(Beauty)
In Honor Of Her Big Birthday, We Break Down Kim Kardashian's Best Beauty Looks
With nearly 200 million people tuning into her daily Instagram selfies and a billion-dollar brand under her belt, Kim Kardashian will forever be remembered as one of the 21st century's great luminaries of beauty. Although her current aesthetic may rarely deviate from contoured features, dramatic lashes, and glossy nude lips, one mustn't forget that the beauty kingpin has indeed manufactured some of the most polarizing and influential trends of our generation. And with her 40th birthday looming, there's never been a better time to take a trip down memory lane and break down Kim Kardashian's best beauty moments.
Since rising to fame as Paris Hilton's velour tracksuit-wearing right-hand woman in the early aughts, Kim K has dyed her hair silver (and blue, and platinum, and red...), chopped it into a bob, test driven bangs, rocked umpteen red lips, coined the cool-girl middle part, and, in the end, developed quite the modus operandi for neutral, smoky eye-laden makeup. The reality TV personality-turned-KKW mogul has mastered the art of sartorial subtlety, but every new beauty look becomes a headline anyway.
From her 2015-era peroxide lob to her momentous endorsement of the lighter-than-flesh lipstick trend, here are seven beauty looks courtesy of Kim Kardashian worth copying now and always.
All-Neutral With A Smoky Eye
Her go-to makeup routine is characterized by smouldery, lined-all-the-way-around eyes, lashes that reach the sky, impeccable highlight and contour, and an understated glossy lip lined with a brown pencil. This — above all — has become the quintessential Kim Kardashian aesthetic after which nearly every KKW Beauty collection is modeled.
A Merlot Lip
A rare departure from her usual nude lip, this rich wine-colored lipstick moment comes courtesy of a highly glamorous Gucci event. The year is 2015 and Kim K. is dripping in diamonds and black lace. Her lids are virtually shadow-less but her lashes make up for it.
Pin-Straight Bob
On any given day, Kardashian is liable to have hair hanging down past her waist (à la her primo style muse, Cher). In 2019, however, she delivered a refreshingly chic bob moment — pin-straight, parted in the middle, and slightly turned inwards at the ends.
A Touch Of Pink
One of her most au naturel beauty moments to date, this classic look is practically the product of your daily routine. First, a rosy cheek. Then, a healthy coating of mascara and a swipe of pink lip gloss to top it off.
Blue Eyeshadow
Kardashian's penchant for neutrals may come off as an aversion to color, but moments like this prove otherwise. Here, she's wearing that unexpected metallic cobalt color from the KKW x Mario palette. (So what if it's in the name of self-promotion?)
Platinum Blonde
What she lacks in makeup variety, she makes up for (tenfold) with her ever-changing hair color. Kardashian has trialed nearly every shade in the book — sometimes twice or three times — and this bleach-blonde moment is one of the most memorable.
Powder-Pink Pout
While she tends to keep her look tirelessly up-to-date, sticky pink lip gloss is one bygone makeup trend that the mogul seems not to mind. Her powder-pink pout is reminiscent of those Paris Hilton days — Juicy Couture tracksuits, oversized totes, and studded sunnies come to mind.
