You usually go to a fashion show for fashion inspo. This time was no different, except Allure Philippines also walked away just as inspired by the beauty looks.
At Bench Fashion Week Holiday 2026 Day 1 last September 26, 8Seconds, Urban Revivo, and Cotton On each used hair and makeup to tell their own story.
8Seconds channeled a back-to-school mood—hoodies, long skirts, cropped jackets, and button-downs in a muted palette of gray, navy, and brown, with pops of red and pink. The hair and makeup kept to that same put-together finish: sharp and precise, from micro bangs to a blunt bob, softened by feathery brows, fluttery lashes, and warm eye shadows.
Urban Revivo took a street-style approach, working denim micro minis and cutoffs, plaid tops, and long-sleeved layers into the mix. The hairstyles were just as varied, with hair ranging from long, glossy strands to gentle layers. Meanwhile, makeup leaned warm and dewy.
Cotton On went the most playful route with tiered skirts, caps, bandanas, gingham babydoll dresses, and colorful pieces in yellow, teal, light blue, and plum. The beauty looks followed suit, mixing braids, curls, and a full platinum moment into the lineup. Makeup, for the most part, stayed soft with terracotta lips and champagne lids.
Whether you’re after something sharp, soft, or playful, here are 11 looks worth trying for yourself.
Micro bangs
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Mixed prints from a pale pink patterned skirt and a gray polka-dot sweater made for a quirky base. Still, the graphic micro bangs served as the real attention-grabber, further highlighted by sleek brows and oblong-shaped glasses.
Sharp-edged bob
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This bob leaned blunt and structured, with sheer, oversized brown sunglasses giving it an almost futuristic edge. Take the glasses off, though, and the eyes tell a softer story: feathery brows, fluttery lashes, and a warm wash of eye shadow.
Bronzed skin
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Bronzed morena skin, paired with high-shine hair that swished from side to side with every step, brought the recent bebot beauty revival to mind. The runway looks parted hair down the middle and warmed up the face with warm-toned blush and eye shadow, finished with a shiny nude lip.
Layered cuts
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Face-framing layers are a simple way to soften shoulder-length hair. No bluntness, just soft movement. The texture keeps the ends looking light, giving the haircut a natural lift.
Tousled, wavy bangs
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Excel Panlaque
The tousled hair brought the same youthful ease as the clothes. Bangs softly curled onto the forehead, adding volume and a tousled, almost boyish look.
Natural curls
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Natural curl patterns, from loose coils to tighter, more defined ones, took center stage here, worn loose and full. Nude lips and understated makeup let the hair do the talking. For a styled-up version, add a bandana tied around the crown.
Braids and twists
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Small rose gold braid cuffs accented the braids, while a hair scarf added extra texture alongside loose, flowing ringlets. Braids also showed up on men, styled as twists with sections wrapped around each other, paired with a sharp eyebrow slit for an edgier finish.
’90s-inspired spiky bun
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This look channeled ’90s mall-rat beauty: a light yellow halter, dark terracotta lip, defined cheekbones, and lined eyes, topped off with a bun styled with fanned-out, deliberately spiky ends for a full throwback. Multiple lobe piercings and an industrial piercing lent a hint of rebellion.
Braided pigtails
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Tomboy-meets-girly: this Y2K-esque look styled hair into pigtails, each further split into two braids. The cap brought a sporty edge, balanced by shiny silver hoops, bronzed cheeks, and a brown nude lip.
Full, wispy lashes
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Full, wispy lashes framed brown eyes, the true heart of this sweet girl-next-door look. Long, bouncy curls were styled in a side part, with two snap clips holding back one side to keep the face open without flattening the volume elsewhere.
Bleached blonde hair
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At first glance, this look is all about contrast: bleached, textured blonde hair against dark brows, contoured cheekbones, and brown sunglasses. That is until you see the manicure, made to match the outfit: a teal star nail echoing the star on the shirt, and studded nails picking up on the chunky metal-and-pearl necklace.
Frequently Asked Questions
Bench Fashion Week Holiday 2026 Day 1 on September 26 featured micro bangs, a blunt bob, bronzed morena skin, layered cuts, tousled wavy bangs, natural curls, braids and twists, a spiky bun, braided pigtails, wispy lashes, and bleached blonde hair across 8Seconds, Urban Revivo, and Cotton On.
Bebot-inspired hair, as seen at Urban Revivo and 8Seconds, means pin-straight, high-shine strands parted down the middle, worn with bronzed morena skin, amber-toned blush and eye shadow, and a shiny nude lip. The look revived the recent bebot beauty trend on the runway.
Makeup at Cotton On mostly stayed soft, with terracotta lips, champagne lids, bronzed cheeks, and brown nude lips. The hair carried the playfulness—braids, curls, and a full platinum moment—while nude lips and minimal makeup let natural curls stand out.
Face-framing layers soften shoulder-length hair with soft movement rather than bluntness. Urban Revivo and 8Seconds showed layers that keep the ends light with natural lift, while 8Seconds also sent out a blunt, structured bob for anyone who prefers a sharper finish.
Accent braids with small rose gold braid cuffs and add a hair scarf for texture alongside loose ringlets. For natural curls worn loose and full, a bandana tied around the crown makes a styled-up version, as seen on the Cotton On runway.
