Selena Gomez has been passionate about makeup since the age of seven, starting her career as a child actor and often having her look transformed by professional artists. However, the pop star has openly admitted that growing up in the spotlight made her relationship with cosmetics complicated.
In a 2021 interview with Elle, Selena reflected, “You’re so young and then working. I have professionals doing my makeup, and suddenly I can look 25 when I was 16, and it was unbeliveable. Then I felt like: ‘Oh, I look too young all the time. I should achieve that look more. I should try that.’ It just made me question my beauty for what it was.”
Over time, however, her perspective evolved. Speaking to Marie Claire in 2024, Gomez revealed that her approach to makeup had become much healthier. “It’s become a lot healthier as I’ve grown up. I used to want to wear makeup to look older or look more like other people. Now I have a lot of fun with makeup—doing my friends’ makeup or my own. I want to accentuate the features that make me unique instead of covering them up,” she shared.
Her recent Instagram Story selfie, completely makeup-free, showcased her natural beauty in stark contrast to her glamorous 2026 Golden Globes look. Selena’s love for beauty also inspired her to launch her own cosmetics brand, Rare Beauty, in 2020, emphasizing self-expression and confidence over perfection.
Through her journey, Gomez highlights how embracing individuality and experimenting with makeup can be empowering, moving beyond societal pressures to a more authentic self-expression.