Sepia makeup has replaced beige as the defining nude shade of autumn 2026, according to French cosmetics expert Nolwenn Quintin of beauty brand Aime.
The warm, patinated brown tone, which recalls vintage photographs, has emerged as the season's central beauty trend, warming the complexion across the lips, cheeks, and eyelids where conventional beige often washes out the face.
Quintin explained that while beige can flatten facial features when it sits too close to natural skin tone, sepia introduces subtle depth and dimension without appearing heavy or artificial. The trend was captured during autumn fashion presentations by photographer Matteo Valle as makeup artists moved away from pale neutral palettes.
The difference between sepia, taupe and bronze
Model Bhavitha Mandava showcased the aesthetic backstage at Chanel for the spring and summer 2027 collection, demonstrating how the muted earthy tone sculpts features under runway lighting.
Quintin described sepia as a warm, slightly desaturated brown carrying reddish-orange or ochre undertones. She noted that it is an earthy, muted, and velvety shade that provides rich depth while remaining soft against the skin.
The shade differs significantly from conventional browns, taupes, and bronzes. Quintin pointed out that standard brown lacks the hint of red and the patinated finish that soften sepia. Taupe leans toward grey and cooler temperatures, whereas sepia shifts toward a warm reddish-orange.
Texture also sets sepia apart from bronze cosmetics. While bronze is typically golden, metallic, or pearlescent and designed to reflect light, sepia relies on pigment depth with soft matte or satin finishes.
Why sepia replaces beige in nude makeup
Beauty editors Alexandra Venison and Amandine Lhoste previously noted that brown has returned in force across mascaras, eyeliners, and eye pencils as a gentler alternative to black, setting the stage for earthy neutrals across the entire face.
Celebrities including Hailey Bieber have embraced warm nude looks on social media, reflecting growing dissatisfaction with beige lips that can erase the mouth. Quintin noted that sepia subtly redraws facial features because it mimics the natural undertones found within human skin, allowing the wearer to display a livelier complexion rather than obvious makeup.
The movement extends the revival of 1990s nude aesthetics seen in recent seasons. Quintin recalled that 1990s beauty was not limited to cold beige or cool taupe, citing the warm brown lipsticks worn by actress Jennifer Aniston during that decade.
Quintin explained that sepia easily recreates that lived-in appearance, delivering life and dimension without looking overly engineered. The tone also supports monochrome beauty routines across red carpets and fashion shows, where diffused edges and smoky eyes blend directly into the complexion.
How to match sepia tones to skin tone
Runway presentations such as Cult Gaia for spring and summer 2027, catalogued by Launchmetrics Spotlight, confirmed that the shade flatters all complexions when makeup wearers adjust the intensity to their skin tone.
Quintin confirmed that fair complexions require a softer sepia lightened with a touch of pink or peach to maintain freshness. Medium, golden, and olive skin tones pair best with terracotta or ochre variations that meld naturally into the skin, while darker complexions benefit from deep mahogany and warm chocolate tones that provide warmth and structure.
For beginners, Quintin recommended starting with the lips as the easiest entry point. She advised that a softly blended lip pencil or a sepia lipstick instantly warms the face without creating a stark or harsh line.
Key lip products include the Prada Monochrome Soft Matte Lipstick in shade B103 Auburn, priced at 50 euros, which delivers a velvety finish.
Shoppers can also select the Aime Le Contour Lèvres lip liner in the shade Sepia for 24 euros, designed to define the lip contour with precision.
For a satin texture, the Louis Vuitton Satin Lipstick in shade 108 is available for 140 euros.
Product choices for cheeks and eyelids
Applying a sheer veil of sepia blush across the cheekbones serves as the next step, immediately creating a healthy glow across the face.
Options for the cheeks include the Ilia Multi-Stick, sold for 42 euros at both Sephora and Space NK, offering a cream formula that blends easily onto the skin.
Powder blush selections include Charlotte Tilbury Cheek to Chic powder blush, available at Sephora for 48 euros.
Prada offers the Prada Touch cream-to-powder blush in the shade Dahlia for 45 euros.
Budget options include the Unlimited Blush from Kiko Milano, priced at 14 euros.
Once comfortable with the shade, makeup wearers can introduce sepia across the eyelids. Quintin advised applying the colour in a diffuse halo across the mobile lid with heavily blended borders, creating a gentle method to give depth to the eyes.
Palette choices include the Anastasia Beverly Hills Genesis eyeshadow palette, retailing for 59 euros at Sephora.
Liquid and cream alternatives include the Armani Beauty Eye Tint in shade 26S Copper for 37 euros at Shop Now, alongside the Charlotte Tilbury The Super Nudes Easy Eye Palette, priced at 63 euros directly from Charlotte Tilbury or 65 euros at Sephora, and the Hourglass Ambient Lighting Edit Unlocked palette, sold for 109 euros at Sephora.
Common application mistakes and evening techniques
Quintin warned against two common application mistakes when working with sepia. The primary danger is creating a tired-eye effect, which occurs when fair skin is paired with an overly vibrant red undertone worn alone across the eyelids.
To prevent the eyes from appearing irritated or exhausted, Quintin recommended choosing a muted sepia and framing the eyes with a luminous concealer, dark brown or black mascara, and an optional chocolate pencil along the lash line.
Supporting products for this technique include the Aime lash care tubing mascara, priced at 29 euros at Aime and 29.90 euros at Sephora.fr, the Lancôme Le Crayon Khôl eye pencil for 19.90 euros at Nocibé, and the Rabanne Multi-use Luminous Finish concealer for 29 euros at Sephora.
The second frequent error is using sepia as a contouring product. Quintin explained that sculpting facial hollows requires cool shades like taupe that replicate natural shadows, whereas warm sepia should be applied to the rounded curve of cheekbones to infuse warmth. Chanel Les Beiges Touche de Teint, priced at 67 euros, complements this technique.
For evening looks, Quintin recommended adding depth and contrast while maintaining a fresh, luminous complexion by focusing on either the mouth or the eyes. For the lips, she advised sketching a darker outline blended inward around a brighter sepia center to recreate the contrast of 1990s lip styling.
For evening eye makeup, Quintin instructed wearers to keep sepia across the mobile eyelid while applying a black or chocolate pencil along the lash line and waterline, followed by generous mascara, allowing lash-line contrast to define the gaze while preserving sepia's natural warmth.
