We're Begging Nicki Minaj To Get Another MUA After Seeing These Pics

There's no doubt that Nicki Minaj has had a striking face transformation through the years, which is highlighted by the many different makeup looks she's worn. Back when she was Onika Tanya Maraj living in Queens, New York, the rapper sported a more natural look, but once she became a star, her vibe included an array of colorful palettes. As an experienced makeup artist specializing in beauty applications, I can appreciate over-the-top, avant-garde styles, which Minaj is known for. However, there's a fine line between appreciating a beat face and overdoing it with the products, and the "Super Bass" singer has crossed it plenty of times.

Minaj has access to some of the best makeup artists, but sometimes she takes matters into her own hands. In 2012, she told Teen Vogue, "I DIY'ed myself for a major magazine shoot a few weeks ago. Sometimes a makeup artist will do my makeup, and when they're done, I'll think to myself, I know I can look a lot prettier than this." Well, the times she has gone rogue may mean that she needs someone with better skills, and judging from some of her past looks, Minaj should think twice about hiring the person who flubbed her face.

During the mid-aughts, we never thought we'd see Nicki Minaj join the ranks of those with MAGA face transformations you have to see to believe, but here we are. Following in the footsteps of Lauren Boebert and Erika Kirk's eyebrow blindness, Minaj fit right in at a 2026 summit in Washington, D.C. Her face featured heavy, blocky brows and a thick layer of foundation that was still evident under the bad lighting. Add some blush blindness and unevenly glossed lips, and the rapper's Republican makeup was complete.

I'm not sure what caught my eye first with this pic of Nicki Minaj at the 2011 American Music Awards nominee announcement, because there was so much going on. From the blond and blue wig to her bright green eyeshadow, her colorful look was a sight to see. However, on closer inspection, I was aghast at how noticeable her contouring was, with two dark lines going down the sides of her nose. Then, my eyes landed on the difference in color between Minaj's neck and face, and it was a marvel she approved this makeup. The whole look needed to be scrapped and redone.

2011 must have been a year of makeup experimentation for Nicki Minaj because this was one of her worst looks ever. I'm not sure if this was her attempt at baking, but there was a large white block of either foundation or powder starting from her undereye area all the way down to the bottom of her cheeks. She didn't just stop there, either. Minaj placed the white makeup on the bridge of her nose and then contoured it by placing two very distinct dark lines on the sides. Whoever let her leave the house this way needed to be fired.

Nicki Minaj was totally on point with her gorgeous sculptural floral dress at the 2024 Met Gala, with the theme being "Sleeping Beauties: Reawakening Fashion." This was the time to go extra colorful with her makeup, but instead, aside from some gold glitter on her eyes and a hint of pink blush, there was no color on her face. Even Minaj's lips looked as plain as can be, without a touch of lipstick or gloss. With such an avant-garde outfit like hers, going to the event with minimal makeup was a wasted moment.

Around 2015, beauty influencers made super-heavy eyebrows with sharp lines trendy, which thus became known as Instagram brows. Three years later, Nicki Minaj was still rocking the look, and she must have loved it so much that she never wanted her brows to end. Whoever drew them in began way too close together and then extended them so far that they practically touched her hairline. And speaking of hairline, you could clearly see the foundation blending into the edges, which could have easily been removed with a makeup wipe. Judging by Minaj's expression, she was not a happy camper.

Baking was huge during the mid-2010s, with many celebs using a light concealer under their eyes and then setting it with a thick layer of powder. It looked like Nicki Minaj attempted this in 2017 before attending the amfAR Gala, as her undereye area was much lighter than the rest of her face. But it didn't just stop there — the concealer extended all the way down to her cheeks, making the top half of her lower face three shades lighter than normal. If your face is clearly two-toned, you need to rethink your makeup application technique.

In all my years as a makeup artist, I have never seen anyone wear two foundation shades so vastly different as Nicki Minaj did at a fashion show in 2013. Her forehead and nose were a chestnut color, while the rest of her face was about five steps lighter. I'm not sure if this was an attempt at highlighting and contouring gone horribly wrong, but this is not the way to do it. When in doubt, always match your foundation shade to your jawline and neck, and then contour so you don't get discombobulated features like Minaj.

Nicki Minaj unsurprisingly chose an over-the-top look for the 2012 American Music Awards, which included smoky eyes with a cut crease. This entails a sharp line drawn right above the lid crease with a clear demarcation between the light and dark shades. Unfortunately, it looked like Minaj's makeup artist overblended the crease colors and muddied the top lids, with the dark shadow creeping up to the inner parts of her brows. Using a concealer to clean up the area would have sharpened the line, while making the Grammy nominee's brow bones pop more.