Billie Eilish’s Beauty Evolution Is Full Of Creative Hair Moments

It seems like a disservice to call a musician an overnight success. Certainly no one can discount Billie Eilish’s years of hard work before her big breakthrough. But it is remarkable just how quickly she ascended from Tumblr-scrolling teenager to one of the most critically-acclaimed and prolific stars of her generation. Years of 2016 through 2019 were especially impactful for Eilish — she and her brother, Finneas, turned bedroom-generated beats into radio-smashing earworms. All the while, she was honing her now-signature sense of style, experimenting with different aesthetic ideas personifying her unique artistic vision. As such, Eilish’s beauty evolution feels equally like a roadmap through her musical exploration, too.

When she first starting garnering public recognition, Eilish felt every bit the young, precocious — yet preternaturally cool — teenager. She was all about pigtails, streetwear, and minimalist makeup that showed off her youthful features. Over the years, she only got bolder and more excitingly unpredictable. The minute neon-rooted hair colors became a key part of her image, she threw it all away in favor of a platinum blonde, Marilyn Monroe-esque bob. Just as quickly, she pivoted back to a rich, inky black — sometimes with a punky twist, others with a preppier vibe.

Regardless of if you’ve been following Eilish since her “Ocean Eyes” days or just got tuned in to her talent with her latest album, her beauty evolution is wildly fascinating.

Youthful Up-And-Comer, 2016

At just 16 years old, Eilish already had the natural charm of a seasoned performer — and the trend-setting hair to match. This period was primary dominated by a cool shade silver, which she wore arranged into all sorts of young, carefree styles.

Showing Her Experimental Side, 2017

Even just one year later, Eilish was flexing her creative muscles beyond just music. She’d often pair interesting accessories with unexpected outfits, and her beauty choices were branching out too. At one event, she scattered gold leaf all over her cheekbones, like a gilded precursor to the faux freckle trend.

Ocean Eyes & Hair, 2018

Her big breakthrough hit was the viral song “Ocean Eyes”, and Eilish seemed committed to the theme in every possible sense. She abandoned her cool-toned silver hair in favor of a faded shade of blue-green. It emphasized her eye color and kickstarted an extensive period of playing with bright hair dyes.

Going Green, 2019

For most, this was the first Eilish beauty era to really permeate consciousness. The electric, slime-green hair, the extra-long nails, and eye-emphasizing makeup placement all became part of the young star’s calling card as she started to garner mainstream acclaim and success.

A Signature Style, 2020

By 2020, that particular shade of green became Eilish’s full-on signature. She wore it on-stage, she wore it to the Grammys, and her fans started copying it in droves. This is also the time period in which she started leaning into designer collaborations, too — take a look at the tint Gucci logos covering her square-shaped nails.

Blonde With Bangs, 2021

One thing about Eilish? She lives to keep her audience guessing. Soon after that neon green helped make her a household name, she took a hard turn into a totally unexpected area: classic Hollywood glamour. She debuted a platinum blonde shag with long, wispy bangs in spring 2021, styling it into a Marilyn-inspired coif at that year’s Met Gala.

Gothic Glamour, 2022

Just as fans were getting used to Eilish’s blonde era, it was time to shake things up again. This time, she leaned into a more punk-inspired look with inky black hair and long curtain bangs, often opting for spiked updos that felt more than a little 2000s.

Neon Red Ombré, 2023

She didn’t go back to slime-green, but how could anyone expect Eilish to totally abandon her beloved neon roots for too long? This time around, she went for a laser-red color that felt a little vampire, a little futuristic. This was no Manic Panic bathroom dye-job, though. The careful ombré blend between the red and her black tips is impressively subtle.

Classic Prep, 2024

Following her stint with red, what’s the most unexpected thing Eilish could have done? Ditch all her edge and lean into a sultry, of-the-moment layered look. At the 2024 Oscars, she shocked everyone by turning up in a preppy skirt-set, her extension-enhanced blowout carefully curled around her face.