Selena Gomez's Best Red Carpet Beauty Looks

From Disney darling to red carpet beauty.

By Vera Papisova, Christa Joanna Lee, Tina Ferraro, Sue Williamson, and Marissa Miller

May 7, 2018

Image may contain Selena Gomez Face Human Person Hair and Female

Now that Selena Gomez is all grown up, it's hard to imagine that she started her acting career alongside a famous purple dinosaur. But it's true: She's come a long way since Barney and The Wizards of Waverly Place, earning herself some much buzzed-about movie roles, three full-length studio albums, a nail polish collection, and a clothing line.

It seems like Selena was destined for superstardom and the more time she spends in the spotlight, the more she surprises and delights us with hair and makeup inspiration for days. She rocks a no-makeup makeup look with the same ease as a bold lip and smoky eye. And we’re obsessed with her hair that never quits — from short to long, curly to straight, it looks flawless every time, so it makes sense that Pantene snatched her up as a brand ambassador. Not only is she stunning, but Selena's also been vocal about her struggles with lupus, helping others who struggle with chronic illness to know that they're not alone.

Click through the slides to see some of our favorite Selena beauty looks to date.

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August 2007
Arriving at the premiere of High School Musical 2, a 15-year-old Selena keeps her makeup natural and fresh with a little mascara and brown eyeliner.
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June 2008
A year later, she's sporting very noticeable blonde extensions and a touch of lip gloss.

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October 2008
A few months pass and Selena ditches the blonde in favor of a shorter cut, which she wears in a retro, curly style.
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June 2009
And, the blonde is back! But this time, it's more subtle and scattered throughout the hair. (And lip gloss is still her go-to for every red carpet.)

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November 2009
At the 2009 American Music Awards, Selena shows off the perfect party look for girls with short hair. She also goes for a sultry, taupe smoky eye with a rosy cheek and pink lips.
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August 2010
Right before taking home four awards at the 2010 Teen Choice Awards, Selena ups the ante with a dramatic smoky eye and a nude lip.

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September 2010
One month later, and she's got the longest ponytail ever! Yes, extensions might be the Selena Gomez accessory. But hey, we love a girl who likes to experiment with her hair! Here she is with an elegant side-pony and another dramatic smoky eye, winged out to elongate her natural shape.
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February 2011
She's arrived. At the 2011 Grammy Awards, Selena made major headlines for her ultra-long beachy waves and glowing, bronzey makeup.

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March 2011
Okay, so this isn't technically a part of Selena's evolution, but it was too good to pass up! Here, our favorite multi-hyphenate went all out for Perez Hilton's birthday celebration.
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June 2011
Arriving at the 2011 MTV Movie Awards, Selena channels Brigitte Bardot with this 1960s-inspired half-up hairstyle.

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June 2011
Just a couple weeks later, Selena rocks super-tight glossy curls, a smudged out black eyeliner, and tanned skin with a subtle lip.
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November 2011
Selena keeps it vintage at the 2011 American Music Awards with glamorous, shiny Old Hollywood hair. She's also wearing some false lashes, balanced out with a thick cat-eye.

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February 2012
At the 2012 Vanity Fair Oscar Party, Selena pulls off the faux bob with miraculous aplomb—she's a true hair magician.
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March 2012
Arriving at the 25th Annual Kids' Choice Awards (where she'd later perform and win awards for Favorite TV Actress and Favorite Female Singer), Selena wears a bright navy eyeshadow and a pink lip. Her hair is tousled to beachy perfection.

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March 2013
Selena hopped on the orange lipstick trend before it was even cool. Here, she pairs it with a deep side-part and loose waves.
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March 2013
For the LA premiere of Spring Breakers, Selena opts for sophisticated glamour with a soft, romantic updo and just-bitten lips.

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April 2013
We now present Selena's most iconic red carpet hair moment yet. At the 2013 MTV Movie Awards, where she later performed her hit single "Come and Get It", Selena wears a messy fishtail braid with a faux hawk, complemented by a smoky eye and nude pink lips.
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February 2014
This could be the biggest ponytail in red carpet history. She tops off the fun look with cherry lips.

