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At 56, Queen Latifah represents decades of Black feminist magic. Since the late ‘80s, the artist has been the voice of women’s empowerment. Her Grammy-winning single “U.N.I.T.Y.” raised awareness about violence against women and sexual objectification, while her roles in films like Beauty Shop (2005) and Hairspray (2007) marked Latifah’s association with beauty. In other words, the rapper-turned-beauty queen has had quite the evolution.
Back in the 1980s and ‘90s, her go-to looks required nothing more than a red or metallic lip. Behind the scenes at her “Fly Girl” video shoot, she was seen in springtime-approved pink lipstick with liner just short of a wing. By the 2000s, her bold lip remained, however her short hair (which saw shapes like pompadours and bobs) took on new sculpted shapes. See: the 1st Annual Soul Train Lady of Soul Awards, where she paired a clipped back bump with Adidas shades. As time went on, her foray into beauty became even more apparent. From her platinum wig at the Hairspray premiere to even developing her signature fragrance “Queen” and a Covergirl makeup collection.
In the 2010s, her beauty brightened, from blue eyeshadow and powder blush at New York City Ballet’s Spring 2013 Gala to a bright red lip matching her nails at the 2019 MTV Video Awards. Then, once the 2020s hit, she established herself even more as a fashion icon: A yellow mushroom-like gown at the TheGrio Awards in 2022, multiple front row looks at Thom Browne, and a free-flowing blush pink dress at the LACMA Gala with her wife, Eboni Nichols.
As for the Queen’s latest stop in her beauty and style evolution, she attended Vanity Fair’s Oscar after-party covered in diamond jewelry worn with a red gown and feathered drape.
Ahead, see how Queen Latifah’s beauty and style has evolved over the years in honor of her 56th birthday.
UNITED STATES – CIRCA 2000: Photo of QUEEN LATIFAH; Posed portrait of Queen Latifah on video shoot (Photo by Richard E. Aaron/Redferns)
Queen Latifah at the Santa Monica Civic Auditorium in Santa Monica, California (Photo by Jim Smeal/Ron Galella Collection via Getty Images)
BEVERLY HILLS, CA – JANUARY 25: Actress Queen Latifah poses backstage at the 61st Annual Golden Globe Awards at the Beverly Hilton Hotel on January 25, 2004 in Beverly Hills, California. (Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images)
Rapper and actress Queen Latifah poses for a portrait in June 1989 in New York City, New York. (Photo by Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images)
Queen Latifah at the Kennedy Center Opera House in Washington D.C., (Photo by Scott Suchman/WireImage)
WESTWOOD, CA – JULY 10: Actress Queen Latifah arrives at the “Hairspray” premiere held at the Mann Village Theatre on July 10, 2007 in Westwood, California. (Photo by Steve Granitz/WireImage)
WASHINGTON – DECEMBER 07: Queen Latifah arrives at the 31st Annual Kennedy Center Honors at the Hall of States inside the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts on December 7, 2008 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Paul Morigi/WireImage) *** Local Caption ***
Queen Latifah (Photo by Ron Galella/Ron Galella Collection via Getty Images)
Queen Latifah promotes “Queen” at Macy’s Herald Square on November 24, 2009 in New York City. (Photo by Dimitrios Kambouris/WireImage)
Queen Latifah during Fox Billboard Awards 1994-Backstage at Universal Amphitheater in Universal City, California, United States. (Photo by Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic, Inc)
Queen Latifah observes production of CoverGirl Queen Collection at the company’s plant in Hunt Valley, MD (Photo by Douglas A. Sonders/WireImage for Proctor & Gamble)
Queen Latifah and father during The 3rd Annual Soul Train Lady of Soul Awards at Santa Monica Civic Auditorium in Santa Monica, California, United States. (Photo by Jim Smeal/Ron Galella Collection via Getty Images)
Queen Latifah during Premiere of “Living Out Loud” at Cineplex Odeon in Los Angeles, California, United States. (Photo by Jim Smeal/Ron Galella Collection via Getty Images)
