Gwyneth Paltrow, Before and After
If you read the recent New York Times profile of Gwyneth Paltrow—or if you've ever visited her website, Goop—then you know how obsessed she is with wellness and a "clean" lifestyle.
But when it comes to her own appearance, she takes a different (and contradictory!) approach.
"I've probably tried everything," she told Harper's Bazaar at age 40.
"I would be scared to go under the knife, but you know, talk to me when I'm 50. I'll try anything. Except I won't do Botox again, because I looked crazy. I looked like Joan Rivers!"
Now 45, the only treatments she has admitted to besides Botox are "lasers," Thermage skin tightening, peels and microdermabrasion, along with regular facials.
However, as you'll see in the photos below, she probably went under the knife long ago... and it sure doesn't seem like she's quit Botox!
Ready to see how Gwyneth's look has changed over the years? Let's get started!
Gwyneth in 1990
Gwyneth Paltrow in 1990.
Our first photo, from 1990, was taken when Gwyneth was just 17 or 18. So, for one thing, she's not a natural blonde. And second, this was her original nose.
Gwyneth in 1993
Gwyneth Paltrow at the 1993 premiere of 'Flesh & Bone.'
Three years later, when her acting career was just getting started, Gwyneth lightened her hair, and shortened it to this flippy bob. As you can see, the base of her nose had a wider, rounder shape.
Gwyneth in 1994
Gwyneth Paltrow at the 1994 Oscars.
For her first Oscars, Gwyneth rocked matte brown lipstick, dark skinny eyebrows, pale skin and a pearl choker. Ah, the 1990s!
Gwyneth in 1995
Gwyneth Paltrow at the 1995 New York premiere of 'Jefferson in Paris.'
Suddenly, in 1995, Gwyneth's image got the Hollywood upgrade. She adopted her signature hairstyle (long, straight and expensive-looking blonde) that we still associate with her to this day. She was only 22 here, but looks so poised.
Gwyneth in 1996
Gwyneth Paltrow at the 1996 New York premiere of 'Emma.'
They don't do updos like this anymore! Gwyneth was the epitome of '90s cool in a high messy bun with long, loose tendrils behind each ear. Her skin looks so fresh (and her nose fit her face just fine!).
Gwyneth in 1997
Gwyneth Paltrow at the 1997 premiere of 'Hard Eight.'
At age 24, Gwyneth reached peak '90s with this short haircut and pencil-thin eyebrows. She was dating Brad Pitt at the time—and they had matching hairstyles!
Gwyneth in 1998
Gwyneth Paltrow at the 1998 premiere of 'Great Expectations.'
Just a few months before her Academy Award for Shakespeare in Love, Gwyneth decided to grow out her hair... and eyebrows! Her little bob is adorable, along with the bobby pin to hold back her bangs. I think this picture really demonstrates a different nose versus the one she has today.
Gwyneth in 1999
Gwyneth Paltrow at the 1999 premiere of 'The Talented Mr. Ripley.'
Did you know that Gwyneth once had dark brown hair? And possibly extensions, to help her get through the grow-out phase. She definitely changed up her makeup to go with her new colouring, wearing bolder blush, lipstick and eyeliner. Not sure what's up with the yellow eyeshadow under her brows!
Gwyneth in 2000
Gwyneth Paltrow at the 2000 New York premiere of 'Bounce.'
By 2000, however, it was back to blonde, with subtle, sophisticated makeup. Had she changed her nose by this point? It's possible! Her nostrils do look flatter and her bridge straighter... remember that celebs often time these things with hair colour changes to fool us!
Gwyneth in 2001
Gwyneth Paltrow at the 2001 premiere of 'Snatch.'
In 2001, Gwyneth's hair was longer and blonder than ever. She's fortunate that her brows grew back so well!
Gwyneth in 2002
Gwyneth Paltrow at the 2002 Oscars.
Gwyneth departed from her usual style for the 2002 Oscars, sporting a braided updo and smoky eyes with her Goth-inspired Alexander McQueen dress ("I should have worn a bra," she said on Goop!). Her blonde was darker here, and would remain so for another year.
