Ariana Grande looks different. You’ve noticed it, I’ve noticed it, and basically the entire internet has been talking about it for the last three years. But if you’re looking at a photo from 2026 and trying to reconcile it with the "7 Rings" era, you’re looking at two completely different versions of the same person.
She’s currently sporting a look that is far more refined and, honestly, a lot more "Old Hollywood" than the pop princess aesthetic we grew up with.
The biggest news right now? The blonde is officially gone. After spending roughly three years as a platinum blonde for her role as Glinda in the Wicked films, Ariana made a massive return to her roots in late 2025. She debuted a rich, chocolate brunette shade just before the premiere of Wicked: For Good. It’s a warm, deep brown that feels like a homecoming for her fans.
How does Ariana Grande look now compared to the Glinda era?
The transition from "Blonde Ari" to "Brunette Ari" wasn't just about a trip to the salon. It marked the end of a very specific chapter. For the better part of 2023, 2024, and 2025, she was almost unrecognizable to casual viewers. She had bleached her eyebrows to match her hair, which completely changed the geometry of her face. It gave her this ethereal, almost alien-like softness that worked perfectly for a high-fantasy witch but left some fans worried she looked "washed out."
Now that we’re in 2026, she’s leaned into what she calls a "modern twist on classic glamour." At the 2026 Golden Globes, she showed up with a sleek, dark ponytail—a nod to her signature style—but with a sophisticated edge. She’s swapped the heavy "Moonlightbae" lashes and thick winged liner for a much softer approach.
She’s been using her own r.e.m. beauty products, specifically the new Sweet Dreams eyeshadow quads, to create what she describes as a "chocolate brown cat eye." It’s less about "snatching" the face with heavy makeup and more about highlighting her natural bone structure.
The weight conversation and the "Petri Dish" effect
We have to talk about the elephant in the room. A lot of the search interest around "how does Ariana Grande look now" comes from people concerned about her weight. She’s been very open about how uncomfortable this makes her. In a series of interviews and social media posts ranging from 2023 to late 2025, she reminded everyone that "healthy can look different."
She actually dropped a bombshell that most people didn't expect: the version of her body that the public considered "healthy" (around 2018) was actually her at her most unhealthiest. She admitted she was on antidepressants, drinking heavily, and eating poorly during that time.
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"I was at the lowest point of my life when I looked the way you consider my healthy," she told fans.
Lately, she’s been more about movement that supports her mental state—Pilates, ballet-style rehearsals for Wicked, and light resistance training. She’s petite. Standing at 5 feet tall, even small shifts in weight or muscle tone look dramatic on camera. While some tabloids use words like "frail," her team and Ariana herself point to a high-energy schedule and a shift toward a more stable, mindful lifestyle.
Addressing the plastic surgery rumors
Did she or didn't she? That's the question that keeps TikTok surgeons busy. In 2024, Ariana actually sat down for a lie detector test with Vanity Fair to put the rumors to bed. It was a pretty bold move.
She confirmed she has had Botox and fillers in the past but claimed she stopped about four years ago.
- Nose Job? She said no.
- Facelift? Not yet (though she’s open to it).
- Fox Eye Lift? No, though she joked she was flattered people thought she had one.
- Chin Implant? A hard no.
The lie detector confirmed she was telling the truth.
So, why the change? A lot of it comes down to makeup and aging. When you stop using heavy fillers and start using "clean girl" makeup, your face looks different. Her current aesthetic is much more "sculpted." She uses a technique where she sweeps blush directly under her cheekbones to create a hollowing effect, which explains that sharper, more defined jawline people keep pointing out.
What’s next for her style?
As she kicks off the Eternal Sunshine tour in June 2026, expect the "Glinda" influence to fade and a new, more mature pop star aesthetic to take over. She’s working with stylist Law Roach now, who is famous for turning celebrities into fashion icons. We’re seeing a lot of vintage-inspired silhouettes, Vivienne Westwood gowns, and a focus on "quiet luxury" rather than the oversized hoodies and over-the-knee boots of 2018.
Basically, Ariana is growing up. She’s 32 now. She’s not the 20-year-old from Victorious or the 25-year-old from the Sweetener tour. The look she has now is a reflection of someone who has survived a massive amount of public trauma and has decided to prioritize her peace over the public's expectations of her appearance.
If you want to keep up with her current beauty evolution, follow the r.e.m. beauty tutorials she posts. She recently shared a bare-faced video showing her Golden Globes prep, and it’s the clearest look you’ll get at her "real" face without the red-carpet lighting. Seeing her without the "disguise" of heavy makeup shows that while her style has evolved, she’s still very much the same Ari.
To get the look yourself, focus on skin prep and soft, blended browns for the eyes rather than sharp black liners. Transitioning your own routine to a more "diffused" look is the quickest way to channel her current 2026 vibe.