Megan Thee Stallion performed at the 2026 Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show on October 18, and her Victoria’s Secret makeup quickly became one of the most talked-about beauty moments of the night. The look paired fresh, glowing skin with a shimmery smoky eye, a sharp black wing, a warm flush on the cheeks, and a nude lip outlined in brown. It read as full glam while the skin still looked like skin.
Below, we walk through each part of the Megan Thee Stallion Victoria’s Secret makeup look, explain why it works, and show you how to recreate it with your own kit. The photos in this guide are styling inspiration for similar looks, not images from the show.
The Look at a Glance
| Feature | What Megan Wore | Why It Worked |
| Skin | Glowing, seamless base with targeted loose powder | Looked radiant under stage lights without heavy coverage |
| Cheeks | Layered peach and toffee cream blush with coral and pink powder blush | Gave a warm, sun-kissed flush with depth |
| Eyes | Shimmery smoky shadow, bright inner corners, sharp black wing | Combined softness with clear definition |
| Lashes | Bold black mascara | Kept the eyes visible from a distance and in close-ups |
| Lips | Cocoa brown liner with a caramel nude gloss | Defined the lips without competing with the eyes |
| Hair | Big, bouncy bombshell blowout | Matched the glamour of the show |
Glowing Skin That Still Looked Like Skin
The complexion set up everything else. According to Byrdie, Shin used YSL Beauty Skin Affair Soft Glow Cushion Foundation in shade 11, Touche Éclat concealer in Luminous Honey, and Hyper Luminize Highlighter in Libertine Light. The aim was smooth, radiant skin with a glow that seemed to come from within.
Shin’s tip for the cushion foundation was to apply it in small tapping motions. Tapping presses product into the skin and builds coverage in thin layers, so you can add more only where you need it. To recreate it, prep with a hydrating moisturizer, tap on a light layer of a dewy foundation, spot conceal around the nose and under the eyes, and place a liquid or powder highlighter on the tops of the cheekbones and the bridge of the nose.
Setting Powder Kept the Glow in Place
A glowing base still needs to hold up under stage lights and a long night. Shin finished the skin with YSL Beauty All Hours Hyper Blur Loose Powder in shade 2 and told Byrdie it was the key to keeping Megan’s makeup flawless all night. She also said it locked the foundation and cream blush into place.
The trick for your own version is placement. Press a finely milled loose powder through the center of the face, around the nose, on the chin, and under the eyes with a velvet puff, then sweep away the excess. Leave the high points of the cheeks with less powder so the glow stays visible. This works especially well for combination and oily skin, which tends to break through dewy makeup by mid-evening.
Cream and Powder Blush Layered for a Sun-Warmed Flush
Megan’s cheeks got their warmth from four blush shades. Shin layered Make Me Blush cream blush in Peachy Nude and Toffee Temptation with Make Me Blush powder blush in Honeymoon and Coral Clash. She said the tones were chosen to give a natural flush, like the color skin picks up after time in the sun.
Her technique is easy to borrow. Stipple cream blush onto the highest point of the cheekbones with a stippling brush, blend it up and out toward the temples, then tap over it with a damp makeup sponge so it melts into the foundation. A light dusting of powder blush on top deepens the color and helps it last. Placing blush high and lifted keeps the face looking awake and works with a winged eye.
A Shimmery Smoky Eye With Soft Edges
The eye makeup was smoky and shimmery while still looking light. Shin used two YSL Beauty Couture Mini Clutch eyeshadow palettes, Kasbah Spices and Over Noir, to build depth and add sparkle.
To recreate it, start with a warm brown in the crease and blend it well past the edges. Press a deeper brown or soft black into the outer corner and along the upper lash line, then diffuse it upward with a clean brush so there are no hard lines. Pat a shimmery bronze or champagne shade onto the center of the lid with your finger for the most shine. Keep the darkest color close to the lashes and away from the brow bone so the eye looks bigger and the overall effect stays soft. For a moodier take, our dark siren makeup ideas push this kind of smoky eye even further.
