Emma Stone’s Beauty Evolution Is Full Of Old Hollywood Elegance

She’s a thoroughly modern woman, of course, but no one can deny that Emma Stone has a certain vintage charm. Maybe it’s the interesting projects she seems to gravitate toward, her penchant for timeless fashion choices, or her all-around appealing charm — but no matter how you slice it, she’s a movie star in the most classic vein. If you look back at Stone’s beauty evolution, first starting with her big on-screen breakthrough in the mid-aughts and concluding with her most recent Oscar win, the actor could have easily taken a trendier route with her aesthetics. She likes to play with both eyeliner colors and experimental cuts, of course, but always seems to arrive back at her signature shade of fiery red hair and defined yet fresh-looking makeup.

By now, most fans know that Stone is not actually a natural redhead, but it’s become such an integral part of her look that she might as well be. That said, she’s played around with every possible shade of red — and a few other colors along the way — ranging from blonde-streaked strawberries to rich, moody black cherries. No matter how far Stone strays from her trademark tones, though, she always manages to find her way back.

Just ahead, venture back through Emma Stone’s beauty evolution to see where it all began.

Fresh-Faced Energy, 2006

She’s nearly unrecognizable with a ginger tint in her brunette hair and long, lash-skimming bangs, but this year marks the true start of Stone’s ascent to stardom — and her style journey. It wouldn’t be long before she went all-in on a true red.

Deep & Smoky, 2008

Quintessentially late aughts in dark, smudged-out liner and an equally captivating shade of red hair, Stone started to branch out with her look. She began playing around with sophisticated updos on the red carpet, her youthful energy infusing more than a little fun.

Buttery Blonde Bangs, 2010

Believe it or not, this vibrant shade of butter blonde is only a few degrees lighter than Stone’s natural shade. She ostensibly went back to her roots (literally) for her role in the Andrew Garfield Spider-Man franchise, but liked it so much that it stuck around for a while both before and after filming the trilogy.

Hints Of Pink, 2012

One of Stone’s coolest beauty tricks is oh-so subtly incorporating her outfit colors into her makeup — and managing to never make it look too matchy-matchy, costumey, or ‘80s. On the red carpet in 2012, she wore a halo of deep pink shadow, a nod to her voluminous pussy-bow gown.

Casual Glamour, 2014

Stone doesn’t need to go all-out to make a statement at events — even the Met Gala. For the 2014 fundraiser, she took the elegantly undone approach with a loose side braid, the dewiest skin tint, and just a hint of rose-toned lip color.

Moody Depth, 2016

Embracing her edgier side with very dark red hair and equally stormy eye makeup, Stone proves she has real range off-screen. The deeper color in her side-parted curls makes them look even glossier, too.

Strawberry Tones, 2018

It’s the best of both worlds. With a hair color that sits somewhere between a sandy blonde and a neutral-toned red, Stone gets to combine two of her favorites hair shades to create something entirely new.

Classic Copper, 2020

You might think of this as the archetypal Stone look. There’s the natural-looking red hair, pink cheeks with matching lips, and a statement-making jewel-toned outfit that makes all the colors in her look really pop.

Rustic Red, 2022

Less than two years later, Stone had lightened her hair once again. The new color is warm and rustic, helping fuel larger red hair trend that seemed to rule Hollywood through all four seasons.

Radiant Highlighter, 2024

For the 2024 Oscars, at which Stone snagged her second Best Actress win, she took a decidedly luminous approach to her look. Her deeper red hair is especially shiny, but the cool, moonlit highlighter dusted across her shoulders, clavicle, and nose plays up the pearly tones in her gown.