Queen Latifah during The 75th Annual Academy Awards – Arrivals at The Kodak Theater in Hollywood, California, United States. (Photo by Dan MacMedan/WireImage)
Queen Latifah arrives at the 82nd Annual Academy Awards held at the Kodak Theatre on March 7, 2010 in Hollywood, California. on March 7, 2010 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Steve Granitz/WireImage)
NEW YORK, NY – NOVEMBER 03: Queen Latifah attends Keep A Child Alive’s 8th annual Black Ball at Hammerstein Ballroom on November 3, 2011 in New York City. (Photo by Theo Wargo/Child11/WireImage)
Queen Latifah firing an automatic gun out of the passenger’s window of a car in a scene from the film ‘Set It Off’, 1996. (Photo by New Line Cinema/Getty Images)
NEW YORK, NY – MAY 08: Queen Latifah attends New York City Ballet’s Spring 2013 Gala at David H. Koch Theater, Lincoln Center on May 8, 2013 in New York City. (Photo by Stephen Lovekin/Getty Images)
Queen Latifah during 8 Mile Premiere at Mann Village Westwood in Westwood, CA. (Photo by Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic)
LOS ANGELES, CA – JANUARY 30: Actress Queen Latifah poses in the press room during the 22nd Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards at The Shrine Auditorium on January 30, 2016 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic)
NEW YORK CITY – OCTOBER 19: Susan L. Taylor and Queen Latifah attend Essence Awards on October 19, 1990 at Radio City Music Hall in New York City. (Photo by Ron Galella/Ron Galella Collection via Getty Images)
PASADENA, CA – JANUARY 11: Queen Latifah attends the FOX All-Star Party during the 2017 Winter TCA Tour at Langham Hotel on January 11, 2017 in Pasadena, California. (Photo by Frazer Harrison/Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES – 1998: Rapper and actress Queen Latifah poses for a portrait in 1998 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Harry Langdon/Getty Images)
NEW YORK – JANUARY 3: Queen Latifah (Dana Owens) performs at Madison Square Garden on January 3, 1992 in New York City. (Photo by Al Pereira/Getty Images/MIchael Ochs Archives)
NEW YORK – JUNE 28: Queen Latifah (Dana Owens) appears in a portrait taken backstage during Queen Latifah’s video shoot for “Fly Girl” on June 28, 1991 in New York City. (Photo by Al Pereira/Getty Images/MIchael Ochs Archives).
STAR: L-R: Lance Gross and Queen Latifah in the “Proud Mary Keep On” episode of STAR airing Wednesday, May 1 (9:00-10:00 PM ET/PT) on FOX. (Photo by FOX Image Collection via Getty Images)
BEVERLY HILLS, CALIFORNIA – OCTOBER 22: Queen Latifah attends TheGrio Awards 2022 at The Beverly Hilton on October 22, 2022 in Beverly Hills, California. (Photo by JC Olivera/Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – FEBRUARY 05: Queen Latifah attends the 65th GRAMMY Awards at Crypto.com Arena on February 05, 2023 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty Images for The Recording Academy)
NEW YORK, NEW YORK – FEBRUARY 14: Queen Latifah attends the Thom Browne fashion show during New York Fashion Week at The Shed on February 14, 2023 in New York City. (Photo by Gilbert Carrasquillo/GC Images)
Queen Latifah at Thom Browne RTW Fall 2024 as part of New York Ready to Wear Fashion Week held at The Shed on February 14, 2024 in New York, New York. (Photo by Gilbert Flores/WWD via Getty Images)
American actress Kim Fields and singer Queen Latifah attending the Fourth Annual Billboard Music Awards at the Universal Ampitheater in Los Angeles, California, December 8th 1993. (Photo by Vinnie Zuffante/Getty Images)
Eboni Nichols and Queen Latifah at the 2025 LACMA Art + Film Gala held at LACMA on November 01, 2025 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Gilbert Flores/Variety via Getty Images)
Queen Latifah at the GQ Bowl, presenting the Thom Browne Fall 2026 collection held at Legion of Honor on February 06, 2026 in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Chad Salvador/WWD via Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – MARCH 15: Queen Latifah attends the 2026 Vanity Fair Oscar Party Hosted By Mark Guiducci at Los Angeles County Museum of Art on March 15, 2026 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Neilson Barnard/Getty Images)