Inner-Corner Shimmer Brightened the Whole Eye
One of the details Byrdie pointed out was a dab of shimmer at the inner corners of Megan’s eyes. It is a small step, and it makes a big difference with a smoky eye. The bright point of light opens up the eye area and keeps darker shadow from making the eyes look heavy or small.
Use a light, reflective shade such as champagne, soft gold, or pale pearl. Tap it onto the inner corner with a small detail brush or your ring finger, keeping it close to the tear duct and blending it slightly onto the lid. On deeper skin tones, golden or peachy shimmers look brighter and avoid a chalky cast. On lighter skin, champagne and pale pink shimmers work well. The same trick shows up in many of our goddess makeup ideas, which rely on luminous, light-catching eyes.
A Sharp Black Wing Gave the Eye Structure
Byrdie called Megan’s wing impressively sharp, and it gave the soft, smoky shadow a clear shape. Shin used YSL Beauty Lines Liberated Waterproof Eye Pencil for the liner.
A waterproof pencil is a smart choice for a long night, and it is easier to control than liquid liner for many people. To recreate the wing, line the upper lash line first, then draw a short flick that follows the angle of your lower lash line toward the end of your brow. Connect it back to the lid and fill in the gap. Smudge the line slightly into the outer shadow if you want it softer, or clean up the tip with a cotton swab and micellar water for a crisp point.
Bold Black Lashes Framed the Smoky Eye
Shin finished the eyes with YSL Beauty Lash Latex Mascara in Unbridled Black. Defined, separated lashes made the eyes stand out on the runway while letting the shimmer and liner still show through.
To get a similar result, curl your lashes first, then apply two coats of a lengthening black mascara, wiggling the wand at the roots and pulling it through to the tips. Focus extra coats on the outer lashes to extend the line of the wing. If you want more drama for a night out, add a pair of wispy individual lashes or a lightweight strip to the outer half of the eye. Skip heavy, dense strips, which can cover the shadow and liner you worked to build.
A Brown-Lined Nude Gloss Lip With a Retro Feel
The lip combo balanced the eye. Shin outlined Megan’s lips with YSL Beauty Lovenude Kiss Shaper Sculpting Lip Liner in Cocoa Flirt and filled them with Candy Glaze Lip Gloss Stick in Nude Lavalliere, which Byrdie describes as a nude caramel. A deeper liner around a lighter, glossy center is a combination long associated with late ’90s and early 2000s beauty, and it has been popular again for the past few years.
To recreate it, choose a lip liner a few shades deeper than your natural lip and trace just along the lip line. Soften the inner edge with a lip brush so it fades into the center. Fill in with a caramel or soft nude gloss. Because the eyes already carry a lot of shimmer and depth, this glossy nude finish keeps the look from feeling too heavy. Our nude makeup looks have more ways to wear this soft, neutral direction.
The YSL Beauty Products Used
| Step | Product | Shade |
| Foundation | Skin Affair Soft Glow Cushion Foundation | 11 |
| Concealer | Touche Éclat concealer pen | Luminous Honey |
| Highlighter | Hyper Luminize Highlighter | Libertine Light |
| Setting powder | All Hours Hyper Blur Loose Powder | 2 |
| Cream blush | Make Me Blush Hydrating Cream Blush | Peachy Nude, Toffee Temptation |
| Powder blush | Make Me Blush 24-Hour Buildable Blurring Powder Blush | Honeymoon, Coral Clash |
| Eyeshadow | Couture Mini Clutch Eyeshadow Palettes | Kasbah Spices, Over Noir |
| Eyeliner | Lines Liberated Waterproof Eye Pencil | Black |
| Mascara | Lash Latex Mascara | Unbridled Black |
| Lip liner | Lovenude Kiss Shaper Sculpting Lip Liner | Cocoa Flirt |
| Lip gloss | Candy Glaze Lip Gloss Stick | Nude Lavalliere |
Source: product names and shades as reported by Byrdie on October 19, 2026. Byrdie did not name a shade for the eye pencil, so check the current range before you buy. Product names and availability can change.
