The Beauty Remix: How Female Artists Are Reclaiming The Pop Charts One Look At A Time

Back in the late ’90s and early 2000s, female pop stars were often served up as carbon copies in lip gloss and low-rise jeans—so much so that it was easy to blur the lines between a Christina, a Britney, or a Mandy. But today, music’s leading ladies aren’t just reshaping the sound of the charts—they’re rewriting beauty culture while they’re at it. Think Chappell Roan’s camp maximalism, Charli XCX’s indie-sleaze, and Raye's effortless mix of nostalgia. Each one brings a distinct aesthetic of unapologetic individuality, and together, they’ve given us a full spectrum of looks to obsess over. It’s more than music—it’s rewriting the rulebook. And we're here for it.

Raye

“Raye’s look is all about natural femininity, with a playful nod to '40s Italian glamour,” says her make-up artist, Lan Nguyen-Grealis. What makes Raye's look stand out is the balance between embracing her natural features and enhancing them in clever, creative ways. Nguyen-Grealis often mixes matte and shine for contrast, keeps her base fresh and flawless, and plays with soft nude washes or ombré lips for subtle drama. Flushed cheeks, well-placed highlight, and thoughtful contouring add dimension, but nothing feels heavy. “The details shift from day to day—one moment it’s fluffy brows, the next a sharper, more graphic liner, paired with lashes that swing from barely-there to full-on glamour.” The constant? Raye’s make-up always feels effortless and modern, even when it’s referencing vintage glamour.

Shop Raye's look

Chappell Roan

Chappell Roan’s make-up is a glorious clash of references—drag-inspired drama meets Pre-Raphaelite dreaminess, sharpened with club-kid defiance. She also plays with colour clashes—turquoise eyes, fuchsia cheeks, oxblood lips—leaning into combinations that shouldn’t work, but somehow do. “She’s not afraid to go bold and maximalist,” her tour make-up artist, Ali Scharf, told Dazed. “Some days she channels traditional glamour, other times she’ll lean into something weird, scary, or unexpected.” That same fearlessness extends to the way Chappell toys with the so-called ‘ugly beauty’ trend. Scharf points out that it’s this refusal to play it safe—the willingness to embrace offbeat, even unsettling choices—that keeps her beauty feeling vulnerable and, ultimately, very human.

Shop Chappell's look

Sabrina Carpenter

Sabrina Carpenter’s signature beauty look has become instantly recognisable: a kittenish eye framed with feathery lashes and lips with just the right hint of pout. Add in softly diffused doll-like blush—now her calling card—and a wash of shimmery Y2K-inspired shadow, and you’ve got a modern pin-up that feels both nostalgic and fresh. Make-up artist Carolina Gonzalez, who has crafted many of Carpenter’s beauty moments, has described her aesthetic as “watercoloured, sensual, feminine, and universally flattering,” a romantic mix of creamy textures and a skin-like glow that falls somewhere between Old Hollywood starlet and internet-era cutie. No wonder TikTok can’t stop re-creating it.

Shop Sabrina's look

Charli XCX

Charli XCX has built an entire beauty identity around not playing by the rules. She birthed the now-iconic ‘Brat’ look, neon green at its core—a colour more rave floor than red carpet, which is exactly the point. “She’s always been a cool girl with a zero-f*cks attitude,” says her make-up artist Kali Kennedy. Lately, though, her aesthetic has matured: gothic drama courtesy of Valentino Beauty at the Grammys, and refined brows with just a nod to a smoky bronze eye at the Met Gala hint at a new phase of unruly glamour. And perhaps the boldest element of all? Charli refuses to conceal her under-eyes. “I kind of like the eye bag look; I love it,” Charli reportedly said—obviously a proud advocate for the ‘hot hungover’ trend. “It’s just nice to look a bit tired, like you just woke up and had the best night ever.”

Shop Charli's look

Doja Cat

Doja Cat isn’t just known for her sharp lyrics—her beauty choices are equally fearless. She’s gone through an E-girl phase, embraced an alien-inspired aesthetic, shaved her hair and brows, and even sat front row encased in ruby-red Swarovski crystals, a Pat McGrath look that broke the internet. At Beyoncé’s party, she transformed her face into a living optical illusion with a perfectly placed swirling line. While those looks aren’t exactly day-to-day, her latest beauty statement is effortlessly wearable: an iconic red lipstick. Bright, unapologetic, and channelling Hollywood’s femme fatales, MAC’s Lady Danger has become Doja’s signature power move. As Dominic Skinner, MAC’s director of artistry, puts it: “It was showing the world her confidence, her strength and her passion in a single colour.”

Shop Doja's look