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March 2014
Sitting pretty at Nickelodeon’s 27th Annual Kids' Choice Awards before winning for Favorite Singer and Fan Army (shout out to you Selenators), Selena rocks the prettiest beachy waves ever. (Bonus: Her stylist told us how to get this look at home!)
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May 2014
Those lashes! Selena definitely wins our vote for some of the best hair and makeup at the 2014 Met Gala wearing a dark, berry lip and an intricate updo.

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May 2014
A week later, Selena puts her updos and dark lips behind her, opting for sleek strands and neutral makeup while attending the 2014 Opening Night Spring Gala for the American Ballet Theatre. She is looking all grown up, indeed.
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July 2014
Here Selena pairs dewy skin, nude lips, and mile-long lashes with a shiny straight updo haphazardly thrown together into a messy bun.

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July 2014
Later that same month at the Behaving Badly premiere, Selena goes for a beauty look that's one of her edgiest yet. A slicked-back ponytail doesn't leave a single flyaway in sight, and an exaggerated ombré cat eye masterfully mixes black, slate gray, pink, and purple colors in a way we've never seen before.
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August 2014
The ponytail is back! This time it's made modern with a center part and long, glossy strands slung over the shoulder. It's also tied off with a chic, neutral ribbon, which pulls together her all-black ensemble. The star continues the sophisticated vibe with flawless skin, a simple smoky cat eye, and a strong brow game.

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October 2014
It may have been the middle of fall, but Selena's sun-kissed skin and boho crown braid has major summer music festival vibes.
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November 2014
Selena chopped off a drastic number of inches from her hair length, but it remains as glossy as ever. The sleek side-parted down 'do also shows off a subtle ombré that totally flatters her skin tone. On the makeup front, the singer stays with in her comfort zone: smoky eyes, full lashes, and a neutral gloss.

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November 2014
We're not sure what we love about her look the most: the glamorous side part, her crazy-good smoky brown eyeshadow, or the impeccable '90s-inspired brown lipliner situation.
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November 2014
Before her soulful performance of "The Heart Wants What It Wants" at the American Music Awards, Selena walked the the red carpet in a sophisticated black number with an equally chic low bun and classic red lips.

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May 2015
Whether it was her impressive orchid-adorned updo, her long lashes, or crisp red lips, no matter which angle you looked at it, Selena's Met Gala look simply stunned.
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May 2015
Selena hops on the long bob trend, artfully displaying it with the dreamiest texture we've ever seen. Then there's the rare appearance of Barbie-pink lipstick, which brings a pop of color to her black and white outfit.

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June 2015
It's about time a hair care brand scooped up the star and her famous locks. The newly-minted Pantene ambassador proves a sleek blowout always works. As for the rest of her beauty look, she keeps the no-makeup makeup trend alive with natural brows, a sliver of eyeliner, and a whisper of blush on her cheeks.
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August 2015
Arriving to the 2015 MTV Video Music Awards with the rest of her badass Bad Blood girl gang, Selena stuns in a long, shimmering version of the LBD and ultra-glossy waves, proving that a carefully crafted smoky eye and mile-long lashes are the best red carpet accessories, ever.

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September 2015
#LashGoals, anyone? Selena’s fringe looks longer (and prettier) than ever, and has us seriously considering a little lash-extension experimentation of our own.
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September 2015
Fresh-faced and absolutely radiant, Selena’s dark, smoky shadow pops against her glowing skin. Paired with a soft undo and a super sleek leather dress, she strikes the perfect balance between pretty and edgy.

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September 2015
Even when she’s keeping it casual for a day out and about in Paris, Selena looks ultra glam with a swipe of bright berry lipstick and loose, easy waves swept back into a pony.
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November 2015
Selena’s intentionally disheveled ‘do appears surprisingly romantic on the red carpet. She pairs her messy style with swipes of white liner on her lower lids to make her eyes really pop against her milky gown.

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November 2015
Selena proves she’s Pantene’s go-to girl for a reason with a statement side part and long, glossy waves.
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November 2015
After blowing us away with her performance at the 2015 Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show, the actress-slash-singer looks like a bonafide angel with loose waves and beautifully bronzed skin. Never afraid of a little beauty experimentation, Selena opts for blue contact lenses to ensure all eyes were on her.

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November 2015
Swapping her blue lenses for a more demure hazel shade, Selena amps up her makeup with pretty, cranberry shadow and larger-than-life lashes. Pin-straight strands top off her glam look.
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December 2015
Look no further for serious long hairspiration — Selena nails the mermaid goddess vibe with down-to-there extensions, rosy cheeks and chunky lashes.

