BEAUTY

10 Celebrity Beauty Icons Without Their Signature Look

The power of hair and makeup

With hair and makeup artists at their beck and call, celebrities have every opportunity to be experimental with their looks.

And while there are some that embrace the ever-changing hair colours and makeup trends from season to season (or even event to event), some choose to simply stick to what works. 

Whether it’s a cat eye, or cherry red lip, these trademarks become so synonymous with the celebrity wearing them, that when they do dare to try something new, they’re almost unrecognisable.

Here’s 10 times celebrities had us second-guessing when they left their signature look at home…

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(Credit: Image: Getty)

Angelina Jolie

While Jolie hasn’t had blonde hair in years, it’s a plunge she took once more in 2023. Channelling a 90s version of herself, Jolie’s lighter hues also suit her, even though we’re used to a dark haired vixen energy usually. 

emma stone

Emma Stone

The actress is actually a natural blonde, but we’re so used to her with red hair even that seems far-fetched. Let alone her most recent stint as a brunette.

gwen stefani

Gwen Stefani

When you’ve been rocking the same red lip and platinum blonde quiff for over 10 years, it truly does become a part of you. Safe to say we had to do a huge double-take when Stefani showed up to the 2020 GRAMMY Awards with a subdued pink lip and centre parting. 

jessica alba

Jessica Alba

Alba’s hair goes from brunette to balayage often, with beachy or Hollywood waves her usual calling card. But back in 2005, it was blonde all the way and sat at bob length.

taylor swift

Taylor Swift

You say Taylor Swift, we say blonde hair, eyeliner and a red lip. The singer’s signature look has been always been a mainstay, despite her many music transformations between albums. But we love it when she dares to do something different, like this sculpted cheek and structured hair look from 2016.

miranda kerr

Miranda Kerr

We’ve seen Kerr as a brunette for most of her career, but there was a time back in 2009 when she tried blonde on for size. And boy, did it make a difference!

blake lively

Blake Lively

Blonde, beach waves and Blake Lively are three things that will always go together. But it was when the actress went red for the movie Green Lantern, that she caught the attention of co-star and now husband, Ryan Reynolds.

adele

Adele

Adele’s appearance has changed a lot over the last year, but the star is still rarely seen without the infamous eyeliner that graced her album cover, Hello. But even without a fierce flick across her lids, the 32-year-old’s eyes are just as beautiful.

cameron diaz

Cameron Diaz

Diaz has always taken a less-is-more approach to makeup, keeping it fairly simple with a swipe of pink lipstick on occasion. But when the actress tried out brunette back in 2006, more daring, darker makeup colours came out to play. Which begs the question, do blondes really have more fun?

carrie bickmore

Carrie Bickmore

When you’re used to seeing the blonde presenter on your TV every night, it’s hard to remember the time she swapped it for a chocolate shade. But it happened, and we were treated to a whole new range of makeup looks to match.

amy adams

Amy Adams

Adams’ red hair makes her instantly recognisable on any red carpet. But when she was first starting out in the industry, she took her natural strawberry blonde to the lighter side for a test drive.

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