Lady Gaga's Beauty Evolution Is Something You Have To See
A stalwart of the music industry, Lady Gaga dominated pop culture in the 2010s with her daring, boundary-pushing looks. The singer-songwriter and actor has branched out significantly since her 2008 debut, while undergoing an incredible transformation in the process. Gaga's ever-changing looks have also kept her ahead of the fashion game and firmly in the public eye.
Gaga even released her own beauty line, Haus Laboratories, in 2019, before relaunching the brand as Haus Labs a few years later (via Glamour). It's clear makeup plays a hugely important role in her performances, too. Not only does it allow Gaga to shift between personas, but it also gives her the space to express the themes of her albums alongside her style evolution seamlessly.
Gaga's evolution from a 2000s-era party girl into a sophisticated actor photographed on numerous red carpets in the late 2010s includes many iconic looks, and we can't wait to see which ones she'll pull out next.
Lady Gaga's earlier years were filled with fantastical costumes and theatrical makeup
When most of us first came to know Lady Gaga, following the release of her hit debut single "Just Dance," in 2008, she was rocking long, platinum blonde hair and frosty pink lips with thick lashes (via Allure). However, the heavy bang look didn't stick around for long. In 2009, Gaga started experimenting with her style in a major way.
One of Gaga's most iconic looks, in her earlier years, was from the 2010 Grammy Awards, where she opted for bright blonde hair at the roots and in-your-face yellow at the bottom (via Teen Vogue). Both of these eras would be a tough act to follow, but Lady Gaga did just that when she debuted one of her most outrageous looks with the infamous meat dress at the 2010 MTV VMAs (via MTV).
The dress, which caused massive controversy, gave her an even bigger spotlight. The following year, though, Gaga would do a complete 180 once again.
She's never been afraid to think outside the box when it comes to beauty
The singer and actor began introducing bolder makeup looks that were inspired by one of her lifelong role models, David Bowie, such as eccentric bold and glittery eyes (via Vogue). Never one to keep things simple, also in 2011, Lady Gaga debuted a completely new look. At the Grammy Awards, her alter ego Jo Calderone made his first appearance (via Insider).
Gaga went full grunge with Jo, opting for messy brunette hair, heavy eyeliner, and even sideburns for authenticity. Photos from the night see Gaga fully committing to her character whilst smoking and scowling — a nod to her future potential as an actor. According to Gaga's creative director, Laurieann Gibson, she dressed up as Jo to showcase how her role as a performer continued both on and off the red carpet (via MTV).
A few years later, in 2016, Gaga paid tribute to the recently deceased Bowie on the Grammys red carpet (via Teen Vogue). Her striking red hair and bright blue eyeshadow were quintessential Bowie but, ironically, her makeup was considerably more toned down than some of the beauty looks she'd sported in the past. Still, Gaga's '70s-esque makeup matched her electric blue dress perfectly.
Gaga has also blended together traditionally pretty looks with her signature tour eccentricity
The late 2010s brought about another memorable change in style for Lady Gaga, which began when she was cast as wannabe singer Ally in the hit 2018 reboot of "A Star is Born." Her red carpet looks for this era were suitably sleek and feminine, with a notable example being her 2019 Golden Globes ensemble. Matching her hair to her ballgown, Gaga looked classically beautiful, especially with the subtle shimmer on her eyelids and her nude lip (via Allure).
In 2022, Gaga gradually started to bring back some of the theatricality from her early "Mother Monster" days. Photographed on the Chromatica Ball tour, her heavy eyeliner and bold lips were signature Gaga and hearken back to her wilder looks from 2009/2010. The rest of her tour outfits were equally as bold, combining black, latex, and lots of leather (via Variety).
From heavy bangs and embellished eyes to pared-back glossy lips and ballgowns, Gaga is a true performer through and through — no matter the occasion.