At the 2026 VMAs, the Smoky Eye Went Full Charcoal

At the 2026 MTV VMAs, Charli XCX, Teyana Taylor and several other guests chose eyes lined and shaded in deep, sooty black. When that many faces share one look, the archive notes it: a single night of dark eye makeup is worth watching as a possible start to a trend. Charcoal is also a sensible choice for a room full of flashbulbs, because it stays visible at a distance and in close-up alike. We'll be looking for that coal-dark eye at the next arrivals.

With reporting from WWD.