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December 2015
Take a cue from Selena and go for gloss-ified candy lips and undone waves this holiday season. Party perfect — just in time for New Year’s Eve fetes!
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January 2016
Hitting up a Golden Globes party in L.A., Selena glowed herself with pretty pink blush, matching lipstick, and stunning big curls.

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January 2016
Just a few days later, the star stepped out with a more undone ‘do with wavy strands in a slightly off-center part. For makeup, she went straight for the eyes with major lashes and a bronze smoky look.
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February 2016
It was all about Selena at the Vanity Fair Oscar Party. From her sequined Louis Vuitton gown to her black shadow-rimmed eyes, the star shone from head to toe.

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April 2016
Even without a lot of makeup, Selena stands out. All she needed were a few waves in her hair (and some amazing choker accessories) to steal the iHeartRadio Music Awards.
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April 2016
Selena debuted one of her most enviable looks yet for a spring event in L.A. Black eyeshadow made her eyes seriously pop, but minimal lipstick and side-swept hair kept her from looking overdone.

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May 2016
The Met Gala is all about glamour, and Selena always delivers. For this year’s bash, she kept her hair super simple in a sleek ponytail, but went all out with a glittering smoky eye.
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May 2016
Selena’s hair always looks fierce — she is the face of Pantene, after all — but this style is simply one of her best ever. As if her long bouncy curls weren’t glam enough, the star added black eyeliner to the top and bottom, major false lashes, and fresh bronzed cheeks. What’s not to love?

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November 2016
Keeping it sleek and ultra sophisticated, Selena opted for a pulled-back pony and minimal makeup for the American Music Awards. In our book, this power look perfectly complemented the infamous acceptance speech that practically brought us to tears.
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January 2017
It’s been quite awhile since we saw Selena rock her ever-flawless lob, but she nails it once again with the slightest hint of a wave. Soft, nude lips and thick, Brigitte Bardot-like cat eyes complete her look. Though she spent some time out of the spotlight, this look is pure visual proof that Selena is back and better than ever.

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March 2017
Selena’s forever been a fan of a classic, sophisticated makeup look, but since Hung Vanngo became Selena’s go-to makeup artist, she’s started experimenting with bolder colors. This burnt orange eyeshadow look was no exception, and she obv. pulled it off effortlessly. (How chic are her matching earrings!?)
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April 2017
Caramel highlights helped to frame Selena’s face, while subtle swipes of bronzer on both cheekbones brightened up her poreless complexion. This look read super easy, but majorly pretty.

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May 2017
Yet again, Selena went for it with ultraviolet eyeshadow — and totally nailed it. She kept the rest of her face fairly bare save for glossy lips that mirrored her sleek, high-shine strands.
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September 2017
Channeling her inner ‘60s siren, Selena wowed on the red carpet with a teased bouffant and long, piecey eyelashes a la Twiggy.

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October 2017
Selena proved it’s never truly that hard to reinvent a classic smoky eye by utilizing an iridescent gunmetal shadow that appeared to cut off as a cat eye. She slicked back her strands to let her dramatic makeup take center stage.
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November 2017
Who could forget Selena's blonde debut? A platinum lob with a bright red lip and understated eyes is a fail-proof way to hit all the high notes.

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November 2017
When Selena performed at the 2017 AMAs, she rocked a tousled wet hair look that gave her performance an added edge.
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December 2017
Selena is giving us the ultimate shower hair vibes at the Swarovski Fashion Awards, with rust-hued lips and mile-long eyelashes.

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February 2018
It’s been a while since Selena’s hair ventured past her shoulders — and we are feeling it. Wispy bangs and a strong cat eye add even more drama to the look.
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April 2018
There's no hair chameleon quite like Selena. A few inches of dark roots blend into an auburn textured bob, proving there are many cool ways to rock grown-out roots.

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May 7, 2018
Selena went for the sun-kissed glow, bringing in summer vibes a few weeks early. With a perfectly dewy skin tone, her bronzed look was enhanced by a subtle shimmer on each cheek and eye. Her hair (always changing) was pulled into a low bun, with a few tousled locks loosened around her face.