Angelina Jolie, Before and After

In my job, I look at a lot of celebs, close-up. And most of them are super-beautiful. But every so often, there's someone who is, like, out-of-this-world beautiful. So beautiful that you completely understand why she's famous—heck, she was BORN to be famous, with that unique arrangement of facial features.

I put Angelina Jolie in this category. She's not one of those “relatable” celebrities, like, say, an Amy Adams. I think of Ange as an old-school, aspirational kind of celeb; she's not like you or I and she knows it.

But what I wanted to know was—did she always look this way? I dug way, waaay back, before she was a mom to six kids, before Brad Pitt and before Billy Bob. 

Here's Angelina's beauty evolution, spanning more than 20 years.

Let's kick things off with a shot from 1991, when Angelina was just 16 years old. I think it's immediately clear that she was born blessed with extreme beauty. Those eyes, those lips (and the charisma that comes out of the photo) were always there. However, I think, as with most celebs, there have been some changes to her nose—so take note.

Angelina in 1995

I've included this one for a profile shot of her nose, which looks like any normal nose, but I think does change later on. You can also see the overly tweezed, arched brows. What were people thinking in the 1990s?

Angelina in 1997

Brows have grown in a bit, but already I think Angelina's nose looks different. I could be wrong, but it seems straighter and less bulbous. That would make sense, given her rising fame. I think it's safe to say, from this and the last few pictures, that her lips have always been extra-large. I doubt lip injections were very common before the 2000s.

Angelina in 1998

She still has the '90s scary/skinny brows, but even they can't take away from her beauty. She was 23 here.

Angelina in 2000

Within the course of two years, Angelina's look completely changed! You can see where those vampire rumours started, huh? I actually like this in a weird way. Not that I'm advocating pasty-white makeup and unnaturally dark hair, but there is something very beautiful about the winged liner, stick-straight hair, headband and nude lips.

Angelina in 2001

The following year, she was much more minimalist. This looks like the Angelina we know now (except for the non-existent brows). I think this front-on shot of her nose shows some refinement of the tip.

Angelina in 2002

OMG. I believe these were the Billy Bob Thornton years, so Angelina revisited her scary vampire look once more. What the what is happening with her brows?!

Angelina in 2003

Wait. This is the same person? Talk about a complete 180! And this was only a year later. At age 28, Angelina seemingly dropped her “scary” persona, and was going for a more conventionally pretty look. I don't think we've seen her wear blush since! It's a rare glimpse of a different, more approachable Angelina.

Angelina in 2005

By the time of this premiere in 2005 (and her blossoming relationship with Brad Pitt), Angelina had found her beauty niche. This is the Angelina we know today. (She was 30 here.) All her beauty signatures are present: nude lips, no blush and winged eyeliner. 

Angelina in 2006

I've included this next pic so you can look at her profile. I think it's a different nose to the 1995 shot. Even from the side, she's the take-your-breath-away kind of gorgeous.

Angelina in 2010

Now, Ange has bangs and a reddish hair colour. I don't know if it's the makeup or her skin that's improved versus the 2001 shot, but wow. She's growing more gorgeous with time! Take note that her nose is looking quite angular now. I know faces change as we age, but I don't think the tip of a nose could naturally morph like this.

Angelina in 2012

I think I had commented at the time that Angelina's skin was a little greyish at this event. But even still, she's probably the most striking woman I've ever seen. She rarely chooses red lipstick, and I don't know why because it enhances her incredible genetic blessings. (There is just no way that injected lips could look this good.) Once again, compare the nose to how it looked at 16. They're different, yes?

Angelina in 2013

To me, she is the most beautiful here of all. Soft hair, great brows and barely any makeup—yet she still looks incredible. Do I think she's had any other work done? Besides the nose job, I'm guessing a little Botox between the brows. But she's left the natural creases around her eyes, and I don't think has put anything in her cheeks, so the result is very, very natural.

Update: Angelina in 2014

Just when you think she can't get any more stunning… we have this classically glam look. The smoky shadows plays up her almond-shaped eyes, while the sheer gloss enhances her (now very on-trend) full lips.

Update: Angelina in 2015

In 2015, Angelina deepened her hair to this rich, glossy, near-black tone. It reminds me of a young Priscilla Presley, how it makes her eyes pop and skin look more creamy. She was 40 here, and I can see some natural volume loss under her eyes, but no injection work… yet!

Update: Angelina in 2023

Whoa, this hot pink lipstick is a departure for Ange! I like it. She's keeping her hair dark; I think the light brown would be a little softer. But all in all, she appears to be aging very naturally.

Conclusion

So, was Angelina born this way? 

Dr. Jeffrey Rawnsley, a Los Angeles plastic surgeon, doesn't think so.

“There are a few people in our culture who represent iconic beauty, and Angelina Jolie is probably at the top. As I always say, 'It‣s better to have great genes than a great plastic surgeon.' Angelina Jolie had both. While she is an iconic beauty today, she was not always that way. She had almost all the stars aligned, except for her boxy, overly prominent nasal tip. Rhinoplasty for Angelina Jolie involved reducing the size of the tip cartilages, which made the tip smaller, more pointed and compact. More importantly, her new tip no longer disrupted the flow of the visual line from her forehead down her nose.”

I think he said it all. While I do think Angelina is and was a great beauty, even as a teenager, the nasal refinement takes it to the super-stardom level. 

How do you feel about Angelina's beauty evolution?
Which of these looks is your favourite?
What “beauty work” do you think she's had done?