David Bowie's Best Hair and Makeup Looks

"Space Oddity"

When he made his industry debut in the late '60s, Bowie demanded the world's attention with flaming red hair and bleached brows. "Space Oddity" was from his second album, and both his style and his sound were impossible to ignore.

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"Life on Mars"

In Bowie's "Life on Mars" video, he sported bright blue eye shadow with pale pink blush and lipstick. He nailed the look, but 40 years later, many of us are still trying (and failing) to pull it off.

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Aladdin Sane

One of his most famous and copied looks is the lightning bolt face paint he sported on the cover of his Aladdin Sane album in 1973. His killer cheekbones will always be one of our prime sources of contour inspiration.

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Ziggy Stardust

Image Source: Getty/Chris Walter

In the early 1970s, Bowie invented his first alter ego, Ziggy Stardust, becoming the visual embodiment of the glam rock genre. Along with earrings and an eye patch, Bowie somehow made his mullet look chic. During this time, he frequently wore gold face makeup with his flamboyant outfits on stage.

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The Thin White Duke

Image Source: Getty/ Chris Walter

After chopping off his hair and bleaching it from crimson to platinum, Bowie adopted his next persona, The Thin White Duke, in 1974.

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"Ashes to Ashes"

In his 1980 music video for "Ashes to Ashes," Bowie dressed as a clown. However, the red lips with an ultradefined cupid's bow and his painted-on beauty mark made this look more fabulous than funny.

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Labyrinth

Image Source: Everett Collection

Bowie starred in the cult-favorite film Labyrinth in 1986. With a piecey blond lion's mane of a hairdo and flawless liquid liner the rest of us can only dream of re-creating, Bowie was the most glamorous goblin king in the Jim Henson universe.

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Glass Spider Tour

Image Source: Getty / Bob King

In the 1980s, big hair was the ONLY hair. Despite some of the beauty and fashion misses of this time period, Bowie managed to make his fans swoon while rocking a mullet.

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Long Hair, Don't Care

Image Source: Getty / Neil Munns

After a brief affair in the early '90s with *NSYNC-esque spiky, frosted tips, Bowie returned to his signature style. He let his strands grow into a long shag and painted on some seriously sexy guyliner.

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Beach Waves

Image Source: Getty / Hayley Madden

When it comes to beauty trends, Bowie was always ahead of his time. While many of us were mercilessly frying our hair flat with a straightener in 2000, he knew that effortless beach waves were a much cooler look.

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