By Larry Stansbury ·Updated April 9, 2026 < /> Getting your Trinity Audio player ready… Like her music, Jazmine Sullivan’s beauty has long belted from the soul. In 2008, she released her debut studio album, Fearless, which birthed her famous singles “Need U Bad” and “Bust Your Windows”. But, her no-nonsense lyrics also gave way to no-nonsense beauty. That meant dominant eye makeup, finger-waved pixie cuts, and of course, bold red lips.
At the start of her career, her voice was complemented by pale pink lips and classic black winged liner, like at the 51st Annual GRAMMY Awards. Then, by the Billboard’s 5th Annual Women In Music Awards in 2010, she turned to bold lips and a side fishtail braid. She returned to ESSENCE Festival in 2014 (after making her debut in 2009), to perform at our 20th anniversary concert series in an Essence-purple lip, curled lashes, and fluffy curls before straightening her hair at the 58th GRAMMY Awards two years later.
Then, in 2021, she cut it all off. Her gelled pixie cut at the Soul Train Awards fit her face shape perfectly, which she paired with a natural beat. It’s asrc="https://media.essence.com/vxcjywbwpa/uploads/2026/04/GettyImages-2213627228-scaled.jpg" alt="Jazmine Sullivan’s Most Iconic Beauty Moments" width="400" height="600" />NEW YORK, NEW YORK – MAY 05: Jazmine Sullivan attends the 2025 Met Gala Celebrating “Superfine: Tailoring Black Style” at Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 05, 2025 in New York City. (Photo by Mike Coppola/MG25/Getty Images for The Met Museum/Vogue)
LOS ANGELES, CA – DECEMBER 03:Musician Jazmine Sullivan arrives to the Grammy Nominations Concert LIVE! held at the Nokia Theatre L.A. LIVE on December 3, 2008 in Los Angeles, California.(Photo by Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic)
LOS ANGELES, CA – FEBRUARY 04:Singer Jazmine Sullivan attends the 51st Annual GRAMMY Awards Style Studio held at the Smashbox Studios on February 4, 2009 in Los Angeles, California.(Photo by Alexandra Wyman/WireImage)*** Local Caption ***
Jazmine Sullivanattends Billboard’s 5th Annual Women In Music awards at The Pierre Hotel on December 2, 2010 in New York City. (Photo by Jamie McCarthy/WireImage)
NEW ORLEANS, LA – JULY 03:Jazmine Sullivan attends the 2014 Essence Music Festival on July 3, 2014 in New Orleans, Louisiana.(Photo by Johnny Nunez/WireImage)
LOS ANGELES, CA – FEBRUARY 15:Singer-songwriter Jazmine Sullivan attends The 58th GRAMMY Awards at Staples Center on February 15, 2016 in Los Angeles, California.(Photo by Jeff Vespa/WireImage)
BEVERLY HILLS, CA – FEBRUARY 09:Jazmine Sullivan attends The Recording Academy And Clive Davis’ 2019 Pre-GRAMMY Gala at The Beverly Hilton Hotel on February 9, 2019 in Beverly Hills, California.(Photo by Steve Granitz/WireImage)
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – JUNE 27: Jazmine Sullivan attends the BET Awards 2021 at Microsoft Theater on June 27, 2021 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Rich Fury/Getty Images,,)
NEW YORK, NEW YORK – NOVEMBER 20: Jazmine Sullivan poses with her award for Album of the Year at The “2021 Soul Train Awards” Presented By BET at World Famous Apollo on November 20, 2021 in New York City. (Photo by Paras Griffin/Getty Images for BET)
NEW YORK, NEW YORK – JUNE 08: Jazmine Sullivan attends the 2022 TIME100 Gala on June 08, 2022 in New York City. (Photo by Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images for TIME)
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – FEBRUARY 05: (FOR EDITORIAL USE ONLY) Jazmine Sullivan attends the 65th GRAMMY Awards on February 05, 2023 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Amy Sussman/Getty Images) TOPICS: celebrity beauty Jazmine Sullivan
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