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Home · Beauty

Erykah Badu's Makeup Evolution

We can’t wait for Erykah Badu to have us crooning along to her soulful songs at ESSENCE Festival next month. Not only is the eclectic songbird at the top of the music charts, she's also a beauty pioneer in her own right. Here, a few of our favorite beauty looks à la Badu to make your own!

By Virginia Lowman · Updated October 27, 2020
01
2000: Lashing Out

Ms. Badu offers a lesson in retro chic with luminous bronze skin and voluminous falsies applied to her upper and lower lashes. When purchasing lashes, remember that upper lashes should focus on volume and lower lashes add length.

Erykah Badu’s Makeup Evolution
KMazur/WireImage
02
2001: Tribal Beauty

Erykah looked radiant at the 43rd Annual Grammy Awards, flaunting high cheekbones and dark-lined lips. 

Erykah Badu’s Makeup Evolution
Laura Farr
03
2003: Au Natural
Erykah masters beauty basics with youthful glowing skin. Copy this look all summer long by ditching your foundation for a tinted moisturizer and opting for lengthening mascara. For lips, stick to a neutral cream shade or try out a lip and cheek chubby.
Erykah Badu’s Makeup Evolution
04
2006: Lesson In Lavender

Erykah channels her inner hippie with lavender eyes and dark lips for Sputnik 2006. To get the shadow effect on her lip, shade the corners of lips with a matte lipstick in a hue darker than your lipstick base. 

Erykah Badu’s Makeup Evolution
Tana Lee Alves/WireImage
05
2007: Perfect Plum

Need a new go-to shade for date night? Take a cue from Erykah, who opted for pinks and plums that complimented her skin tone. 

Erykah Badu’s Makeup Evolution
Chad Buchanan/Getty Images
06
2010: Futuristic Cool

Who says eyeliner is just for eyes? Try Erykah’s look by dotting your cheekbones on an angle using your favorite liquid liner.

Erykah Badu’s Makeup Evolution
Jerritt Clark/Getty Images)
07
2010: Ethereal Glow
Erykah knows that feathery lashes and pearly cream shadows create an angelic look. To get this look, apply a pearl shimmer shadow to the base of your lid, add a taupe shadow to the crease and blend upwards.
Erykah Badu’s Makeup Evolution
08
2013: Spotted Beauty

Erykah experiments with faux freckles and plays up the look with rosy cheeks and fuchsia accented eyes at the 2013 BET awards. Want to try your hand at her spots? Blunt the edge of eyeliner pencil in a brown hue two shades darker than your natural tone and spot your cheeks and nose.

Erykah Badu’s Makeup Evolution
Jason Merritt/BET/Getty Images for BET
09
2014: Pink Done Right

Curious about how to rock a pink shadow? Take a cue from Ms. Badu at a Motown event last year during SXSW. She created a reverse smokey eye using a warm neutral shadow as a base and pink on her crease and lower lashline.

Erykah Badu’s Makeup Evolution
Rick Kern/Getty Images for Samsung
10
2015: Metallic Glow

Punk meets pretty as Erykah arrives at the 2015 Black Girls Rock Ceremony sporting a pierced bridge and cheeks. A creamy apricot blush on her cheeks compliments the shimmer shadow on the inner corners of her eyes and lids. She tops the look off with a nude gloss and feathered lashes.

Erykah Badu’s Makeup Evolution
Bennett Raglin/BET/Getty Images for BET

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