Ariana Grande Opens Up About Her Struggles With Hiding Behind Makeup And Why She’s Ditched Botox And Lip Fillers

Ariana Grande has opened up in a heartfelt interview about her decision to embrace natural beauty and ditch cosmetic injectables like Botox. In a recent Vogue Beauty Secrets video released on September 12, the 30-year-old R.E.M. Beauty founder candidly shared her journey towards self-acceptance and why she decided to leave behind certain beauty enhancements.

In the video, Ariana, who is set to portray Glinda the Good Witch in the upcoming film adaptation of the Broadway musical Wicked, began by acknowledging her past use of lip fillers and Botox, stating, “Full transparency as a beauty person, as I do my lips.” She went on to explain how she had used these cosmetic procedures for years but decided to stop in 2018 because she felt like it had become “too much.”

“I just felt like [I was] hiding, you know?” the beloved pop singer known for her powerful vocals and iconic looks admitted, her eyes welling up with tears. It was evident that this topic touched her deeply. She went on to reveal how, for a long time, she had viewed beauty as a way to conceal her true self. Makeup and big hairstyles were her armor against the world. “More hair, more and more, [the] thicker the eyeliner… and that can be so beautiful at times and I still do have love for it,” she shared.

Ariana’s journey towards embracing her natural beauty has been influenced by her experiences growing up in the public eye. She recounted how being exposed to a multitude of voices and opinions about her appearance at a young age had a profound impact on her. “Being exposed to so many voices at a young age and especially when people have things to say about your appearance and stuff at a young age, it’s really hard to know what’s worth hearing or not, but when you’re 17, you don’t really know you don’t know that yet,” Ariana explained.

However, as the Positions singer gained confidence and maturity, her perspective on cosmetics evolved. She emphasized that her “intention” with cosmetics has changed over time. She’s no longer using them to hide but to enhance her natural features and express herself authentically.

Ariana also used the opportunity to encourage open conversations about beauty and cosmetic procedures. She expressed her desire for people to feel comfortable discussing these topics in a candid manner. “Now, might I get a facelift in 10 years? Might, yeah! But these are just thoughts that I feel like we should be able to discuss,” she asserted. “If we’re sitting here talking about beauty secrets, f— it let’s lay it all out there.”