The 18th-Century Beauty Look That’s Bang On Trend For 2026 – And How To Achieve It

The Wuthering Heights revival has brought us many things: memories of our first encounter with a classic book; Margot Robbie in a major (and on-theme) red-carpet wardrobe; and a romantic beauty look that is set to have modern Heathcliff-types weak at the knees. In further proof that beauty trends are cyclical, this year is all about the 18th-century face.

An era that’s often defined, aesthetically, by Marie Antoinette – overt rouge set atop lead-powdered skin, elaborate hair towering high on her head – that look was falling out of favour as the 1900s approached. “There was a big push against extravagance and over-the-top hair and make-up,” explains make-up artist and beauty historian, Lisa Eldridge. “It became the subject of satire and started to look distasteful and frivolous.”

Emily Brontë published Wuthering Heights in 1847, but her story unfolds much earlier, in the late 18th to early 19th century, a point when everything was changing. Restraint and looking natural were signs of virtue and purity. “There was an idea that fresh, neoclassical looks made you a good person,” Eldridge notes. “There were a lot of moral arguments around character – basically, if you wore loads of make-up, you were probably a terrible person.”

What followed is the kind of beauty most of us love today, centuries later. Think luminous skin, a soft flush across cheeks and lips and – in Cathy’s case – the look of love. From skin treatments to subtle colour placement, here’s our slightly more rigorous, 2026 take on the 18th century aesthetic.

Heroine skin

While Cathy and her contemporaries were only just getting to grips with the concept of soap – “people didn’t really bathe then, but soap was becoming more inexpensive, so you could at least wash your face and hands for a fresh look”, notes Eldridge – modern women are lucky enough to have facialists and skin experts at our disposal.

According to aesthetic practitioner Dr Karen Doherty, healthy skin starts with finding a routine that truly suits your complexion – and sticking with it. “Barrier repair is something I place huge emphasis on,” she explains. “When it’s healthy, the skin functions better, looks clearer, and tolerates both actives and in-clinic treatments far more effectively.”

Her advice? Prioritise regular moisturising, avoid over-cleansing, and introduce active ingredients gradually to prevent the skin from tipping into overwhelm.