Lil’ Kim has reigned as the eternal Queen Bee of rap since the 1990s. The Brooklyn-born artist was discovered by The Notorious B.I.G. before releasing her debut studio album Hard Core in 1996, which went double platinum. Aside from selling over 15 million albums and 30 million singles since then, the rap legend doubles as a beauty queen, serving theatrical beats, decorated nails, and dramatic ‘dos on a silver platter.
For one, Lil’ Kim’s MTV Music Awards appearances went down in history. In 1997, the blue-eyed, red-haired goddess accented her look with gold shimmer, a headdress, and defined contour. Two years later, she showed up in her famous purple wig and dramatic cat-eyelashes, all adhering to her signature beauty mark.
From there, she doubled-down on the melodrama. Throughout the 2000s, overdrawn Gyaru brows and defined lashes (cue: her 2003 MOBO Awards and 2005 Baby Phat show looks) ran next to a pigmented, circular blush. By 2010, her burlesque moment was more tamed. A dark, bombshell blowout at a Vodka “Purple” photo shoot replaced her punk wigs. Meanwhile, her makeup turned more matte with concealed under eyes like at The Blonds Fall 2014 show.
For Rihanna’s 3rd Annual Diamond Ball in 2017, Lil’ Kim continued the matte beauty beat trend, pairing it with finger wave-like curls, seconded by her 2019 BET Awards look. While her experimentation solidified her icon status, Lil Kim’s more natural hair and makeup looks are just as fabulous, with one of her latest appearances on the Christian Siriano front row in a white oval manicure and jet black updo.
Now, as she celebrates her 51st birthday, let’s rewind through her most iconic beauty moments of all time.
Lisa “Left Eye” Lopes and Lil Kim (Photo by Ron Galella, Ltd./Ron Galella Collection via Getty Images)
Nyc 9/9/99 E 356973 010 1999 MTV Video Music Awards At The Metropolitan Opera House At Lincoln Center. Arrivals: Lil’ Kim (Photo By Evan Agostini/Getty Images)
LONDON – SEPTEMBER 25: American pop star L’il Kim attends the Mastecard MOBO Awards held at the Royal Albert Hall on September 25, 2003 in London. (Photo by Dave Benett/Getty Images)
Lil Kim during Olympus Fashion Week Fall 2005 – Baby Phat – Front Row and Backstage at Skylight Studios in New York City, New York, United States. (Photo by Gregory Pace/FilmMagic)
NEW YORK – JUNE 07: Lil Kim gets make-up done during the Three Olives Vodka “Purple” photo shoot at the Drive-In Studio on June 7, 2010 in New York City. (Photo by Moises De Pena/FilmMagic)
NEW YORK, NY – FEBRUARY 12: Rapper Lil’ Kim backstage at the The Blonds fashion show during MADE Fashion Week Fall 2014 at Milk Studios on February 12, 2014 in New York City. (Photo by Chelsea Lauren/Getty Images)
NEW YORK, NY – SEPTEMBER 14: Lil’ Kim attends Rihanna’s 3rd Annual Diamond Ball Benefitting The Clara Lionel Foundation at Cipriani Wall Street on September 14, 2017 in New York City. (Photo by Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images for Clara Lionel Foundation)
ATLANTA, GEORGIA – OCTOBER 05: Lil Kim attends the BET Hip Hop Awards 2019 at Cobb Energy Center on October 05, 2019 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Carmen Mandato/Getty Images)
Lil’ Kim at Christian Siriano RTW Spring 2025 as part of New York Ready to Wear Fashion Week held at the Pierre Hotel on September 6, 2024 in New York, New York. (Photo by Gilbert Flores/WWD via Getty Images)
