Ariana Grande Has Made Some Major Makeup Mistakes Over The Years

We can't deny Ariana Grande's makeup is usually iconic. Why else would she have her own cosmetics line? From her bronzed skin, signature cat eye, and nude lip combo earlier in her career to the more understated pink-toned eyelids with fluttery lashes she rocked during her "Wicked" era, Grande has had us dreaming about her beauty looks on multiple occasions. However, that doesn't mean her cosmetic history is mishap-free.

Grande — who looks totally different without false eyelashes — proves even the most glam celebrities with access to the best makeup artists in the world can still make major beauty blunders. This superstar has endured everything from way-too-orange foundation to creasing concealer to spidery lashes. Lucky for us, though, she's taught us a lot about how to avoid making the same mistakes in the process.

When Ariana Grande posed in the 2015 American Music Awards press room, we barely noticed her award because we couldn't stop staring at her foundation. It was a couple of shades lighter than her tan, suggesting her makeup artist matched it to her face, not her body — a big no-no if you're showing some skin at a photo-op. The product was also extremely matte — a foundation mistake that can make you look older — and Grande would have benefited from less powder and more highlighter for a healthy, youthful glow.

In 2010, Ariana Grande experienced a makeup mishap that was all too relatable: creased concealer. At the "Shrek Forever After" New York premiere, the product had rubbed off in patches as it settled into the fine lines under her eyes. While it's tough to prevent, there are a few ways to avoid this unflattering faux pas, including the classic less-is-more approach to preventing under-eye concealer creases, and applying setting powder or using blotting paper to remove excess oil.

When Ariana Grande took in the 2024 Olympic Games alongside "Wicked" costar Cynthia Erivo, the first thing we noticed was her muddy bronzer. The cool-toned product was too heavy and wasn't blended well around her cheekbones, making it look like she had dirty marks on both sides of her face. A little more diffusing and adding a warmer, rosier blush a little higher would have taken some of the severity away from her contour and added a healthy flush to her cheeks.

At the "Project Natal" premiere in 2010, Ariana Grande went a little overboard with her blush and bronzer. Though the warm products could have worked with a lighter outfit, they picked up the red in her embellished jacket, which had her complexion reading more sunburned than sun-kissed. Because her clothing was so vibrant, a cooler-toned blush and a lighter hand with her cheek products would have made her makeup appea r subtler and more flattering.

Though Ariana Grande is usually the queen of a full, voluminous false lash, she wasn't bringing that vibe while filming a commercial in 2013. Paparazzi snapped the star on set with extremely spidery eyelashes that were so stuck together, it looked like she only had six lashes on her left eye. There are plenty of tips to help you say goodbye to clumpy lashes like Grande's, but the star would have seriously benefitted from a lash comb, like the Tweezerman Folding iLashComb or the Docolor Foldable Eyelash Comb, to separate the hairs.

Ariana Grande attended a Christmas tree lighting ceremony in 2009 and experienced another eyelash mishap when her faux lashes came unglued from the inner corner of her left eye. It's common for strip lashes to lift at the ends, so it's always a good idea to keep extra glue on hand for emergencies. The hitmaker may also have been "Better Off" with individual lashes — such as Ardell Naked Clusters 437 or KISS Looks So Natural Trio Lash — as they're band-free, thus look less obvious if they come unstuck.

In 2015, Ariana Grande was snapped in London wearing a concealer shade that was too yellow to blend in with the rest of her makeup. Though the yellow undertone was likely made more obvious by the camera flash, the concealer also didn't appear to be set using setting powder like the rest of her face, which made it stand out even more. The product had a dewy finish, while her foundation leaned more on the matte side.

Ariana Grande's makeup looked seriously orange at a festival in 2016. The tone was likely the result of a dark spray tan, deep foundation, and extra bronzer, which made her stand out in a crowd (and not in a good way). If we were the star's makeup artist, we would have suggested an olive or neutral-toned foundation to downplay the orange in her tan. We also would have used less bronzer and applied a little more highlighter to bring more dimension and brightness to her face.