When It Comes to Beauty Trends, Becky G Is All About Embracing Change and Growth

At only 26 years old, Becky G has claimed her spot as a pillar of the pop and Latin music world, recognized for her versatile sound and bold takes on today's most viral beauty trends. If that weren't enough, she also has a penchant for style and a wardrobe that remains unrivaled by many. We caught up with Becky G following New York Fashion Week, where the songstress dropped jaws with her debut of a rich red tousled bob that highlighted her sky-high cheekbones and sultry eyes. Below, read all about her creative process leading to her new look, favorite products, style inspo, and advice for anyone hoping to follow in her footsteps.

A Conversation With Becky G

How would you describe your personal approach to beauty?

My personal approach to beauty is being open-minded. I'm a collaborator in all senses of the word, whether it's through my music or my upbringing. Collaboration is everything! When I went into the fashion and beauty space, I felt like I didn't really know much and wouldn't have been able to learn if I hadn't been so open and collaborative with other artists I met along the way (my makeup artist, hairstylist, and wardrobe stylists). I've been able to become my own beauty Swiss Army knife—I'm a jack of all trades! If you put me on tour and tell me that I can't have a team of stylists, I still feel like I can hold my own.

What are your biggest beauty and wellness ins and outs for 2024?

Remembering [that] beauty starts from within always. One of my grandmas would always say, "One of the best accessories that you can have is a smile." When I hear that, it gives me a bittersweet feeling, but it's true! There's actual science that proves smiling activates the brain and tells us we're happy. It also affects others because the same thing happens when you smile at them. So one of my biggest "in" accessories is a smile.

Healthy hair and healthy skin are super important because that's the canvas of the art that is to be created with my makeup and hairstylist. This past New York Fashion Week, for instance, was by far one of the most creative we were able to get in a long time! It wouldn't be possible without healthy hair and healthy skin. There are no outs for me right now.

How has embracing your roots influenced your beauty practices?

It's like second nature—not really something I'm really conscious of unless I really take the time to think about it. My mom in high school, for sure, is one of my all-time fashion icons! I go through her high school yearbook and think to myself, "Damn!" She was the perfect combination of girly with Timberland boots and oversize baggy jeans. She was also really big on doing her own hair and makeup. She was the one who taught me. My family is very effortlessly stylish, but I especially look to the women in my life for inspiration.

Self-expression through beauty can be challenging with a fast-paced trend cycle. How have you settled on your personal style?

The goal is to never feel like I'm owned or tied down by anything as a creative [person], giving myself the space and grace to try new things. When something really feels like me and settles in my being, that's a sign that something is timeless, not trendy, to me. It's really about checking in with myself! I remember when I cut my hair for the first time as an adult. I felt so liberated and excited about the transition from long hair to short hair. It goes a little against the culture I grew up in that taught me the longer hair you have, the more beautiful you are.

It meant I was doing something for me that was different and edgy. During New York Fashion Week, my hairstylists took me back to my "short-hair girl" era for a quick moment with the red hair, and that was really fun! I gauge trends by deciding if it feels right for me, and if it does, I stick with it. If it doesn't, I'm okay with moving on.

Where do you take the most inspiration from for your eye-catching performance looks? Do you have any favorites you've worn recently?

I would definitely say the blonde [hair] look I also wore this past fashion week was one of my favorites this year. It's tough because I don't like to be tied down by anything; making the space to evolve and shift is important. I try to just create my own story where I decide the era I'm in, how I'd like to live, and what it would look like for me, from the hair to the glam and my personal style for everything to come together.

For the blonde hair, my makeup artist, my hairstylist, and I spent two or three weeks talking before executing the look about what shade we wanted the hair to be and how we wanted the makeup to complement it and (because the outfit was selected by the designers) avoiding something that clashes. It was such a process to land on something that felt super concrete! It's all about finding the right formula of going with the flow and planning.

Can you speak a little about your hair journey? Any tips and tricks you can share?

There's the right amount of following trends that align with your own personal style while making sure you honor yourself through that process. … When the opportunity came about to be a part of the Tresemmé family, which is super exciting for me because it's such an iconic brand, it didn't feel trendy. It felt timeless, but I was able to also play with trends. 

Hair is such a big part of my style. I grew up going through different phases of my hair. It's a precious thing to me, but at the same time, I tried not to be too careful with it when I cut or dyed my hair. I like having freedom with it! During this past fashion week, we were doing things that honored my style and creativity that were bold and fun but were also looks I could see pictures of 10 years from now and be happy I did it.

What holy-grail products are in your skincare lineup?

When it comes to skin, it's more dietary rather than actual products I use. I stay hydrated and drink enough water as well as have the right amount of minerals and vitamins that can help you glow from within. I can always tell through the ways my makeup sits on my skin or how my hair looks that I haven't had enough water. My showers also end with 30 to 45 seconds of cold water to seal the hair follicles and pores. One of the cleansers I like to use is Clean Skin by Brave Soldier. For someone like me that wears a lot of makeup, it does a good job of cleaning the face without stripping my skin of all its moisture. I also get facials pretty often when I can!

That's great! Giving your skin a refresh can completely revamp your whole look. 

Oh, totally! I'm actually on an Oscars skincare and haircare regimen already, starting now. The aesthetician I work with, Vanessa, helps me game-plan and decide which products I should be using. All the hairdressers I work with know how important it is to protect the hair and are doubling down on the heat protectant and prepping my hair with the right shampoo and conditioner. It starts pretty early, and I'm really about it! 

What would be your biggest piece of advice to anyone hoping to follow in your footsteps as an artist? What about in regard to beauty?

There's a lot of advice, and this would become a therapy-session-long answer if I really went in, but overall, just having patience with the process and with yourself. A lot of people think success happens overnight (which, for some people, has because of the internet), but I always say that the longer it takes you to get there, the longer you'll stay. Also being open to the fact that all of this is happening for you and not to you. Even something that you perceive as the "bad" thing is just part of your journey. Learning to embrace that is so vital because it teaches you to have more grace for yourself.

If you had the opportunity to speak to your younger self, what would you tell her? 

I would tell her to stop stressing out and that it will all be just fine! I grew up in a really big family, and I always felt very supported and loved, but I had to grow up at a young age and take on a lot of responsibility. There were points where I was feeling very overwhelmed with the idea that I couldn't control what the outcome of something would be or not being able to be present for the journey, so I would tell myself to breathe and take it easy.

Shop Becky G's New York Fashion Week Favorites