(Celebrity)
Charli XCX Switches Up Her Beauty Looks As Frequently As Her Sound
A true pop chameleon.
Charli XCX doesn’t just have eras; she wholly embodies them. Over the years, the singer has regularly switched up her brand of pop, from the new-wave-inflected pop punk of Sucker to the hyperpop of Charli, and, eventually, the clubby synth vibes of Brat. And with the change of sound usually comes a change of aesthetics — making her beauty evolution more striking than that of many of her contemporaries.
The young girl from Essex began making a name for herself in music at an early age, posting songs to Myspace and playing raves in East London while still in her teens. (Fun fact: Her stage name is derived from her MSN Messenger handle.) After years of high-profile features — such as Icona Pop’s 2012 hit “I Love It,” which she also wrote, and Iggy Azalea’s “Fancy” in 2014 — and critically lauded, IYKYK albums and mix tapes, her career reached new heights with 2024’s Brat. The album became a veritable movement, to the point that “Brat Summer” has its own Wikipedia page.
During this time, her beauty, like her music, has maintained a strong through-thread — in this case, artfully messy and anti-polished — but with striking differences from year to year. In the early days, she leaned into era-appropriate staples like matte lipstick, colorful eyeliner, and deep side parts. In more recent years, she’s gravitated toward looks that are a little less colorful, but no less rock and roll.
Scroll on to see how Charli’s beauty has shifted as dramatically as her sound.
Matte Lips & Deep Side Part, 2014
With a deep side part and matte red lipstick, the singer served up the platonic ideal of a 2010s beauty look at the 2014 American Music Awards, where she performed “Boom Clap,” “Break the Rules,” and, with Iggy Azalea, “Fancy.”
Graphic Blue Eyeliner, 2015
While the singer often goes bare-lipped these days, toward the beginning of her career, she usually wore bold or bright lip colors. She made an exception for a 2015 appearance, opting instead to pair her bold blue graphic eyeliner with “concealer lips.”
Sleek Backcomb, 2016
“Sleek” and “backcombed bouffant” are not descriptors you expect to see in the same sentence, but Charli’s hair was exactly that at amfAR Milano 2016. She paired the bold hairstyle with equally bold makeup, wearing a berry matte red lip, frosty red eyeshadow, and plenty of lashes.
Blunt Cut & Bangs, 2017
In 2017 — the year she gave the world “Boys” and its incredible accompanying music video — Charli hit the GQ Men of the Year Party with curtain bangs and a blunt-cut lob. It was a style that would make Elizabeth Taylor’s Cleopatra proud.
Dip-Dyed Ends, 2018
The following year, she kept the cut and bangs, but chopped off a few inches and added pink dip-dyed tips.
Half Bouffant, 2019
In 2019, Charli released her third studio album — succinctly named Charli — which was chock-full of hyperpop jams. That same year, she hit up the Fashion Awards in a teased half-bouffant, with subtle pink blush and not-so-subtle winged eyeliner.
Sleek High Ponytail, 2021
The only thing more snatched than this sleek, super-long high ponytail? The accompanying razor-sharp eyeshadow look, swept so far back it almost touches her temples.
Blonde Money Piece, 2022
During her Crash era, Charli briefly strayed from her signature, color-drenched dark hair, rocking a trendy blonde-and-yellow money piece.
‘80s Energy, 2023
The “Speed Drive” singer attended Mugler’s Spring/Summer 2023 Couture show in a cool-toned smoky eye, heavy liner, and orange lipstick. The overall look was giving Patrick Nagel illustration (highly complimentary).
Mermaid Waves, 2024
2024 was the year of Brat, yes; but for Charli, it was also the year of mermaid waves — see: The Brit Awards, Billboard Women in Music, and the LACMA Art+Film Gala. For Warner Music Group’s pre-Grammy party, she slicked the waves back into a sleek ponytail, with bubblegum pink blush swept over the top of her cheekbones and just under her eyes.
Frosted Lips, 2025
Frosted makeup made a triumphant return toward the end of 2025 — and Charli, ever the innovator, was an early adopter. For the BRIT Awards, the singer wore frosted copper lipstick with smudgy, smoked-out eyes.
Pared-Back Beauty, 2026
As she read the Brat era its last rites — giving it a triumphant send off with her not-a-tour film, The Moment — Charli pared down her makeup look, with subtler liner and barely-there neutrals on the lips and cheeks. Perhaps creating a blank slate upon which the “Rock Music” era can be etched?
