this year is no exception. But instead of crafting glowing skin for its own sake, the artist says that elevated radiance and playful sparkle set the stage for bombshell beauty in 2026. “Glow is absolutely part of the story, but this year we’re embracing glamour in a more dazzling way,” continues McGrath. “Think beautiful, radiant skin paired with incredible shimmer, and gorgeous lashes that bring a real sense of drama to the eyes. I adore the transformative power of light—how a touch of sparkle can make a look feel almost otherworldly. For me, it’s about that magical balance between a luminous, beautifully perfected complexion and the excitement of something truly spectacular. The Victoria’s Secret runway is the perfect place to celebrate beauty that is unapologetically glamorous, playful, and full of fantasy.”

The artist considers luminous, hydrated skin the perfect canvas for any makeup look, and building the skin’s base in delicate layers to strike the right balance between radiance and refinement is key. “With shimmer and beautiful lashes playing such an important role in the overall glamour, the complexion needs to feel polished but never heavy. I want the skin to catch the light beautifully, both on the runway and on camera,” she continues. For an intense but not-too-smoky statement eye, McGrath used a soft eyeliner, like the Pat McGrath Labs PermaGel Ultra Glide Eye Pencil, around the angels’ eyes, then smudged it out before topping their lids with shadow. She finished the look with glossy lips and a few dabs of moisturizer on each model’s cheekbones for extra dewiness.

“For me, it’s about continually reinventing the iconic Victoria’s Secret glamour I’ve created over the years. There’s such an extraordinary heritage to draw from, and I love finding fresh, modern ways to bring it to life,” adds the artist. “It’s an evolution, never a repetition. By playing with texture, proportion, color, and light, even the smallest adjustment can transform a familiar look into something completely new. That’s where the magic happens!”

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