See Jennifer Lopez’s Three-Decade Beauty and Hair Evolution
When you think of Jennifer Lopez, two things immediately spring to mind: her incomparable talent, and her otherworldly glow. The Puerto Rican megastar been entertainment’s foremost triple threat for nearly two decades: her green Versace dress broke the nascent internet before Google image search even existed, her 2020 Super Bowl halftime performance is already legendary, and she was born to play the role of Selena Quintanilla in the titular biopic. Never mind her acclaimed performance in Hustlers, chart-topping pop songs like “If You Had My Love” that live our brains rent-free, and her new turn as a Netflix media mogul. Lopez does it all, and she looks like a goddess while doing it.
As much as Lopez’s career boggles the mind, her beauty has always been as immaculate her work. At 52, she’s only getting hotter; her signature glowing skin, shiny highlighted hair, and extraordinary figure haven’t waned from her 2000s-era perfection — it’s almost impossible to find any style or beauty missteps in her archive, because no matter the decade’s trends, her sunny aura transcends the fads of the moment. In fact, Lopez’s basic look hasn’t changed much over the years. Why tweak absolute perfection? This Leo season, indulge in Lopez’s sublime beauty and note that, while the times change, her luminous skin, sumptuously glossy lips, and fierce smoky eyes have only burned brighter.
In the early 1990s, a 23-year-old Lopez was working as a “Fly Girl” on In Living Color before leaving to work as a backup dancer for Janet Jackson. At the time, her beauty look was very of the time: a perfect ‘90s arched brow, a very particular shade of coral red lipstick, and shoulder-grazing hair flipped out in the back.
By 1998, Lopez had established herself as an actress in films like Selena and Jack. At the 1998 VMAs, she did her version of Hollywood blonde with some notable highlights.
By the 2000 VMAs, Lopez was a full-fledged pop star with a relationship with Diddy. Her hair made that clear.
While it’s the dress that gets all the attention from the 2000 Grammys awards, don’t sleep on her updo or subtlety coordinating smokey eye.
By 2001, Lopez had really begun to hone the signature style we know her for today: wavy locks and a nude lip.
During a live concert in Puerto Rico on September 20th and 21st, Lopez embraced curly texture.
At the 2002 MTV Video Music Awards, Lopez pared a nude lip with some silver age curls.
During her first relationship with Ben Affleck, Lopez supported her man at the Daredevil premiere with tied-back hair and a red lip.
At the 2003 Academy Awards, Lopez wore her hair in a bun and matched her seafoam green gown with a similar eyeshadow shade.
But for a 2004 appearance on TRL, Lopez returned to her signature wavy locks and a nude lip.
At a 2006 Versace cocktail party, Lopez chose the kind of high pony that would make Ariana Grande jealous.
At the 2006 Oscars, Lopez kept her hair in a chic updo with a dramatic smokey eye.
At the 50th Anniversary National Puerto Rican Day Parade in 2007, Lopez kept it casual and classic.
At the 2010 Oscar, Lopez opted for what would become a Meghan Markle favorite: the messy bun.
At the 2011 Golden Globes, Lopez highlighted her gown with silver eyeshadow.
At the 2015 Annual Academy Awards, Lopez looked demure with pink eyeshadow.
For the 2016 Golden Globes, Lopez went more dramatic with highlighted shoulder-length hair and a bold lip.
At the 2017 Met Gala, Lopez let her smokey eye and ponytail take center stage.
By next year’s Met Gala, Lopez opted instead for a blunt lob.
Lopez went for waste-skimming blonde hair at the 2018 MTV Video Music Awards.
At the 91st Annual Academy Awards in 2019, Lopez kept it signature.
Though for the afterparty this year, she completely changed the vibe.
At the 2019 Met Gala, Lopez downed an almost wig-like crystal headpiece.
At the premiere of Hustlers, Lopez brought out the best of her signature look.
Almost 20 years later, Lopez walked down the Versace runway in a reimagination of that green dress and the makeup and hair to match.
At the 77th Annual Golden Globe Awards at The Beverly Hilton Hotel, Lopez went for a braided updo.
For the 25th Annual Critics' Choice Awards at Barker Hangar in 2020, Lopez went for blonde extensions.
For the 2020 SAG Awards, Lopez let blonde pieces frame her face.
For a press conference to promote her Superbowl Halftime Show appearance, Lopez was a glam goddess.
...and even more so during the actual show.
By 2021, Lopez was in full goddess mode with long blonde locks and a deep smokey eye ...but still her favorite nude lip.
