It’s good to be Gigi Hadid. We may not know from first-hand experience, but from what we can tell, the 24-year-old model lives the life. Read: She’s best friends with Taylor Swift, she earns prestigious titles, like Model of the Year, and goes bowling with Bachelorette contestants. To her credit, we don’t just love Gigi because she lives the kind of life we only wish we could — we love her because she’s got one of the best beauty evolutions in the game.
Unlike most stars, Gigi never really had a glow-up. Rewind back to her earliest modeling days and you’ll notice that she’s always been a beauty icon in the making — sans awkward phases or regrettable red carpet moments. Whether she’s donning a faux bob at an award show, spiky lashes at the Met Gala, or ombré highlights at an industry function, Gigi proves to be one of the biggest beauty trendsetters of our generation. Our proof, ahead.
2012
At the 2012 Heart Foundation Gala, Gigi kept her base low-key, focusing most of the drama on her smoky eye. We only wish we looked this polished in high school.
Photo: Jerod Harris/WireImage.
2013
One year later, Gigi moved to New York to focus on her modeling career — a major milestone documented on The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills (yes, her mother Yolanda was a cast member). Even as a budding model on the East Coast, Gigi maintained her Cali-girl waves and sun-kissed glow.
Photo: Rob Kim/Getty Images.
2014
By 2014, Gigi was on the precipice of achieving official star status. That year she not only landed her first swimsuit edition of Sports Illustrated, but attended the American Music Awards debuting new icy-blonde highlights.
Photo: Jon Kopaloff/FilmMagic.
2015
She attended the same award show a year later, but walked the red carpet with a stunning new bob. Unfortunately for fans of the look, the shorter hairstyle was merely the result of a wig.
Photo: Jason Merritt/Getty Images.
That same year, Hadid scored a spot on the Victoria’s Secret runway. Would you believe that she didn’t get the gig the first time she auditioned? "My first year trying out, I didn’t get it," she told Allure. "I think they said I looked too young…I had a baby face." By the time she did make her big winged debut, she did so in a full set of Angel waves.
Photo: Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images.
2016
Gigi loves faking out fans with temporary hair, as evidenced by her clip-in bangs at the 2016 MTV Movie Awards. Despite their authenticity, or lack thereof, there’s no doubt that this mussy bedhead vibe is one Gigi wears well.
Photo: Kevin Mazur/WireImage.
Gigi had entered into a very public relationship with Zayn Malik that same year. One of their first red carpet appearances together included the 2016 Met Gala — the same event in which Hadid wore a back-grazing ponytail and $2,000 manicure.
Photo: Rabbani and Solimene Photography/Getty Images.
2017
If anyone could get you to buy drugstore makeup, it’s Gigi at the Met Gala — which is exactly where she wore an $8 eyeliner to create this dramatic cat-eye.
Photo: Gilbert Carrasquillo/GC Images.
Gigi served major Serena van der Woodsen vibes at the 2017 Harper’s Bazaar Icons party with flowing undone waves and bold liner.
Photo: Taylor Hill/FilmMagic.
2018
For Gigi’s 2018 Met Gala makeup, the beauty was in the details. Look closely and you’ll notice the model’s angelic glitter liner cascading from her eyes.
Photo: Neilson Barnard/Getty Images.
In honor of her golden birthday, Gigi rang in her 23rd year decked in head-to-toe gold. From her buttery blonde hair to shimmering inner corners, the model set a new standard for birthday beauty.
Photo: Gotham/GC Images.
Everyone was talking about Gigi’s Versace jumpsuit at the 2018 CFDA Fashion Awards, but we were focused on hunting down that red lipstick. Turns out, makeup artist Erin Parsons used everyone’s favorite matte lipstick: Maybelline’s Superstay Ink (in Heroine).
Photo: Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images.
2019
Gigi never disappoints on a Met Gala red carpet, but in 2019 she really showed up thanks to these fluttery white falsies.
Photo: Theo Wargo/WireImage.
While her sister Bella has been transitioning back to blonde, Gigi’s been opting for warmer roots. By the 2019 CFDA Awards, she had officially ditched her signature color for low-maintenance ombré highlights.
Photo: Michael Stewart/WireImage.
Gigi’s biggest beauty moments may be from the red carpet or runway, but some of her best looks come from her off-duty moments. See: Her barefaced, dewy glow and topknot updo in New York City.
Photo: Ilya S. Savenok/Getty Images.
Like what you see? How about some more R29 goodness, right here?
Billie Eilish Is Officially Bringing Back Belly-Button Piercings
Hilary Duff Has 15 Tattoos — & No One Ever Noticed
Kirsten Dunst Is Making A Case For Curtain Bangs This Fall
Source: Refinery29 – Samantha Sasso