Behind the scenes of the CHANEL Spring-Summer 2027 show, the makeup artists composed faces of light and restraint: dewy skin, lids in jade, rose and Paris grey, a stroke of gold, and lips that move from a white balm to Rouge Feu.
A runway look begins long before the first model steps out. For the Spring-Summer 2027 show, CHANEL Beauté opens the doors of its backstage with a series of portraits and still lifes, along with the complete list of products used to build the looks. The images speak of hands at work: a brush pressed to a cheekbone, a palette left open on the table, a lipstick stamped with the name of the House. For readers in the Gulf, where beauty is a daily art and a fine eye for detail is second nature, this backstage offers a precise reading of the season to come.
CHANEL at a Glance
- Founded in Paris in 1910 by Gabrielle Chanel, with the Chanel Modes hat boutique on rue Cambon.
- Perfume since 1921, with N°5 created alongside perfumer Ernest Beaux.
- Makeup since 1924, when the first powders and lipsticks were created.
- Watchmaking since 1987, from the Première to the J12 in ceramic.
- Spring-Summer 2027 backstage: five models featured and twenty-six products listed by CHANEL Beauté.
CHANEL, 1910-2026: The House in Ten Milestones
The Canvas: Skin Prepared for the Light
Every look on this runway rests on a complexion worked with a light hand. The base is Les Beiges Water-Fresh Complexion Touch, laid down with the 2-in-1 Foundation Brush Fluid and Powder N°101, so that the skin keeps its own texture and glow. Les Beiges Serum Concealer refines the details, applied with the Retractable Dual-Ended Concealer Brush N°105.
Warmth arrives through Joues Contraste Intense in Beige Éclatant, swept on with the Precision Powder Brush N°107. The structure of the face is then drawn with the Baume Essentiel trio: Transparent for a fresh sheen, Sculpting to shape the cheekbones and Perlescent to catch the light on the high points. Neige d’Or, from the Holiday 2026 collection, completes this luminous architecture with the Retractable Highlighter Brush N°111. The portrait of Bhavitha Mandava, brush on the cheek, captures this moment of preparation, when the skin becomes a surface for light.
Eyes in Jade, Rose and Paris Grey
The brows are defined with the Stylo Sourcils Haute Précision, for a precise and natural line. On the lids, three shades of Ombre Essentielle compose the palette of the season: 228 Rose Charnel, 222 Jade Facetté and 230 Gris Paris. Each one brings its own temperament, from the tenderness of rose to the cool clarity of grey.
Ruyu Chen’s lids carry a pale jade sheen, a watercolour wash rather than a graphic shape, which leaves the eye open and luminous. Elsewhere, the grey is paired with a single line of gold.
That gold comes from Le Liner Éclat Doré, also from the Holiday 2026 collection. Traced along the lash line, as on the eye of Noor Khan, it adds a precious accent to the softest of shadows. The effect recalls the finishing touch of a goldsmith: a fine thread of metal that lifts the whole composition.
Lips: From Dreamy White to Rouge Feu
The lip story moves between two poles. For the softest looks, Rouge Coco Baume in 912 Dreamy White brings a tender, cared-for finish. For the most assertive looks, CHANEL turns to Rouge Allure Velvet in two reds: 57 Rouge Feu and 56 Rouge Charnel. The Dual-Ended Lip Brush N°300 draws the contour with precision.
The portrait of Jacqui Hooper, smiling, with a vivid matte red, shows how a single strong colour can carry an entire face when the skin and eyes stay luminous and light. It is a lesson in balance that CHANEL has refined since its first lipsticks, created in 1924, and that readers will recognise from the long-wearing Le Rouge Duo Ultra Tenue.
The Hands: A Camellia Base and Four Lacquers
The manicure follows the same discipline. La Manucure de CHANEL La Base Camélia prepares the nail, and Le Gel Coat completes the ritual. Between the two, four shades of Le Vernis echo the palette of the face: 445 Blanc Alpin from the Holiday 2026 collection, 157 Phénix, 155 Rouge Noir and 153 Pompier, a progression from white to gold to the deepest reds.
The pairing is deliberate. A white lacquer answers the white balm, while the reds of Le Vernis respond to Rouge Feu and Rouge Charnel on the lips, so that hands and face speak the same language.
The Faces of the Show
CHANEL Beauté names five of the models photographed backstage: Sasha Zobdinov, Bhavitha Mandava, Noor Khan, Jacqui Hooper and Ruyu Chen. Each portrait shows a different interpretation of the same vocabulary, proof that the look adapts to every face and every complexion. The still lifes, with their open palettes, brushes and lipsticks, invite the reader into the working space of the makeup artists.
Three of the products carry the Holiday 2026 name: Neige d’Or, Le Liner Éclat Doré and Le Vernis 445 Blanc Alpin. The runway thus offers an early glimpse of the festive season, in gold and white. To follow the House’s beauty moments, discover also Ayo Edebiri’s CHANEL Beauty look at the 2026 Emmy Awards, and explore the CHANEL makeup collections on the website of CHANEL.
Frequently Asked Questions
What makeup products did CHANEL use for the Spring-Summer 2027 backstage looks?
CHANEL Beauté created the SS27 looks using Les Beiges Water-Fresh Complexion Touch as a base, Ombre Essentielle eyeshadows in Rose Charnel, Jade Facetté and Gris Paris, and Rouge Coco Baume or Rouge Allure Velvet lipsticks. The collection also featured Le Liner Éclat Doré from the Holiday 2026 collection and specialty brushes including the Foundation Brush, Concealer Brush, and Lip Brush.
When did CHANEL introduce makeup to its product line?
CHANEL launched makeup in 1924, when the House created its first powders and lipsticks. The brand has been refining its approach to colour and finish for over a century, as exemplified in modern products like the long-wearing Le Rouge Duo Ultra Tenue.
What was the inspiration behind the eye makeup for the Spring-Summer 2027 show?
The eye palette drew from three refined shades of Ombre Essentielle—jade, rose, and Paris grey—each bringing its own temperament from tenderness to cool clarity. The designs ranged from pale jade applied as a watercolour wash to grey paired with a precious accent of gold traced along the lash line, recalling the finishing touch of a goldsmith.
