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Gen Z Says is a bimonthly column chronicling the latest trends in the fashion-and-beauty space through the lens of Who What Wear’s own Gen Z editors. Expect a download on the upcoming class of tastemakers, emerging designers, and shopping and style choices straight from the generation setting the trends.
For some, December marks the beginning of the end. The month is spent drawing one year to a close, celebrating another, and acknowledging all the good and bad things that come with both. For me, however, the month also signals a sort of rebirth for my appreciation for the fine arts onstage, in museums, and on my bookshelf. You can imagine how excited I was to discover that Pinterest’s 2026 trend predictions for beauty, fashion, and lifestyle included something dubbed the opera aesthetic with images of velvet theater seats, dimly lit aisles, and light-flooded stages followed by pictures of opulent perfume bottles, ethereal hair accessories, and elegant makeup kissed by candlelight. The entire trend feels like something straight out of Gaston Leroux’s 1910 classic novel The Phantom of the Opera.
“Enter: the opulent party. Dial up the drama with velvet drapery, red roses, and string quartets,” reads the description found beneath Pinterest’s featured board. As a lover of the extravagance, romance, and mystery of the opera, I found myself creating an entirely new Pinterest board dedicated to my interpretation of the trend as a beauty editor. My take leans into the trend’s softer, more whimsical side, evoking everything from the excited whispers behind the curtain to the dried flower bouquets hanging in dressing rooms to must-have beauty essentials, such as diffused blush, glitter-flecked nail polish, heady floral scents, and more. Interested in seeing the trend through a beauty editor’s eyes? Scroll on to see which products capture Pinterest’s predicted opera aesthetic best and how to bring it to life with or without ever stepping into a theater or having been in the midst of a prima donna.
Candelit Makeup
Chantecaille
Lip Definer in Chic
According to the countless images populating my Pinterest homepage just seconds after the words “opera aesthetic” have been entered into the search bar, the trend champions everything from just-bitten, glossy lips to their more matte and sculpted counterpart. The Lip Definer pencil will ensure your pout looks defined using a semi-matte, creamy formula. I like it in Chic, a deep merlot, the most.
bareMinerals
Nourishing Lip Oil in Indulge
I’m famously partial to finishing off my lip looks with a swipe of high-shine oil for a dewy look rather than opting for a gloss. (Admittedly, it’s usually a texture thing.) The BareMinerals Nourishing Lip Oil offers a cross between the two with and ultra-hydrating, nonsticky formula comprised of nine botanical oils and hyaluronic acid to soothe and condition. I’m obsessed with the sheer wash of color it delivers.
Armani Beauty
Fluid Sheer Glow Enhancer in Bronze Blush
To create a glow on the complexion that looks as if you’re surrounded by the gentle flicker of warm candlelight, opt for a lightweight complexion enhancer like this one by Armani. Designed to be applied as a targeted highlight or mixed with your skincare and foundation for added radiance, the Fluid Sheer Glow Enhancer blurs and illuminates the complexion with buildable coverage.
Victoria Beckham Beauty
Colour Wash Blush Water Tint
Pinterest’s trending opera aesthetic embraces the romance of the season, and I can’t imagine a better way to evoke the magic of the stage than with this long-wearing, watercolor-inspired liquid blush for a natural-looking flush. It delivers diffused color that can be blended into the skin using a brush or your fingers using activated water technology for mineral-rich hydration. I’ll be re-creating the trend with Vintage Rose, a universal berry mauve.
Makeup by Mario
Ethereal Eyes Eyeshadow Palette: Nature
Timeless Polish
Essie
Nail Polish in Odd Squad
Nothing brings the drama like a deep-brown manicure. Essie’s vegan Nail Polish in Odd Squad offers a rich coffee brown warmed by red tones with a creamy enamel formula for flawless coverage. The brand’s exclusive easy-glide brush allows for quick, even application to nails without streaking or skipping. While this has been one of my top picks for fall and winter, it also makes a great year-round neutral.
CND
Vinylux Longwear Polish in Married to Mauve
Moody manicures are always elegant, but there’s something special about seeing nails with a cool, berry-toned shade like CND’s Vinylux Long Wear Polish in Married to the Mauve. It looks magical during winter and fall. The long-wear polish is infused with vitamin E, keratin, and jojoba oil to condition and strengthen nails while promoting a healthy base for smooth color application. It’s also worth noting that it lasts for up to seven days without chipping.
OPI
Nail Polish in Kyoto Pearl
OPI’s Kyoto Pearl is one of those neutral nail polish shades that never falls out of style. The delicate and ethereal white satin is ideal for wearing to elevated events because it pairs well with everything and reflects light in a subtle, dreamlike way. To me, the polish looks best in candlelight. It complements all skin tones, but I think it looks especially nice on medium-deep ones.
Londontown
Lakur Enhanced Colour Nail Polish in Vibe
Pantone’s 2026 Color of the Year is Cloud Dancer, a soft, airy white symbolizing calm and clarity. While I’ll always be partial to neutrals, I’d like to present Londontown’s Lakur Enhanced Colour Nail Polish in Vibe, a jade green with licorice tendencies, as an alternate option. The polish uses a vegan, breathable, gluten-free, and cruelty-free formula for gel-like wear and shine.
