8 Celebrity 'Makeunders' That Prove Sometimes Less Is More

Elizabeth Spina
Adele
Instagram | @adele

We've all heard of a makeover. If you've seen The Princess Diaries then you definitely know what a makeover is. But there is another, more understated way of having a glow-up. When it comes to beauty, sometimes less is more.

Here are eight of our favorite dramatic celebrity makeunders.

1. Taylor Swift

Taylor Swift
YouTube | Taylor Swift

It's safe to say that we've seen Taylor Swift's style change more than once. But a notable evolution has been that Taylor's bold style and beauty choices were eventually diluted and became much more subtle.

Her darker, edgier side was perfectly fitting for her album "Reputation".

Taylor Swift
Instagram | @taylorswift

But shortly after that era wrapped up, she moved on to a much brighter and softer look complete with pink pastel dresses and nude lipsticks.

2. Kelly Osbourne

Kelly Osbourne
Getty Images | Getty Images

Kelly Osbourne has had a major transformation since The Osbournes. We've seen her take huge beauty risks time and time again and has almost always opted for bold, eye-catching hair colors.

Nowadays, however, Kelly has seemingly refined her personal style.

Kelly Osbourne
instagram | @kellyosbourne

The 37-year-old has stayed true to her funky hair color preferences but has found a way to make it look simpler and more elegant by a long shot. Her makeup has also leveled up by being toned down.

3. Victoria Beckham

Victoria Beckham
Giphy

Victoria Beckham has come a long way since her Spice Girls days and it shows a ton in her current style and beauty choices. The 47-year-old ditched lightening her hair and went fully brunette quite early on, but the rest of her aesthetic followed suit in the years to come.

Posh Spice certainly still dresses the part but in a much more natural and sophisticated way.

Victoria Beckham
Instagram | @victoriabeckham

It isn't uncommon to see her in classic button-down shirts, dress pants, and blazers, and instead of a heavy makeup look, she opts for something that looks simple and fresh.

4. Alicia Keys

Alicia Keys
youtube | Alicia Keys

At the height of Alicia Key's career, she made daring makeup, hair, and clothing choices. But eventually, she chose to give up makeup altogether and start embracing her natural beauty.

In 2016, she took a stand against wearing makeup and hasn't worn any since.

Alicia Keys
instagram | @aliciakeys

"I don't want to cover up anymore. Not my face, not my mind, not my soul, not my thoughts, not my dreams, not my struggles, not my emotional growth. Nothing." She said.

5. Nicole Richie

Paris Hilton, Nicole Ritchie
Giphy | T. Kyle

Back when Nicole Richie was filming The Simple Life with Paris Hilton, her look was very different than it is now. Barring that beauty trends have changed a lot since then, she removed her lip ring and significantly switched up her makeup style over the years.

https://www.gettyimages.ca/detail/news-photo/model-paris-hilton-poses-with-singer-lionel-richies-news-photo/674741?adppopup=true

Now, the 41-year-old is all about natural-looking makeup and rocking her natural hair texture.

Nicole Richie
instagram | @nicolerichie

While she still dolls herself up to the nines for Instagram occasionally, we also often see a lot more of her understated side and natural curls.

6. Gwen Stefani

Gwen Stefani
instagram | @gwenstefani

Back when Gwen was the lead singer of No Doubt, we could always count on her to showcase her expressive, eccentric, daring style through not just her music, but her makeup, hair, and accessories.

And that still rings true today, but she has definitely softened things up.

Gwen Stefani
instagram | @gwenstefani

We can still always count on Gwen to give us a full glam outfit, and she has stayed loyal to her signature bold, red lipstick. But nowadays, we see a lot more neutral colors on her, and natural makeup looks.

7. Meghan Markle

Meghan Markle
Getty Images | Michael Stewart

Long before Meghan Markle married into the royal family, making herself one of the most iconic celebs possibly ever, she was an actress on Suits. Back then, she typically rocked a smokey-eye and bold brow makeup look on the red carpet.

https://www.gettyimages.ca/detail/news-photo/actress-meghan-markle-attends-usa-networks-a-suits-story-news-photo/146233786?adppopup=true

Of course, once she married Prince Harry, Meghan's image transitioned into something a bit subtler.

Meghan Markle
Instagram | @archewell_hm

Nowadays, the duchess opts for a simpler makeup regime that is far more natural-looking, and she looks stunning!

8. Adele

Adele
Getty Images | Mike Marsland

There was a time when besides being known for her powerhouse vocals, Adele was known for her bold lip colors, winged eyeliner, and voluminous, teased hairstyles.

While the old Hollywood makeup look is timeless and always appreciated, we've seen far more understated looks from her more recently and she looks even more stunning.

Adele
Instagram | @adele

Adele still rocks her signature winged eyeliner, but her overall look has definitely been toned down and transformed into a more natural glam.