Celebrities have access to the best makeup artists, luxurious skincare routines, and lighting that makes them appear almost otherworldly, so when their makeup fails, it can be somewhat comforting, right? Like, okay, maybe my uneven eyeliner and under-eye creases aren’t the end of the world after all.
So in order to make ourselves feel better about our daily makeup struggles, here are 10 times celebs were let down by their makeup.
1. Lady Gaga’s Graphic Eyeliner Misfire
Gaga’s never been one to play it safe, and honestly, that’s why we love her. But her 2009 MTV VMA look was overwhelming. She went for this bold, artsy vibe with dramatic graphic eyeliner and a bit of glitter, but instead of high-fashion drama, it kind of gave off goth raccoon meets very tired mime. And just to make things worse, the setting powder she used caused a serious flashback in photos. You could tell she was going for something edgy, but sadly, the whole look just didn’t come together the way it probably did in her head.
2. Nicki Minaj’s Harajuku Horror
Ah, the early 2010s. Nicki Minaj was fully embracing her “Harajuku Barbie” fantasy during this period of neon everything. But at the 2011 American Music Awards nominations, her makeup took that fantasy a little too far. The contour was heavy and super obvious—especially this harsh, unblended strip down her nose.
Her concealer was way too light, her under-eyes were bare (which somehow made things worse), and her lashes looked like they were trying to escape. Add a bright lipstick to the mix (no lipliner too), and it was basically a checklist of what not to do when you’re getting camera-ready.