How to Recreate the Look With Your Own Products
You do not need the exact YSL Beauty kit to get this effect. Placement and finish matter more than brand. Start with a dewy, medium-coverage foundation applied in thin, tapped-in layers and conceal only where needed. Set the center of the face with loose powder and leave the cheekbones glowing. Add a warm cream blush high on the cheeks and lock it in with a matching powder blush.
For the eyes, blend a soft brown into the crease, deepen the outer corner with a darker brown or black, press shimmer onto the lid, and brighten the inner corners. Finish with a sharp black wing and two coats of black mascara. Line the lips with a cocoa pencil, soften the edge, and fill in with a caramel or soft nude gloss. The result works well for parties and big nights out, and it fits right in with our New Year makeup looks.
How to Adapt the Colors to Your Skin Tone
Shin picked her shades for Megan’s complexion. To translate the look to yours, copy the relationships between colors instead of the exact shades. Pick a blush that shows up clearly without turning chalky, an inner-corner shimmer that reflects light without leaving a white cast, and a lip liner that is noticeably deeper than your gloss.
On deeper skin tones, rich cocoa, espresso, bronze, copper, and warm coral shades keep the same contrast. On medium skin, toffee, terracotta, and warm peach work well. On lighter skin, taupe brown, rose brown, soft peach, and champagne create a similar effect without overpowering your features. For a pinker, more romantic version, our Valentine makeup looks include glossy lips and soft smoky eyes.
Why This Glam Worked
The look had to read from far away on a runway, last through a live performance, and still look beautiful in close-up photos. Contrast on the eyes and lips made the features visible at a distance. The glowing skin and nude gloss kept the face looking fresh. Strategic powder added staying power without dulling the finish. Each feature was polished, and none of them overwhelmed the others.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who did Megan Thee Stallion’s makeup for the 2026 Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show?
Celebrity makeup artist Diana Shin created the look using YSL Beauty products, according to Byrdie.
What was the inspiration behind Megan’s makeup?
Shin told Byrdie she wanted a soft, smoky, sultry eye with glow and a bit of shimmer, plus skin that looked seamless and not too heavy.
What eyeshadow did Megan wear?
Byrdie reports that Shin used YSL Beauty Couture Mini Clutch eyeshadow palettes in Kasbah Spices and Over Noir, with shimmer added to the inner corners.
What lip combo did Megan wear?
Shin used YSL Beauty Lovenude Kiss Shaper Sculpting Lip Liner in Cocoa Flirt with Candy Glaze Lip Gloss Stick in Nude Lavalliere.
How did the makeup last through the show?
Shin applied the foundation and blush in thin, tapped-in layers and set the look with All Hours Hyper Blur Loose Powder, which she called the key to keeping the makeup flawless all night.
What made the smoky eye look soft and not heavy?
Shimmer on the lid, bright inner corners, glowing skin, and a glossy nude lip balanced the darker shadow. The wing added shape without needing dark shadow across the whole lid.
Can I recreate the look without YSL Beauty products?
Yes. Match the finish and placement: a dewy base, warm layered blush, a shimmery smoky eye, a sharp black wing, defined lashes, and a brown-lined nude gloss lip.
The Takeaway
The Megan Thee Stallion Victoria’s Secret makeup look worked because every layer had a job. Glowing skin, lifted warm blush, a shimmery smoky eye, a clean black wing, bold lashes, and a brown-lined nude gloss added up to full glam that still looked fresh. To get the same effect at home, keep the glow on the high points, put depth where the eyes need shape, and finish with a defined, glossy neutral lip.