Gwyneth in 2003
Gwyneth Paltrow at the 2003 Music Has Power Awards.
Then there was a weird style blip in 2003. In fact, I had to check that this was actually Gwyneth! I don't know if it's the spider-esque false lashes, dark glossy lipstick and matronly updo... or the weirdly frozen expression. She was only 30 at this time, so it couldn't be injectables, could it?!
Gwyneth in 2004
Gwyneth Paltrow at MTV's 'Total Request Live' in 2004.
Fortunately, things improved in 2004, with a beachy, voluminous, layered hairstyle (in a brighter blonde), and sun-kissed natural makeup. Okay, the false lashes are still a bit much, but overall, she's a knockout. And she had just given birth to her daughter, Apple, a few months before!
Gwyneth in 2005
Gwyneth Paltrow at the 2005 Oscars.
Gwyneth was all about the glam for the 2005 Oscars. Don't those earrings just scream "early 2000s"? So does the semi-brassy hair tone and bold, warm blush. Take note of her teeth, because those will change later on!
Gwyneth in 2006
Gwyneth Paltrow at the 2006 Golden Globe Awards.
The same heavy-handed blush continued through 2007, but Gwyneth wore it this time with a romantic wavy updo. It's almost timeless, except for the white eyeliner in her lower waterlines, which dates it! This shot was taken just a few months before Gwyneth had her son, Moses.
Gwyneth in 2007
Gwyneth Paltrow at Comic-Con 2007.
One of my favourite Gwyneth moments has to be from 2007, when she would wear her hair parted down the middle like this: über-long, über-straight and über-blonde. Her teeth are starting to get whiter, and I think it's becoming evident that her nose has been whittled down.
Gwyneth in 2008
Gwyneth Paltrow at the 2008 launch for 'Spain... on the Road Again.'
You know how the bob has been having a moment lately? The same thing happened 10 years ago with the lob, and 35-year-old Gwyneth was one of the celebs leading the trend. She wore hers in platinum blonde, with glowing skin and black liner (I love this makeup!). If you review the last few photos, she had been developing some fine lines on her forehead, but it looks smoother here, and her lower lips seem fuller. Had she already begun injections?
Gwyneth in 2009
Gwyneth Paltrow at the 2009 Bent on Learning event.
If the last photo didn't convince you she was dabbling in Botox, I think this one will! Gwyneth's forehead is definitely smoother and line-free. Her cheeks seem more prominent, and her lips fuller, so I think it's likely she had fillers as well. She really doesn't look like herself!
Gwyneth in 2010
Gwyneth Paltrow at the 2010 premiere of 'Country Strong.'
Now here's what Gwyneth was referring to when she said she looked like Joan Rivers. Yikes! Her forehead is as tight as a drum, and her face seems to have an odd plastic quality. One other procedure she had done was removing the mole on her forehead... and she may have had extensions again, to get back her long hair.
Gwyneth in 2011
Gwyneth Paltrow at the 2011 Venice premiere of 'Contagion.'
The overdone injections started to dissipate by 2011 (Gwyneth was 38 in this photo), although her cheeks still have an artificial look to them. "I still tan without sunscreen, which is really, totally fucked up," she told Glamour in 2016. Agreed. I think we're starting to see some evidence of that here!
Gwyneth in 2012
Gwyneth Paltrow at the 2012 God's Love We Deliver Golden Heart Gala.
But in this shot, Gwyneth looks super-young and fresh again! Was it her famous Thermage treatments, or more Botox perhaps? Her forehead looks smooth once more... her jawline looks super-toned... and even her eyes seem more open. Whatever she did, she looks great!
Gwyneth in 2013
Gwyneth Paltrow at the 2013 premiere of 'Thanks for Sharing.'
We rarely see Gwyneth wearing lipstick, so I love this red lip look with black liner and bright blonde hair. Notice how her teeth are now blindingly white, suggesting she had professional bleaching treatments. The space between her brows is also completely wrinkle-free, and her cheeks appear to have more volume, indicating injections. Of course, her nose is also very petite and sculpted.
