Ariana Grande's Beauty Evolution Serves Signature *Lewks*

After a six-year hiatus, Grande looked every bit like a fairy princess at the 2024 Met Gala, wearing custom petal wing appliqués on her face.

“It’s all about dreaming and fantasy,” her MUA Michael Anthony told Vogue, adding, in part, that the focus was “a timeless glam that incorporated the mother-of-pearl effect of her stunning outfit.”

Said ‘fit — a custom Loewe by Jonathan Anderson — was equally mystical, as it was partly inspired by two works from Italian painter Sandro Botticelli that, according to Ari’s stylist Mimi Cuttrell, evoke “whimsical beauty and ethereal femininity.”

Cuttrell also noted that pearl is the singer’s birthstone, making the look even more special.

On March 10, two days after the release of her seventh studio album, Eternal Sunshine, Grande made her Oscars debut in a head-to-toe ode to Glinda, her character in the upcoming Wicked film.

Not only did she wear a bubblegum pink bubble gown — quite reminiscent of the Good Witch’s dress — from Giambattista Valli Haute Couture, but she topped it off with all-pink everything: a pink pendant necklace and matching earrings (from Tiffany’s, of course), pink heels, and even blush-colored makeup. Let the Wicked press tour begin!

Throughout 2023, Grande kept her lightened-up locks (because who knows what is going on with Wicked post-strike), as well as a visibly lighter makeup look.

“Over the years, I used makeup as a disguise or as something to hide behind," Grande told Vogue in a September interview. “More and more hair. The thicker the eyeliner, the... whatever.”

While all those components can still be beautiful, they’re not Ari’s vibe at the moment: “I think as I get older, I don't love that being the intention behind it anymore.”

Ari knows her way around a hair transformation and that was never more clear than when the Sweetener singer shared a cheekily captioned Instagram post of herself with blond hair on Oct. 26. Fans quickly pointed out that the bewitching dye job was likely done for Grande’s role as Glinda in the upcoming Wicked movie.

Grande’s ruffled gray Grammy’s gown was the talk of the town in 2020 and her hair and makeup complemented the look perfectly. Paired with her ombré ponytail, the singer’s bronze skin and glossy lips were dewy and warm, marking a stark departure from her matte foundation and lipstick of the 2010s.

Headpieces stole the show at the 2018 Met Gala and Grande stood out. The then 24-year-old’s oversized tulle ribbon was an aesthetic upgrade from her small, flirty hair bows from the early ‘10s, and very on-brand for the “Heavenly Bodies: Fashion and the Catholic Imagination” theme. The Sweetener artist also dialed her quintessential cat liner up a notch by adding powdery blue eye shadow to her inner corners.

Throughout her career, Grande has experimented with countless hair colors. In the late 2010s, the “God Is A Woman” singer retired her chestnut shade for a platinum blond hue. She also swapped out her iconic high ponytail for a low pony with a deep side part.

The then 23-year-old added blunt, brow-skimming bangs to her signature ponytail look for the 2016 VMAs. Grande also took her signature cat eyeliner to the next level by wearing dramatic, wispy lashes to really make her makeup pop.

During her performance of “Focus” at the 2015 AMAs, Grande’s hair and makeup were the epitome of Old Hollywood glamour. The “Love Me Harder” singer’s glossy finger waves and striking cat eye makeup paired beautifully with her elegant white glove and sequin fringe dress.

Grande really does love a statement hair accessory and nothing makes a statement quite like sparkly cat ears. Perhaps paying tribute to her character Cat Valentine in Nickelodeon’s Sam & Cat, Grande frequently paired these glittery feline headbands with her sleek high ponytails in 2014.

The ponytail has always been Grande’s signature hairstyle and this half-up, half-down approach was one of its earliest iterations. At the 2013 Video Music Awards, Grande once again proved she was a hair chameleon with this new caramel-colored shade.

Grande debuted a major beauty transformation at KIIS FM’s Jingle Ball in 2012. The then 19-year-old singer swapped her fiery red locks for a rich chocolate brown shade. With soft, pinned-back waves and shimmery bronze makeup, Grande’s hair and makeup were notably more sophisticated.

It’s no secret that Ariana Grande loves her hair bows. At the Lollipop Theater Network’s 3rd Annual Game Day in 2011, the Victorious star flaunted the feminine, floral accessory in her long red hair. Wearing dark eyeliner and pink lipstick, Grande embodied Cat Valentine’s distinctive aesthetic.

What a difference a year can make! In 2009, the actor traded her dark curls and minimal makeup for a rich red dye job and a smokey eye. Featuring choppy layers and a deep side part, the straight ‘do and cherry cola color defined Grande’s look surrounding the early 2010s.

15-year-old Grande had a very different aesthetic than the one her fans now know and love. In her pre-Nickelodeon era, the teen’s dark curly hair and understated makeup were a world away from the Victorious vibes to come.