Honestly, we’ve all been there. Staring at a high-definition photo of a celebrity and wondering, "Did they or didn’t they?" For years, the internet was a battlefield of theories regarding Ariana Grande lip fillers. Some fans swore it was just clever overlining with a nude pencil. Others pointed to 2015 as the "point of no return" for her pout.
Then came September 2023.
Ariana sat down for a Vogue "Beauty Secrets" video and did something almost unheard of for a pop star of her magnitude. She stopped the tutorial, her voice cracked, and she admitted to having "a ton" of lip filler and Botox over the years. It wasn’t just a casual mention. It was a full-on emotional reckoning.
The Years of Hiding Behind the Pout
Ariana started in the spotlight when she was just a kid. Nickelodeon fame is a weird pressure cooker. By 17, she was already hearing thousands of voices weighing in on her face. Imagine being a teenager and having the entire world critique your nose, your chin, and your lips.
It does something to you.
She admitted that for a long time, beauty was about "hiding." She used the thick eyeliner, the massive hair, and yes, the Ariana Grande lip fillers, as a sort of tactical camouflage. If you’re wearing a mask of "perfection," maybe nobody can see the person underneath who’s actually struggling.
She told Vogue:
"I, over the years, used makeup as a disguise or as something to hide behind... more hair, more eyeliner."
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But the fillers were the most permanent part of that "disguise." For years, we watched her lips transition from her natural, thinner shape in the Victorious days to a significantly more voluminous, pillowy look during the Dangerous Woman and Sweetener eras.
When Enough Was Enough
In 2018, something shifted. Ariana decided to stop.
She hasn't had any lip fillers or Botox since then. As of early 2026, she’s been "clean" from injectables for over seven years. That’s a long time in Hollywood years. Most people in her position treat fillers like a monthly subscription service.
Why stop? She said it just felt like "too much."
There’s a specific kind of exhaustion that comes with maintaining a face that doesn't feel like yours. She wanted to see her "well-earned cry lines and smile lines." She actually wants to age. That’s a radical statement in an industry that treats a forehead wrinkle like a moral failing.
The Science of the "Dissolve"
A lot of people think that if you stop getting fillers, they just disappear. Not exactly.
Dermal fillers, usually made of hyaluronic acid (think brands like Juvederm or Restylane), are supposed to be metabolized by the body over 6 to 12 months. But recent MRI studies and expert insights from people like Dr. Soni and other aesthetic surgeons suggest filler can actually hang around for years. It migrates. It settles into tissues.
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When Ariana says she "stopped," she likely didn't just let it sit there. Many celebrities who pivot back to a natural look undergo "dissolving."
This involves injecting an enzyme called hyaluronidase.
It’s not a fun process. It can be painful, and it often causes significant swelling for a few days. But for Ariana, it seems it was worth the discomfort to find her own face again. If you look at her during the Wicked press cycle or her 2024/2025 appearances, her lips have a much more natural movement. You can see the "crinkle" when she smiles. The "trout pout" or the "filler mustache" (that little shelf of migrated filler above the top lip) is gone.
Why This Conversation Actually Matters
We need to talk about the "Instagram Face" era.
For nearly a decade, every celebrity started looking the same. High cheekbones, cat-eyes, and those specific, overfilled lips. Ariana was, for a while, the blueprint for that look. When the person who created the trend says, "Hey, I was actually using this to hide because I was sad," it breaks the spell.
It’s about the psychological toll.
- 17 years old: The age she was when the public scrutiny began.
- 2018: The year she hit "peak filler" and decided to quit.
- 2023: The year she finally felt safe enough to tell the truth.
She’s not saying fillers are evil. She’s been very clear that she supports whatever makes someone feel beautiful. She even joked at the 2025 Palm Springs International Film Festival, thanking "Botox and Juvederm" in her Rising Star speech before clarifying to ET that she was just kidding and is still very much in her natural era.
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The "Wicked" Transformation
Her role as Glinda in Wicked played a huge part in this. Playing a character that is so much about performative "goodness" and "perfection" seemed to mirror her own journey. On set, fans noticed her look was softer.
The heavy lashes were gone.
The overlined lips were toned down.
There was even some drama on Reddit (looking at you, r/ArianaGrandeSnark) where people analyzed her face frame-by-frame, claiming she had "work" done mid-filming. But honestly? Most experts attribute the changes to weight fluctuations for the role and the natural settling of a face that is no longer being pumped with seasonal injectables.
What You Can Learn From Ariana's Journey
If you've been considering fillers because you want to look like a filtered version of yourself, take a beat.
- Fillers aren't a permanent "fix" for insecurity. Ariana had all the money and the best injectors in the world, and she still felt like she was hiding.
- Migration is real. If you do get filler, work with a board-certified professional who understands facial anatomy. Don't chase a "look" that requires "a ton" of product.
- Aging is a privilege. Seeing your face change as you laugh and live is something Ariana now views as "beautiful."
- Transparency is the new "cool." The era of "I just drink a lot of water and use lip balm" is over. We value the truth now.
Ariana's openness has paved the way for a "natural-ish" trend in 2026. We're seeing more people opt for "baby Botox" or subtle "lip hydration" rather than the total facial reconstructions of the 2010s.
She might get a facelift in ten years. She said as much! And that’s the point. It’s her choice, her face, and finally, her story to tell.
If you are looking to simplify your own beauty routine or are considering reversing previous cosmetic work, the best first step is to consult with a reputable dermatologist to discuss the health of your skin's underlying tissue. Understanding how your specific anatomy reacts to fillers—and how they might look five years down the line—is more important than any temporary trend.