L’Oréal Paris opened the 79th Festival de Cannes in unmistakable style, with ambassadors Heidi Klum, Alia Bhatt, Carlos Sainz, Jane Fonda, Philippine Leroy Beaulieu and Gong Li climbing the Palais steps together on day one. As Official Makeup Artist partner to the Festival since 1997, the brand once again used the Croisette to showcase its vision of universal, science powered beauty on cinema’s most global red carpet.
A star powered first day on the Croisette
The 2026 Festival de Cannes runs from 12–23 May, with L’Oréal Paris returning as Official Beauty Partner for the 29th consecutive year. On the opening day, a cross generational lineup of L’Oréal Paris “family” members including Heidi Klum, Alia Bhatt, Carlos Sainz, Jane Fonda, Philippine Leroy Beaulieu and Gong Li ascended the iconic red carpet steps, drawing global attention across fashion, film and beauty media.
Images and video from Elle and other outlets show the group posing together on the terrace of Hôtel Martinez and in front of the Palais, each in distinct looks that reflect their personal style while sharing a common thread of polished, luminous makeup. It is this mix of diversity and cohesion that anchors L’Oréal Paris’ Cannes storytelling: different faces, one beauty language.
Nearly three decades as Cannes’ makeup artist
Since 1997, L’Oréal Paris has been the official makeup artist to the Festival de Cannes, responsible for creating beauty looks for jury members, invited guests and its own ambassadors throughout the event. Led today by global makeup director Val Garland, a team of more than 30 international makeup artists crafts around 1,700 makeup looks over the course of the festival, making up roughly 200 guests and jurors morning and night.
The partnership allows the brand to debut new formulas, textures and shades directly on the red carpet, positioning innovation from longwear foundations to transfer proof lipsticks and high impact mascaras as intrinsic to its Cannes presence. At the same time, the collaboration is framed as a cultural commitment: celebrating cinema and championing women’s voices on one of the world’s most watched stages.
Beauty as a platform for female storytelling
For 29 years, L’Oréal Paris has used Cannes as a platform to promote women’s empowerment, inclusivity and self worth, encapsulated in its “Because you’re worth it” and #CreateTheBeautyThatMovesTheWorld platforms. The brand brings together ambassadors from different cultures and generations – from Jane Fonda and Gong Li to Alia Bhatt and other regional voices – to embody a diverse, global vision of beauty.
In 2026, L’Oréal Paris is also presenting the sixth edition of the Lights On Women’s Worth Award, judged by ambassador Gillian Anderson, which highlights short films by emerging female directors. This initiative sits alongside its red carpet work, reinforcing that the brand’s Cannes presence is as much about who is behind the camera as who is in front of it.
Where glamour meets science
The brand describes its Cannes mission as bringing “what’s new in beauty” backed by L’Oréal’s R&D to the film industry’s most international gathering. From long wearing base products that withstand spotlights and Mediterranean humidity to skincare infused lip colors and eye products, the looks seen on the 2026 opening night act as a live runway for the latest L’Oréal Paris launches.
By pairing these innovations with a cast that spans supermodels, Oscar winners, F1 drivers and global film stars, the brand underlines its message: high performance, accessible beauty belongs to everyone, not only to those on the red carpet. The first day of Cannes 2026, with Heidi Klum, Alia Bhatt, Carlos Sainz, Jane Fonda, Philippine Leroy Beaulieu and Gong Li sharing the steps, set that tone for the days to come.
