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Isa Briones traded her scrubs for something more ethereal at the 2026 Emmys.
The “Pitt” star arrived at Los Angeles’ Peacock Theater Monday night in a metallic olive vintage Prada gown from the house’s fall 1998 collection, complete with black trim and delicate beaded detailing. Styled by Jessica Paster, the archival look set the palette for a glowing, barely-there makeup look by celebrity makeup artist Allan Avendaño, who used Merit Beauty products to play up the gown’s bronze tones.
“Isa’s gown really set the tone for her glam,” Avendaño said. “It had a Greek goddess feel, so makeup called for glowing skin that made her look like a magical angel.” The goal, he added, was an “effortless subtle glam” that defined Briones’ features while incorporating the color of the dress into her eyes.
For those eyes, Avendaño skipped traditional primer and swept Merit’s Solo Shadow in Sartorial ($26) across Briones’ lids for a soft bronze wash rather than a sharply defined smoky eye. He dabbed the brand’s Day Glow Highlighting Balm ($32) into the inner corners for what he described as a “fairy-like twinkle,” then lightly defined her brows with Brow 1990 Sheer Gel Pencil in Taupe ($24). Two coats of Clean Lash Lengthening Mascara in Black ($28) on the upper lashes — and a lighter coat underneath — finished the look and emphasized Briones’ green eyes.
The real focus, though, was the skin. Avendaño prepped Briones with Merit’s Great Skin Glow Serum ($42), using the serum during a gua sha facial massage before moisturizer and eye cream. Rather than cover the complexion with a full layer of foundation, he used two shades of the brand’s Minimalist Perfecting Complexion Stick ($38): Bisque through the center of the face and beneath the eyes and Palomino around the perimeter.
That two-shade technique gave the skin subtle dimension while preserving a skin-like finish. Merit’s Bronze Balm in Seine ($32) added warmth, followed by a combination of Flush Balm in Bespoke and Archival ($30 each). Avendaño swept Bespoke from the apples of Briones’ cheeks toward her temples and brow bone, then concentrated Archival on the cheeks for a deeper flush.
The lips followed the same less-is-more formula. Avendaño softly traced Briones’ lips with Merit Signature Sheer Lip Liner in Mayfair ($24), then blurred the line with his finger rather than leaving a crisp border. He stippled Signature Lip Blush in Archival ($28) over top, gradually building it into what he called a “just bitten” finish.
The occasion marked another victory lap for Briones and her “Pitt” castmates. The HBO medical drama entered the 78th Emmys as the year’s most-nominated series with 25 nominations and ended the night by winning Outstanding Drama Series for the second consecutive year. Noah Wyle also repeated as Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series. Combined with four Creative Arts wins the previous weekend, “The Pitt” took home six Emmys for its second season.
Briones was not individually Emmy-nominated this year — despite “The Pitt” scoring a remarkable 13 acting nominations — but her performance as the ambitious Dr. Trinity Santos was among the season’s more conspicuous omissions. Four of her female co-stars, Taylor Dearden, Fiona Dourif, Katherine LaNasa and Sepideh Moafi, earned Supporting Actress nominations, while Patrick Ball, Shawn Hatosy and Gerran Howell were among the men recognized for their performances.