Nailberry
L’Oxygene Oxygenated Nail Lacquer in Noirberry
Nailberry’s L’Oxygene Oxygenated Nail Lacquer in Noirberry evokes the lush velvet of theater seats in an opaque, deep red that is intense, opulent, and moody. It also uses an ultralight, breathable formula with patented technology that supports the health of your nails while allowing effortless application and a dazzling finish.
Idyllic Fragrances
Santa Maria Novella
Melograno Eau de Cologne
Scent Type: Spicy floral
Notes: Bergamot, bitter orange, fresh spices, pomegranate chord, rose, ylang-ylang, oakmoss, labdanum, patchouli, musk
Evoke the romance and mystery of the opera with this beloved scent by Santa Maria Novella. This is a blooming bouquet of lush florals, fresh spices, and sweet citrus with warm opening notes of bergamot and bitter orange against a heart of velvety rose, ylang-ylang and tart pomegranate. A complex base combines glowing patchouli, labdanum, and musk with dry oakmoss.
Jo Malone London
Scarlet Poppy Cologne Intense
Scent Type: Warm floral
Notes: Ambrette, scarlet poppy, iris, barley, tonka bean, fig
Drawing inspiration from the extravagant scarlet poppy blooms that call the steppes of West Asia their home, this Jo Malone London fragrance enhances the flower’s opulent scent with velvety-smooth iris and a splash of sweet tonka bean grounded by barley. A ravishing base is the result of combining succulent fig with decadent amber.
Diptyque
Do Son Eau de Parfum
Scent Type: Warm floral
Notes: Tuberose, orange blossom, jasmine, ylang-ylang, amberwood
If you gravitate toward soft florals warmed with spices, Diptyque’s Do Son is for you. Drawing inspiration from Vietnam’s bustling Haiphong market, this perfume opens with a heady blend of tuberose, jasmine, and ylang-ylang lifting off on a sea breeze, then is grounded with spicy amberwood. To me, it smells like white flowers against aged wood or perhaps a bouquet thrown lovingly onto a stage before the curtain falls.
Parfums de Marly
Valaya Exclusif Parfum
Scent Type: Fresh floral
Notes: Almond, bergamot, mandarin, orange blossom, white flowers, powdery facets, akigalawood, sandalwood, ambroxan, vanilla
Parfums de Marly’s floral-woody creation exudes sensuality, elegance, and refined luxury with a unique olfactory experience that combines alluring almonds, transparent white flowers, and creamy white woods. The sensual and warm notes are further enhanced with powdery ones, giving this one a velvety softness that wears beautifully on the skin and lingers in the room long after you’ve left it.
Penhaligon’s
Empressa Eau de Parfum
Scent Type: Fruity floral
Notes: Blood orange, bergamot, mandarin, peach, cassis, dewberry, rose, neroli, geranium, cardamom, pink pepper, black pepper, vanilla pod, cocoa, frankincense, amber, musk, woods, patchouli, sandalwood, maltol
Penhaligon’s Empressa Eau de Parfum smells like the grande finale, when the prima donna has held her last high note and the audience has been brought to their feet. Dramatic and colorful, this iconic scent is inspired by the beauty of precious silks, pearls, and fine fabrics that adorn women of influence. Its delicious notes of juicy peach, smooth vanilla, and shimmering blood orange (among a myriad of others) are practically dripping with elegance.
Elevated Accessories
France Luxe
Basic Side Comb Classic in Tokyo
In case you don’t hold a finger to the pulse of the runway beauty scene like I do, a side-comb renaissance is happening. The ’40s-meets-’80s hair accessory offers a sophisticated styling solution for keeping strands in place and adds a timeless elegance to any look. The Basic Side Comb is handcrafted in France and perfectly polished. Of the 12 colors currently offered by France Luxe, I’d wear it in Tokyo, brown tortoiseshell, for a night out at the opera.
Emi Jay
Hair Pin in Gold Tiara
Ideal for creating an effortless French chignon in seconds, this hair pin by Emi Jay is designed to work with all hair types. It helps guide your tresses into a chic updo with a versatile, polished metal design that won’t slide out of place. I love how Gold Tiara looks with my dark-brown knotless braids, but I’m already plotting to snag the same hair pin in other colors to grow my hair-accessory collection.
Lele Sadoughi
Peony Flower Claw Clip in Ivory
In my opinion, adding a delicate floral accessory to your chosen hairstyle for your night at the opera (or anywhere you’d like to wear this trend) is the epitome of romance. I keep coming back to this resin claw clip with a sateen peony flower in Ivory because it’s a fast way to elevate any outfit without sacrificing time or effort. Measuring four inches by four inches, it also happens to be a great size to support protective styles.
Lelet
Zoe Stone Mini Pony
A sleek ponytail or braid will always look chic, but accessorizing with art-inspired details can add dimension and intrigue to an otherwise simple style. The Zoe Stone Mini Pony, for example, is crafted from rhyolite jasper and framed with an eye-catching golden trim. It can be worn solo, stacked, or mixed and matched with other accessories (such as luxe pony cuffs) for an editorial finish.
Lelet
Glossy Draped Barrette in Rhodium
Another stunning accessory by Lelet I’d be lucky to have in my collection is its Glossy Draped Barrette. Available in Rhodium and Gold, the sculptural silhouette captures the look of molten metal with a modern design and high-shine flair. It’s striking yet refined and adds a fluid touch to the hairstyle of your choice for dressed-up moments. I would layer two of these for a fashion-forward take on the trend.
