30 photos that show how Katy Perry's beauty looks have evolved

Updated

2018-10-19T22:14:00Z

katy perry

Katy Perry has had a dramatic beauty transformation.
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When Katy Perry first appeared on the scene back in 2008, it was clear that she was destined to be a beauty and style icon.

The video for her first hit, "I Kissed a Girl," cemented her as a glamorous pop star in the making, with a knack for a classic Hollywood pin-up aesthetic. By the time she moved on to the candy-coated brightness of the "Teenage Dream" era, we knew that Perry was here to stay — and that she'd be serving some iconic looks along the way.

We've since seen the singer change her hair more times than we can count, and she's also made some bold choices with her makeup. Whether it's the bright blue wig and colorful makeup of her "California Gurls" days or the super-short pixie cut she's currently rocking on tour, Perry always owns whatever look she's going for.

With her 34th birthday approaching on October 25, we've rounded up some of the singer's best beauty moments so far.

Katy Perry kept her look a little more bare-faced back in 2004, four years before she became a household name.

Katy Perry attended the Jimmy Choo Oscar Collection Preview when she was 19.
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She opted for just a bit of rosy blush.

Once "I Kissed a Girl" launched her into a pop star in 2008, she began to experiment with bolder looks.

She was just at the beginning of her mega-stardom at age 23.
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She'd often wear a dark cat eye and curly bangs.

Her outfits became more colorful as her career kept growing through 2008 — and her makeup started to match.

Katy Perry performed on NBC's "Today."
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For a performance on "Today,"  she wore a red lip and plenty of eyeliner with a green ensemble.

Thanks to celebrities like Katy Perry, the blue smokey eye became one of the definitive looks of 2008.

Katy Perry was 24 here.
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She also briefly mixed up her look by wearing her hair straight instead of wavy.

Back to Hollywood star waves toward the end of 2008, Perry began experimenting with more old-school glamorous looks.

The bright pink lipstick was a nice contrast to her jet-black hair.
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Super-long lashes, a bold cat eye, and pink lipstick became some of her go-to looks.

Perry briefly experimented with a short bob in early 2009.

She channeled some serious Mia Wallace from "Pulp Fiction" vibes.
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She kept the deep lipstick and dark eye color she was becoming known for.

Perry's look at the 2009 VMAs was the first taste of the more glamorous side of the singer that we've come to know today.

Katy opted for a chic yet subtle look.
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She went with a sparkly, metallic eye look and perfectly tousled hair.

Perry showed off a long, sleek hairstyle at the 2010 Grammy Awards.

Katy Perry was 25 here.
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Her blunt bangs helped pull the look together.

The summer of 2010 also gave us another one of Katy's most iconic looks: the long, high ponytail.

We'd later see this look again at the 2015 Superbowl.
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She brightened up her aesthetic with a bright pink lip.

The singer opted for more muted tones in early 2011.

Katy Perry was 26 here.
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She paired the new aesthetic with some sleek, straight hair.

We then saw the pop star bring out blue eyeshadow again for the premiere of "The Smurfs" in the summer of 2011.

Katy Perry played the voice of Smurfette.
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She also debuted some newly blonde hair.

Perry brightened up her look even more as 2011 came to a close.

Katy Perry was 27 here.
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She opted for an eye-catching shade of pink hair and bold lashes.

Perry was all about bold hair colors in 2012.

Katy kept the bright hair colors coming.
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Perry switched it up with some light blue locks.

The ponytail and soft lip were back for the 2013 MTV VMAs.

Katy was ready to "Roar."
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She also wore a flashy grill on her teeth to promote her hit single "Roar."

Perry went with pink glossy lips and a subtle cat eye for the 2014 Grammy Awards.

Katy Perry was 29 when this photo was taken.
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She paired the soft look with a chic updo.

Perry showed up to the 2015 Grammy Awards with wavy purple tresses and a soft natural lip.

Katy was 30 at the time this photo was taken.
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The subtle lip color allowed her hair to be the star of the show.

We then saw the singer go even shorter with a cropped wig for the 2015 Met Gala.

Katy Perry has served some iconic looks on the Met Gala red carpet.
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It was one of her shortest looks yet.

She surprised everyone by opting for a light auburn hair color in late 2015.

Katy Perry attended the 2015 Harper's BAZAAR ICONS Event.
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She wore matching red-toned eye and lip makeup for a coordinated look.

She had softer makeup than usual and seriously voluminous tresses at the 2016 Golden Globe Awards.

Katy Perry was 31 at the time this photo was taken.
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It was one of her most glamorous looks yet.

Perry ditched her bright aesthetic for a darker look during the 2016 Met Gala.

Her dark makeup matched her Prada dress perfectly.
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She wore jet black lipstick, a dark smokey eye, and bleached eyebrows.

True to form, she used the 2017 Grammy Awards to show off another hair color change.

She had blonde hair at age 32.
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She opted for bright blonde locks with smokey eye makeup.

Perry decided to keep the blonde as 2017 rolled along.

Katy Perry attended the 2017 iHeartRadio Music Awards.
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However, she ditched a few inches for a shorter, swooped-over style.

In January, Perry went for an all-red look at the Stella McCartney's Autumn 2018 Collection Launch.

She matched her bold red lip to her dress.
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She paired her flowy red dress with a bold red lip and some bright sparkly eye shadow.

Later in January, she brought out yet another all-red look for the 90th anniversary of Minnie Mouse at the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

Katy Perry paid tribute to Minnie Mouse.
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Her Minnie Mouse-inspired ensemble featured a giant floppy hat with the character's iconic polka-dot print.

She then attended the Met Gala in May with a soft, ethereal look that perfectly matched her angel-themed ensemble.

Katy Perry attended the 2018 Met Gala.
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She kept her makeup soft and glowy to keep with the angelic theme.

She switched her hair up yet again during a filming of "American Idol" in April.

Katy Perry attended a filming of "American Idol."
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She paired her new light-pink streaks with a coral shade on her lips and bold eyelashes.

For the Gala for the Global Ocean in Monaco, Perry was back to blonde.

Katy Perry attended the Gala for the Global Ocean.
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She went with a bright pink lip to add a pop of color to her beige and silver ensemble.

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