We are in the throes of a romance resurgence: Readers are devouring love stories en masse (romance was one of the most-consumed audiobook genres on Everand and Spotify in 2025), and the genre is inspiring big-screen adaptations (like the upcoming The Love Hypothesis, starring Lili Reinhart). People are also finding love in places they never expected (like hockey rinks, thanks to Heated Rivalry).
Yes, reading romance is hot right now in more ways than one, and it’s showing in the latest beauty trends too. With the much-anticipated releases of Wuthering Heights, Dracula: A Love Story, and Practical Magic 2, hair and makeup are leaning toward the “dark-romance” aesthetic for 2026. But unlike the dark-romance trope in novels and fanfiction, which centers on taboo relationships and morally gray characters, these looks are less about shock value and more about heightened emotion. They imply physical intimacy in some way: tousled hair, a blushy blush, and smudged liner—a good, old-fashioned romp (or the thought of one).
But the inspiration for the dark-romance beauty trend goes beyond today’s love-story-heavy zeitgeist. Joseph Carrillo, a New York City-based makeup artist, sees it as a collective desire for escapism. “The world is in chaos,” he says. “We’re tired. We’ve been living with hyper-edited faces and overdone routines for years. Romantic makeup lets people look human again. It’s about mood, feeling, identity.”
Devin Toth, a New York City-based hairstylist, adds that the renewed appetite for romance reflects a longing for connection. “People are tired of feeling so detached,” he says. “They’re ready to embrace desire and beauty in real life again.”
We’re in our yearning era, folks. Here’s how it’s showing in our hair and makeup.
Makeup
Dark-romance makeup isn’t about depth of color, though it could literally be dark, if you so desire. It’s about the mood. “It’s emotional, not theatrical. Dark, but soft,” says Carrillo, who sees it as “cheeks flushed but not contoured, and lips that look kissed, washed with gloss or softly stained.”
Margot Robbie’s makeup in Wuthering Heights, by hair and makeup designer Siân Miller, captures this perfectly. Robbie’s character, Cathy, appears with soft, balmy lips and noticeably flushed cheeks. “We wanted a weather-beaten look for the characters,” Miller previously told Allure. She used Rare Beauty Soft Pinch Liquid Blush, Merit Flush Balm, and Pat McGrath Labs Divine Cream Blush on Robbie’s cheeks throughout the film. Robbie’s blush during the press tour also has this vibe, but in a more wearable-for-everyday way.
Courtesy of Warner Bro. Pictures
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