Ariana Grande Is Nearly Unrecognizable When Comparing 2016 & 2026 Pics

Pop star and actor Ariana Grande has been in the entertainment industry since she was a child, and it's only natural that over the years, we've noticed major changes in her face. However, the internet wouldn't be the internet if it didn't speculate on potential facelifts and nose jobs, all of which Grande denied during a lie detector test organized by Vanity Fair in 2024. "I've had fillers in various places and Botox, but I stopped like four years ago, and that is the extent," the "Wicked" star admitted. Nevertheless, a side-by-side image of Ari in 2016 and 2026 shows just how different the star looks today.

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Dr. Tiago Gomes from Clinic Egos believes Ariana Grande may have undergone subtle facial enhancements, including chin surgery, lip contouring, and nose reshaping "that sharpen her profile without altering its essence." While none of this is confirmed, fans do agree that Ari seems to have undergone some changes, and not just Botox and fillers. "She has a completely different nose now than she did on 'Victorious,'" a Reddit user wrote, adding, "Nose jobs are so common these days, who cares if you had one? Just own it." And while some of Grande's features look very different today compared to a decade ago, it's also very much possible that non-surgical changes have contributed to such a dramatic change in look.

Ariana Grande has had a stunning style transformation throughout her career, and with every change in style came a change in makeup and hair. In 2016, Ari was all about the sleek high ponytail, lots of self-tanner, and dramatic winged eyeliner. At the time, Grande had just released her third studio album, "Dangerous Woman," and with hits like "Into You," Ari was at the center of the pop world. The musician's aesthetic was fitting that classic 2016 Instagram beauty standard — full glam makeup, defined eyebrows, and not knowing when to stop with bonzer.

Now, fast-forward to the mid-2020s — Grande is starring in the wildly successful musical fantasy film "Wicked," in which she plays Glinda: a character who had a significant impact on Ari's aesthetic. Suddenly, the singer has lighter hair (rocking blond between 2023 and 2025) her makeup is much lighter, and her eyebrows have changed drastically. In fact, ditching the last third of her brows resulted in a constantly surprised facial expression, and while it works for some, if you ask us, this is definitely one of Ariana Grande's biggest makeup mistakes. 

But let's go back to her makeup — Ari now embraces a clean girl, no-makeup makeup look, which is a stark contrast to her 2016 full glam. And anyone who knows a thing or two about makeup knows just how dramatically it can change a face. Apart from a shift in makeup, hair, and her overall aesthetic, Dr. Tiago Gomes from Clinic Egos explained that Grande seems to have also experienced some weight loss, which can certainly impact face volume, feature sharpness, and the overall appearance of one's face. In Grande's case, it has caused her face to "appear more stylized" and highlights "features that previously went unnoticed."