Sixty-one years ago today, Whitney Houston was born. Raised in New Jersey with a family full of stars—her two-time Grammy Award-winning mother sang backup for Aretha Franklin and cousin Dione Warwick was a ‘60s pop star—she turned to Chaka Khan records to dial up her angelic notes. Taking a page out of her book for both vocals and beauty, Houston scored a temporary modeling career under Wilhelmenia after being scouted at a performance at Carnegie Hall. However beautiful she was: “Too fussy for me,” she told ESSENCE in her 1990 cover story. “You stand there in front of the camera and just grin.”
Now, looking back, the scout had a real eye. In 1984 (a year before she released her self-titled debut album), Houston performed with Jermaine Jackson in New York wearing a short cut afro and sculpted fuschia blush which matched her glazed lipstick. At the Grammy Awards in 1988, her full eyebrows sat above gold eyeshadow and signature smokey lash line. Into the ‘90s, her shorter version of the Diana Ross “Twiggy” lashes were combined with the smoked out purple makeup, turning the look into her signature at the United Negro College Fund dinner.
As her afro became more bouffant, she began to experiment more with wigs: an asymmetrical bob at the ‘99 MTV’s EMA Awards and her historic blonde updo at the inaugural BET Awards in 2001. Leading up to her final years, she attended Clive Davis’s pre-Grammy Awards Party like a Golden Girl with bronze-toned hair and makeup to start the night. Despite her untimely passing in 2012, Houston’s angelic beauty will remain ingrained in history (and our hearts) until the end of time.
In memory of her divine birthday, take a look back at Whitney Houston’s most iconic beauty moments of all time.
Introducing fuchsia makeup
Whitney Houston performed with Jermaine Jackson in New York wearing fuschia makeup and a tight smokey eye which turned into her signature look.
NEW YORK CITY – JULY 1: Singer Whitney Houston performs in concert on July 1, 1984 at The Limelight in New York City. (Photo by Ron Galella, Ltd./Ron Galella Collection via Getty Images) The iconic white headband
The then 21-year-old foreshadowed the white headband she wore at her 1991 Super Bowl performance.
Portrait of American singer and actress Whitney Houston (1963 – 2012) at her mother’s home, West Orange, New Jersey, May 28, 1985. (Photo by Jack Vartoogian/Getty Images) No-mani manicure
With the naked nail trending today, Houston was years ahead pairing her no-mani manicure with a Jheri curl-like hair decoding=”async” src=”https://www.essence.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/GettyImages-602240312-scaled.jpg” alt=”17 Of Whitney Houston’s Most Iconic Beauty Moments” width=”400″ height=”596″ />Whitney Houston at the Park West In in Chicago, Illinois, May 29, 1985. (Photo by Paul Natkin/Getty Images) Picture perfect beauty
She posed in gold eyeshadow with deep lipstick at the 30th Annual Grammy Awards, which she won Best Album and Female Pop Vocal Performance.
American singer and actress Whitney Houston attends The Grammy Awards on March 2, 1988 at Radio City Music Hall in New York City, New York. (Photo By Larry Busacca/Getty Images) Short clumped lashes
She added short clumped Diana Ross “Twiggy” lashes to her signature fuchsia lip and blush combination with smoked out eyeliner.
Singer Whitney Houston attends the United Negro College Fund’s 46th Annual Awards Dinner/Frederick D. Patterson Award to Whitney Houston on March 8, 1990 at the Sheraton Centre in New York City. (Photo by Ron Galella, Ltd./Ron Galella Collection via Getty Images) Hall of Fame lipstick moment
At the 21st Annual Songwriters Hall of Fame, she replaced her usual purple lipstick with red to be inducted into the hall.
Singer Whitney Houston attends the 21st Annual Songwriters Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony and Awards Dinner on May 30, 1990 at the Marriott Marquis Hotel in New York City. (Photo by Ron Galella, Ltd./Ron Galella Collection via Getty Images) Wigging out! The bob-ish pixie
Between an asymmetrical bob and pixie cut, Houston paired her short hairdo with a glazed red lip, tonal purple eyeshadow, and chocolate blush.
Whitney Houston et son mari Bobby Brown le 11 novembre 1999 à Dublin, Irlande. (Photo by Eric CATARINA/Gamma-Rapho via Getty Images) Pigments, pigments, pigments
She paired her bouffant hairdo with pigmented lipstick and eyeshadow at a private party after a Madison Square Garden performance.
Singer Whitney Houston attends a private party after her concert performance at Madison Square Garden on September 10, 1987 aboard the Princess Yachts, World Yacht Club in New York City. (Photo by Ron Galella, Ltd./Ron Galella Collection via Getty Images) Chaka Khan-coded pageant Queen
In a pageant Queen beauty look, her hair resembled the static volume ofher idol Chaka Khan at the 13th Annual American Music Awards.
Singer Whitney Houston attends the 13th Annual American Music Awards on January 27, 1986 at Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Ron Galella/Ron Galella Collection via Getty Images) Purple under eye
Instead of on her lid as an eyeshadow, she opted for purple eyeliner on her bottom water line while the top remained a smoked out black.
American singer Whitney Houston (1963 – 2012), circa 1987. (Photo by Dave Hogan/Getty Images) A Whitney Houston classic
Of the most historic moments (other than her Super Bowl performance), Houston’s dirty blonde wig and larger-than-life personality took over the 1st Annual BET Awards.
Whitney Houston performs during the 1st Annual BET Awards June 19, 2001 at the Paris Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas. (Photo by M. Caulfield/WireImage) Deep MTV tones
At the 8th Annual MTV Movie Awards, she wore her usual purple and red makeup combination but in a deeper tone than usual.
Whitney Houston (Photo by Jim Smeal/Ron Galella Collection via Getty Images) Short cut and red lip combo
Houston sat with Janet Jackson at the 71st Annual Academy Awards in a red lip next to muted makeup tones.
(NO TABLOIDS)Janet Jackson and Whitney Houston during The 71st Annual Academy Awards – Elton John AIDS Foundation Party at the Pagani’s in Los Angeles, CA.(Photo by Kevin Mazur/WireImage) Golden Girl hair and makeup
She attended Clive Davis’s pre-Grammy Awards Party like a Golden Girl with bronze-toned hair (and brows) and makeup.
(EXCLUSIVE, Premium Rates Apply) Whitney Houston *EXCLUSIVE* (Photo by Lester Cohen/WireImage for J Records) Touched by an angel
Her vocals reached heaven at a Madison Square Garden performance, which she wore her classic beauty look to.
UNITED STATES – AUGUST 01:Photo of Whitney Houston(Photo by Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images) Brown mullet charm
She attended the United Negro College Fund’s 10th Annual Telethon party in a brown mullet cut, which we see trending today.
BEVERLY HILLS, CA – NOVEMBER 15: Singer Whitney Houston attends the United Negro College Fund’s 10th Annual “Lou Rawls Parade of Stars” Telethon Kick-Off Party on November 15, 1989 at L’Ermitage in Beverly Hills, California. (Photo by Ron Galella, Ltd./Ron Galella Collection via Getty Images) An inspiration to Black girls
Houston hugs her young fans at a show in the UK, pulling their beaded braids and butterfly clips into her asymmetrical bob.
UNITED KINGDOM – CIRCA 1991:Whitney Houston Backstage After Concert(Photo by Dave Benett/Getty Images)TOPICS: celebrity beauty celebrity birthdays Whitney Houston
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