The 2026 Awards Season Was All About One Major Beauty Trend: Nostalgia

As a '90s baby, no one is happier than I to see nostalgic trends like the jelly aesthetic and accessories like butterfly clips make a comeback. There's a growing shift in the air — a return to the beauty trends of the late 1990s and early 2000s because, despite what we previously thought, many of them have stood the test of time, with many possibilities for modern takes.

While platforms like TikTok are a gold mine for throwback makeup and hair trends, it isn't just the masses taking a stroll down memory lane. This awards season has been packed with celebrity takes on nostalgic trends — from oversized hair bows to temporary tattoos and exciting variations of classic styles like the french manicure.

It's even evident in the commercials. Just take Dove's "Let Your Body Body" ad, which premiered at the 2026 Grammys and promotes its new Dove Alcohol Free Whole Body Deodorant ($14) to the iconic tune of The Pussycat Dolls' "Don't Cha." (Luckily, editor-in-chief Kelsey Castañon confirms, the spray deodorant is nothing like the retro kind you'd smell in middle school locker rooms.)

On the red carpet, stars like Hailey Bieber, Jenna Ortega, and Chappell Roan leaned in. They couldn't resist the opportunity. Whether you were obsessed with Bieber's brown lipstick or Roan's jaw-dropping temporary back tattoos, take a look below at every nostalgic trend these celebrities backed on the 2026 award show circuit.