‘Beauty icon’ is definitely a term that gets thrown around a little too often these days, but honestly, there’s no other way to describe someone with a hair and makeup legacy as full and fabulous as Cher’s.
Whether you’re one of the zillion trying to replicate the ridiculously smooth nature of her signature sleek strands (FYI, a coat of the Kérastase Paris Crème de la Crème will definitely help), or hoping to pay homage to her iconic lilac shadow look (try the Elizabeth Arden Eye Shadow Trio in ‘Touch of Lavender’), there’s no doubt we’ve all wanted to be just like her at some stage.
Our favourite thing about her? Her adventurousness. She’s rocked everything from mullets and crops to crystal headpieces in the hair department, and there’s certainly no love lost between her and shimmer eyeshadow. FYI, she’s also continued to embrace sparkle well into her 70s, as a reminder that ‘guidelines’ aside, you should embrace beauty however the hell you want to, because it’s your damn face.
So in celebration of her 75th birthday, (yes, 75, can you even believe it?), we’re taking a glorious look back at the wigs, butterfly clips and next-level lashes that have cemented her in the beauty hall of fame. Here are 21 of Cher’s most incredible beauty looks…
1
The ‘Cher’ hair you picture when you think of her most renowned look may be her centre-parted straight strands, but she actually hit the scene with a front fringe and blocky face-framing layers. Not to mention the fact that she practically invented the graphic eye.
4
This look was evidently all about big hair and very little blending – Cher put her textured curls on full display, while also embracing a tonal terracotta makeup moment.
5
You know the saying ‘dripping in diamonds’? This is where we choose to believe it originated. An honourable mention to her brows, too; they were definitely on the big and bold side for the era, but they’ve aged like fine wine.
8
If you ask us, Billy Ray’s been getting Cher’s credit for years – this is the mullet to end all mullets. Though we’d argue that the party’s in the front with this particular one.
9
By no means is she only able to pull off bold beauty looks, though – with skin and hair as glossy as hers, it’s no shock that she can do minimal makeup and free-flowing tresses expertly.
10
Cher’s take on Cruela de Vil, perhaps? With the smokey eye and the black-and-white hair pairing, she’s only missing the red lip and the huge coat. Which we have no doubt she’d rock, by the way.
14
We’ll bet you didn’t know Cher was one of the early embracers of ‘flipped-in ends’, either – in fact, she was apparently flicking them in from the fringe downwards. Bold, but she makes it work.
19
Remember that affinity for wigs we mentioned? Consider this your bright copper proof. We love that she also chose her eyeshadow to match.
Legend!
Some of these looks aren’t the greatest but live cher