After the ultra-shiny glass skin and the ultra-blurred cloud skin, a new makeup fad is essential this season for those who dream of a chic complexion that is never too showy. Coming from the fall-winter 2026 fashion shows spotted by Who What Wear, this trend has a muted, almost tactile rendering, which is more reminiscent of a winter sweater than an Instagram highlighter.
Cashmere Makeup: a velvety complexion between matte and light
This look is called Cashmere Makeup.
French Vogue describes a “velvety, diffuse and subtly matte finish, which blurs imperfections without freezing the features“. The challenge is clear: leave the very luminous effects of glass skin for a velvety complexion, soft to the eye and to the touch, built around warm neutrals. It is this promise of discreet luxury, perfect for fall-winter, which makes it the trend to follow.
Concretely, Cashmere Makeup seeks to “reproduce on the skin this downy touch and this visual softness which make a cashmere sweater unique, without ever weighing down the features“, summary French Vogue.
The complexion remains between matte and light, without switching to the clear shine of glowy looks. The contours blend together, the transitions are soft, no line is sharp: the whole thing creates a very flattering soft-focus effect, as if a slight photo blur were placed on the face.
In terms of colors, the palette draws from the fall wardrobe: cocoa brown, taupe, warm beige, caramel, old pink, without forgetting the “icy brown” tones. These shades can be applied everywhere, from the crease of the eyelid to the cheekbones to the lips, for a face enveloped in the same cozy tones, like a well-designed total cashmere look.
How to adopt cashmere makeup step by step?
The basis of the look is texture. French Vogue
recommends prepping the skin with a mattifying primer like Erborian Matte Moisturizer, then evening out with a soft-effect foundation. Apply a small amount with a brush or sponge, then set only where needed with a light powder, before using a setting spray to blend all the layers.
On the cheeks, cream-to-powder blushes provide diffused color, without demarcation. Eyelids prefer satin shadows, never glittery. For the lips, leave aside the mirror gloss and choose a soft colored veil.
The idea remains the same from start to finish: each material must blend into the previous one, without excess thickness.
The pitfalls that break the Cashmere Makeup effect
A key point: no harsh lines. Ultra-strong contouring, a very clear line of liner or overly defined eyebrows instantly break the cashmere effect.
Same thing for shimmering bases, very metallic highlighters and chunky glitter eyeshadows, which bring the face back towards glass skin while cashmere makeup lives in a subtle zone, between matte and light.
The quantity of powder also requires measurement. On oily skin, a targeted veil is enough to maintain comfort without freezing the features. On dry skin, focus on hydration and lighten powdery textures as much as possible.
In any case, if the complexion begins to appear “plastered”, we move away from the cashmere sweater effect and fall into the big rigid coat, which is precisely what this trend seeks to avoid.