The 2026 Victoria’s Secret Angel Look Is All About Volume, Glow, and Shimmer

The runway’s signature bouncy blowout got a fresh twist this year, and the makeup leaned into even more sparkle. Here’s how the backstage team brought it all to life.

The Angels have descended once again on the runway of the 2026 Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show. The event, held at Sony Pictures Studios in Culver City, California, on October 18, saw models like Gigi Hadid, Alex Consani, Precious Lee, Adriana Lima, Anok Yai, Alessandra Ambrosio, Ashley Graham, Barbara Palvin, and Candice Swanepoel hitting the runway and performers Katseye, Tate McRae, Megan Moroney, and Megan Thee Stallion taking the stage.

The models during the 2026 Victoria's Secret Fashion Show from left to right: Paloma Elsesser, Kylie Jenner, Anok Yai, Ashley Graham, Doutzen Kroes, Alessandra Ambrosio, Elsa Hosk and Barbara Palvin | Source: Getty Images

One of the night’s surprise highlights was Kylie Jenner’s debut on the show, wearing the iconic Victoria’s Secret Fantasy Bra, which Claudia Schiffer first wore in 1996 and which hadn’t appeared on the runway since 2018. The bra, made of precious metal and stone, is estimated to be worth $50 million.

Apart from the onstage highlights, there was also a lot going on backstage, where models like Paloma Elsesser, Consani, and Yai were spotted wearing satin robes and sky-high rollers as they got ready for the runway.

Alex Consani and Paloma Elsesser with rollers and in pink robes backstage at the 2026 Victoria's Secret Fashion Show on October 18, 2026 | Source: Getty Images

Harper’s Bazaar spoke to lead hairstylist Guido Palau and makeup lead Pat McGrath about this year’s looks, which can be summed up in three words: volume, glow, and shimmer.

Volume

Big, bouncy hair is a Victoria’s Secret signature, and this year was no exception. Palau made sure to deliver the signature hairstyle, with models wearing rollers to achieve the bouncy blowout, and using hairspray, volumizing products, and a few extensions for extra lift.

According to Palau, this year’s look had an added twist. “The aesthetic includes the mega blowout combined with a celebration of natural textures and curls,” Palau told Harper’s Bazaar. “A modern take, luxury without limitation.”

A model getting the big, bouncy blowout backstage during the 2026 Victoria's Secret Fashion Show | Source: Getty Images

Glow

Returning as the show’s makeup lead for the second year, McGrath made sure the Angels glowed with radiant skin. Her approach was to build the complexion in delicate layers so it looked luminous but refined. “The complexion needs to feel polished but never heavy,” she said. “I want the skin to catch the light beautifully, both on the runway and on camera.” To complete the look, she added a few dabs of moisturizer to each model’s cheekbones for extra dewiness.

Imaan Hammam glows backstage during the 2026 Victoria's Secret Fashion Show | Source: Getty Images

Shimmer

But glowing skin was only the beginning. McGrath said, “This year we’re embracing glamour in a more dazzling way,” describing the look as “beautiful, radiant skin paired with incredible shimmer, and gorgeous lashes that bring a real sense of drama to the eyes.”

A close-up of a model's makeup backstage at the 2026 Victoria's Secret Fashion Show | Source: Getty Images

McGrath sees the Victoria’s Secret runway as “the perfect place to celebrate beauty that is unapologetically glamorous, playful, and full of fantasy.”

And she’s all about adding fresh details rather than simply recreating past looks. “There’s such an extraordinary heritage to draw from, and I love finding fresh, modern ways to bring it to life,” she said. “It’s an evolution, never a repetition.”