A ranking of the best, worst and weirdest movie makeover scenes ever

Date June 7, 2016

Here’s what we know. We know that movie makeovers are real. We know there’s usually an “aha!” moment where the star comes into her own or embraces a newfound aesthetic that conveys to everyone watching that she’s really in love now, so get into it, thank you. And we know that most of the time, the shtick is tired.

But it’s also more complicated than that. This past weekend saw the release of Me Before You, a romance about a young woman who falls in love with a paralyzed millionaire and who tweaks her look in the process. It’s nothing major, but it happens. Which got us thinking: how many romance movies really perpetuate the notion that a woman has to look different once she’s in love?

Spoiler alert: too many. But where makeovers have defined the likes of Grease and She’s All That, make-unders have been just as common, specifically after the throws of passion. (If you know what I mean.) So, here’s how makeup and hair have played just as important a role to character/relationship development as actual writing. Good luck to all of us.

1/9

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Grease (1977)
Less makeup? More makeup? More.

We know what happens here. In a last-ditch attempt to save their relationship, Sandy and Danny swap aesthetics because that’s the only way to maintain true love.

But where Danny only takes off a letterman sweater, Sandy changes her entire vibe. She scraps her bangs and lip gloss, and shows up in a black leotard with permed hair and nearly enough makeup to pass for an extra in Saturday Night Fever. Then they fly away in a car, making this ending the most confusing of all endings, ever. (Even Inception.) Proving, I guess, that if it’s a real relationship, you better be willing to drop a shit-ton at Sephora.

2/9

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Dirty Dancing (1987)
Less makeup? More makeup? Same.

Lest we forget: boy meets girl, boy hates girl, girl carries a watermelon, and a lot of sex ensues. (Not with the watermelon.)

But here’s the thing. When we first meet Baby, she’s dressed like an era-appropriate teen (with little-to-no-makeup). Then, after falling in love, we see her in crop tops, short shorts, and dancing gear — all before her “real” makeover as a stand-in Penny. That’s when we see her in a blue dress and a ton of 80s-goes-60s makeup.

And it didn’t suit her. In fact, while Baby’s fashion changed (and ended up regressing a bit near the end), her makeup and hair game stayed the same because while Johnny was arguably a middle-aged wanderer, Baby knew herself enough to know what worked, what didn’t, and how she wanted to come at the world. Johnny may have influenced her cool new wardrobe, but girlfriend’s beauty regime stayed the same.

3/9

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Romeo + Juliet (1996)
More makeup? Less makeup? Same.

Admittedly, this movie takes place within the span of about four hours. So if Juliet had gone through a major makeover montage, we’d all be a little upset.

But nope: instead, Luhrmann honed in on the teenage-ness of the star-crossed lovers who were way too busy dealing with feuds and elopement to worry about whether Juliet was wearing enough (or not enough) lipstick. (Besides, Romeo loved Juliet as is. At least for those four times they met.) Bless.

4/9

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She’s All That (1998)
More makeup? Less makeup? More.

Well this one’s easy: dude literally makes fun of her until he sees her in a bathing suit on a beach and then can’t believe she’s actually pretty when she takes off her glasses and wears era-appropriate makeup.

Although we could say the crush began when Prez saw Lainey performing as a mime. Which still involves more makeup, so my point is proven.

5/9

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Titanic (1997)
More makeup? Less makeup? Less.

Technically, it’s not like Rose had time to reapply ye olde eye shadow upon the demise of the vessel she was travelling on. But before it all went to shit, note that she posed for that certain sketch wearing minimal makeup and super-relaxed hair.

Which, circa 1912, would’ve been basically the worst thing to happen in the world. Young women wore their hair up (especially if they were rich and on a cruise). But, in the throws of new love, Rose abandons the hair clips and updo entirely, opting to spend the evening making all of us jealous of her volume and length. Think of this as aesthetic rebellion. As much as you can pull off at the turn of the century, anyway.

6/9

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Brooklyn (2015)
More makeup? Less makeup? More!

Okay, but let’s end on a high note. Brooklyn is a coming-of-age story in which a young woman named Eilis heads to New York from Ireland and starts life anew.

And fun fact: she meets Tony, a dude who likes Eilis immediately. But like, likes her. So while she comes into her own aesthetically via hair, makeup, and Grace Kelly-esque clothes, he’s happy about all of it. He’s just happy to be there. He liked her makeup-free, he liked her with eyeliner. He just likes her.

And she likes him. And the only thing she changes to suit him is a near-love affair she has back at home in the second half of the film. Which, for the record, doesn’t affect her makeup in the slightest.

7/9

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The Breakfast Club (1985)
More makeup? Less makeup? It’s complicated.

Ally Sheedy’s character was The Breakfast Club‘s Janis. But where Mean Girls saw Janis as herself whether or not she was single, The Breakfast Club taught the lesson that love means never having to wear black eyeliner.

Which is nonsense. While Ally Sheedy was bonding with Emilio Estevez throughout the whole film, it wasn’t until Molly Ringwald took her aside for an impromptu makeover that he noticed her “as a woman.” And worse yet, that makeover saw the complete removal of her trademark smokey eye makeup (plus the addition of a headband and pink lipstick). And while there’s nothing wrong with any of those things, there sure is if your whole vibe’s been replaced to suit a boy’s.

8/9

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Cruel Intentions (1998)
More makeup? Less makeup?

Here’s the thing about Cruel Intentions: it’s a really great approach to explaining the Madonna/whore complex, perfectly.

On one hand, Annette is “good.” She is “pure,” and as a result of that “purity,” she has blonde hair, minimal makeup, and evokes that fresh-faced Noxema Girl vibe. Meanwhile, Kathryn is the opposite. She enjoys sex, so she wears dark lipstick, dark eye makeup, and has dark hair. The contrast is real, and majorly symbolic.

So, considering Sebastian ends up with Annette (spoiler alert), she can’t change. If she morphed into Kathryn, it’d have meant that he should’ve chosen Kathryn. If Kathryn had morphed into Annette, it would’ve meant “bad girls” could be redeemed. (Since this movie does a pretty good job of sending the message that within our society, the purity myth dictates redemption terms.) Annette had to stay minimalist. Otherwise Seb would’ve been hit by a car for nothing.

9/9

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The Notebook (2004)
More makeup? Less makeup? Different.

I mean, right? It’s not worse, it’s not better, it’s just different. When Allie and Noah reunite a few years after Allie’s mom sabotages their relationship, Allie’s brows are darker, her lipstick’s more grown up, and she looks like an adult.

But that’s because she is an adult. Here, her changed makeup/hair reflect the passage of time. She’s not a girl, but full-on a woman. And also a rich, engaged, and super-popular woman who isn’t about to go running around in loose curls like Rose in Titanic.

Until she and Noah hook up again, and down comes the hair, and away goes the makeup, and…man, movies really love the idea of a “good” relationship making you abandon your mascara.