Celebrities have access to the best makeup artists, luxurious skincare routines, and lighting that makes them appear almost otherworldly, so when their makeup fails, it can be somewhat comforting, right? Like, okay, maybe my uneven eyeliner and under-eye creases aren’t the end of the world after all.
So in order to make ourselves feel better about our daily makeup struggles, here are 10 times celebs were let down by their makeup.
1. Lady Gaga’s Graphic Eyeliner Misfire
Gaga’s never been one to play it safe, and honestly, that’s why we love her. But her 2009 MTV VMA look was overwhelming. She went for this bold, artsy vibe with dramatic graphic eyeliner and a bit of glitter, but instead of high-fashion drama, it kind of gave off goth raccoon meets very tired mime. And just to make things worse, the setting powder she used caused a serious flashback in photos. You could tell she was going for something edgy, but sadly, the whole look just didn’t come together the way it probably did in her head.
2. Nicki Minaj’s Harajuku Horror
Ah, the early 2010s. Nicki Minaj was fully embracing her “Harajuku Barbie” fantasy during this period of neon everything. But at the 2011 American Music Awards nominations, her makeup took that fantasy a little too far. The contour was heavy and super obvious—especially this harsh, unblended strip down her nose.
Her concealer was way too light, her under-eyes were bare (which somehow made things worse), and her lashes looked like they were trying to escape. Add a bright lipstick to the mix (no lipliner too), and it was basically a checklist of what not to do when you’re getting camera-ready.
3. Kelly Osbourne’s Foundation Fail
We’re not sure what happened here, but back in 2012 Kelly showed up to an Art of Elysium event wearing a foundation shade that looked straight-up yellow against her skin tone. It wasn’t just a little off—she looked jaundiced.
To make things worse, her lipstick was this super pale pink that didn’t help balance anything out, and without a lip liner, it all just kind of blurred together in a not-so-flattering way. Honestly, it happens to everyone, but when you’re constantly criticizing other people’s style… yeah, people notice.
4. Miley Cyrus and the Phantom Beard
We’ve all had moments where our setting powder didn’t quite blend in, but Miley’s 2013 Maxim Hot 100 Party appearance took that to a whole new level. Yup, that’s silica-based powder catching the flash and giving her a powder beard worthy of Santa Claus. Chances are, the powder was meant to keep her makeup in place and control shine, but silica-based powders and flash photography? They do not get along. We’re sure it looked fine in person, but under a camera flash, it was giving “spooky Victorian ghost child.”
5. Lindsay Lohan’s Courtroom Contour Catastrophe
Court appearances can be stressful enough without the added drama of bad makeup, but sadly, Lindsay overlooked this. In 2011, she showed up to court with a contour so off, it looked like she’d been playing with finger paints in the backseat of the car.
The shade was way too gray for her skin tone, and it was applied in this weird stripe that sat awkwardly low on her cheeks—like, not even pretending to follow the natural bone structure. Instead of lifting her face, it kind of dragged everything down. Not ideal when you’re already under a microscope.
Loading…
6. Drew Barrymore’s Press Tour Powder Puff
During the press run for Charlie’s Angels: Full Throttle in 2003, Drew Barrymore had one particularly rough red carpet moment. Her setting powder was so reflective under the flash, it looked like she’d dunked her face into powdered sugar—especially around her eyes, temples, and even in her hairline.
Then there was the yellow eyeshadow she wore to a press event in Australia. It covered her whole eyelid, all the way into the inner corners, and was paired with a bright red lip. On their own, maybe those elements could’ve worked. Together? It felt more chaotic than cohesive.
7. Tyra Banks’ Moth Ball Meltdown
Tyra, queen of smizing, made a rare stumble at the 2012 Moth Ball. Her eye makeup was so asymmetrical and so overblown that it looked like it had been applied in the back of a taxi without a mirror. Black shadow reached up to her bleached brows with no lashes to balance it, and a fuchsia lip sealed the deal. It was daring, but not in a good way. Think Halloween, but sadder.
8. Kim Kardashian’s Over-Baked Look
Kim helped bring baking into the mainstream, but at the 2010 White House Correspondents’ Dinner, she might’ve left her makeup in the oven a little too long. Her under-eye area looked super dry and powdery, and instead of looking flawless, it just highlighted fine lines and texture.
Baking can work wonders—especially for photos or long nights—but overdo it, and you risk sucking all the life out of your skin. It’s a fine line between “snatched” and “cracked,” and this time, it leaned toward the latter.
9. Ariana Grande’s Ghost-Face Base
Ariana’s signature ponytail was high and mighty at the 2015 AMAs, but her foundation shade? Tragically low on melanin. Her foundation was way lighter than her neck and chest, which made her face look a bit ghostly compared to the rest of her body.
It’s a common issue, especially if you self-tan your body but not your face. The fix? Either go for a darker foundation to match your tan or warm things up with bronzer so your face and neck are at least speaking to each other.
The lesson from this story is that even the most glamorous celebrities can make beauty mistakes with just one poor blending session. These makeup mishaps remind us all that flash photography is brutal, matching your foundation is non-negotiable, and just because a trend works on TikTok doesn’t mean it belongs on your face.
So next time your concealer creases or your eyeliner goes rogue, take a breath. At least it’s not forever immortalized on Getty Images.
