Elle Fanning has a tried and true rhythm when it comes to red carpet glam: a rosebud blush, dewy skin with her freckles on show, and a statement lip. Her lip shades of choice oscillate from a glossy posy pink to a bold crimson. On the red carpet for the Margo’s Got Money Troubles premiere, she matched her lipstick to her suave suiting.
The actor stepped out in a full Givenchy fall 2026 look, wearing a navy pinstripe double-breasted suit and a floating red leather tie around her neck. Her long blonde hair—by longtime hairstylist Jenda Alcorn—was parted just off the middle, and worn glossy and straight. Makeup, by Tyron Machhausen, coordinated her lip to elevate the look far beyond corporate chic. The precisely lined lip was a multi-layered, wintry tomato red. (It was also Fanning’s 28th birthday, so a long-lasting lippie was tantamount for tackling that brilliant birthday cake and enjoying the celebrations.)
“I blended a couple of shades to get this look,” says Machhausen. The New York-based Chanel makeup artist is a deft hand at an expertly shaped, super hydrated lip, working on the likes of Sarah Paulson, Alysa Liu, and Anne Hathaway. “I began with a brick-toned shade to line the lips. Then, I added a brighter orangy shade towards the center, which gave a lovely highlight and added depth for a more three-dimensional effect.” The rest of her makeup was kept classic to allow the lip to shine, with a muted contour and glowy skin, dark eyelashes, and a soft-touch slick of eyeliner.
The Elle Fanning beauty playbook leaves room to play, with a statement lip her chosen focal point. Often working with Machhausen and makeup artist Erin Ayanian Monroe (who also does her sister, Dakota Fanning), the rest of Elle’s glam stays more minimal but nonetheless refined, with a radiant complexion that emphasizes her freckles and softly diffused, sunburn-like blush in delicate pink tones on her fair skin. It’s the perfect glow every time. Eyeliner is used sparingly, with natural, fanned out eyelashes.
This shade of red works so well because of the high contrast and color pop effect against her fair skin and blonde hair. Rather than being dusty, muted, or (like the current red carpet beauty trend dictates) blurred, it’s also clear and vivid, studiously lined. Fanning is blessed enough that she can afford to be color agnostic when it comes to a statement lip too: raspberry reds, oxbloods, soft berry, and carnation pink work just as well for her.
The power of a red lipstick cannot be understated—a simple swipe of crimson or cerise has the ability to totally transform any look. Want to emulate this Elle Fanning beauty banger? “To make the lipstick last, I pressed a single layer from a tissue onto the lips,” explains Machhausen of her premiere beauty. “I then brushed over the tissue with translucent powder and repeated this process twice. The tissue absorbs some of the oils in the lipstick, and the powder really sets it, ensuring it lasts all night.” Take notes!