Gwyneth in 2014
Gwyneth Paltrow at the 2014 Hollywood Costume Luncheon.
I think Gwyneth has a more natural look in this picture (although not with respect to her hair—it's looking too solid and brassy all of a sudden). Her face seems to have more "movement," though—which makes sense given her 2013 vow to never do Botox again. (Whether she kept her word, we'll soon see!)
Gwyneth in 2015
Gwyneth Paltrow at the 2015 InStyle Awards.
Judging from this shot, at age 43, I don't think Gwyneth stopped going to the derm at all! I see evidence of Botox between her brows and around her eyes, along with fillers in her cheeks and possibly lips. The only difference is it's less obvious than what she had in 2010! Still, she looks gorgeous, especially now that she ditched the harsh blonde.
Gwyneth in 2016
Gwyneth Paltrow at the 2016 Author's Night for the East Hampton Library.
In case you're wondering what Gwyneth really looks like without all the fancy makeup and styling... here you go! While it is a bit surprising to see a celeb this way, you have to applaud her for not caring. It does appear that she had been tanning (despite, you know, being the founder of a beauty line and wellness empire!!). Another fact to consider: this photo was taken right after her divorce from Chris Martin was finalized.
Gwyneth in 2017
Gwyneth Paltrow at the 2017 Met Gala.
Gwyneth returned to her more polished public self for the 2017 Met Gala (she was 44 here). She seems even less "done" now, and there's a certain confidence to her look that is quite appealing. But darn... there's that white eyeliner again! Why?!
Gwyneth in 2018
Gwyneth Paltrow at a 2018 Frédérique Constant launch.
That brings us to 2018—Gwyneth will be 46 this year! I love that she's changed her hair colour to this flattering soft blonde. And you know what? I finally believe her regarding the Botox. It doesn't seem like she's really doing it anymore, except possibly just between the brows. However, her cheeks are still inflated with filler. Maybe a tad too much!
Gwyneth Paltrow Before and After
Gwyneth Paltrow in 1990 (left) and in 2018 (right).
Gwyneth Paltrow in 1995 (left) and in 2013 (right).
Gwyneth Paltrow in 1998 (left) and in 2008 (right).
When someone is always in the public eye, it's often hard to detect the gradual tweaks, especially when they're paired with clever hair and makeup changes at the same time. Gwyneth has been famous for more than TWO decades, and a lot of her procedures flew right under the radar!
That's why I'm showing you three different side-by-side comparisons. The first thing that jumps out, of course, is her apparent nose job. How has nobody noticed this yet?! You'd think it would be one of the first things her "haters" would point out.
For the record, I actually LIKE Gwyneth (these Before & Afters are NEVER about "hate!"). I just want to note the hypocrisy of saying that she "would be scared to go under the knife," according to a 2013 interview, when she apparently did just that several years before! The other obvious thing is her use of Botox and fillers (even after she swore off Botox in that same interview!).
What do the experts say? In 2015, Dr. Tony Youn told Radar Online, "Gwyneth's face looks softer and more youthful than ever before. I suspect that she may have had a few small tweaks from plastic surgery. Her lips appear to be fuller, possibly due to injections of Juvederm. Her wrinkles are also smoother, possibly due to a combination of Botox and Restylane injections. Overall, she looks great."
"It looks like she had volume replacement on the cheeks with the help of dermal fillers such as Juvederm Voluma XC," added aesthetic specialist and nurse practitioner Zara Harutyunyan. "She may also have had Sculptra for volume loss in the lower and lateral cheeks."
These things don't necessarily fit with Goop's non-toxic mantra. That's probably why we're hearing about Gwyneth's adventures in vagina steaming and bee-sting therapy, rather than her cosmetic alterations.
Still, as the New York Times feature made known, Gwyneth "only ever wanted to be someone who recommended things." So maybe one day, she'll fill us in!
How do you feel about Gwyneth's beauty evolution?
Which of these looks is your favourite?
What "beauty work" do you think she's had done?
