Selena Gomez Says People Want to ‘Freeze Her’ to How She Looked in 2016 but ‘It’s Not Gonna Happen’ (Exclusive)

Melody ChiuWed, September 16, 2026 at 5:45 PM UTC

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Selena Gomez PEOPLE coverCredit: Leeor Wild

Selena Gomez isn’t daunted by the idea of getting older.

In PEOPLE’s latest cover story, the Rare Beauty founder, 34, opens up about embracing aging as she looks ahead to the next chapters of her life.

“Getting older has been so much fun. I’m not scared at all. I love getting older,” says Gomez, who’s receiving the inaugural Beauty Impact Award for her barrier-breaking mental health advocacy. “Yeah, things are going to change and things are going to sag, but you’re alive... I think age is just a number in many ways.”

Gomez’s sultry, smoky looks from a decade ago often go viral on social media — Rare Beauty also embraced the 2016 nostalgia trend earlier this year — but the superstar underscores she’s happy where she is.

“I got to be honest, the 2016 throwbacks and all of it is so much fun, but people get really intense. I always make this joke where I think people want to freeze me in time to that period of my life,” she says. “I don’t know... maybe it was probably more interesting because I’m now chilling, which is great. But it was such a hectic period in my life... of course I had to rock a smoky eye. I was trying to be cool!”

While her daily glam is more understated, Gomez says she does still love a full beat — but her makeup philosophy has evolved over time. “Now I do a smoky eye, and it just looks a little different,” she says. “I think people always want me to look the way I did, and that’s just not going to happen. Sometimes people don’t like the natural beauty look, but that’s kind of my whole identity now, is really connecting with just natural beauty.”

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Her go-to makeup uniform includes a bit of primer, followed by “two pumps” of her new foundation, eyebrow gel, fan-favorite Bouncy Blush, mascara and lip oil.

Selena Gomez on Sept. 9, 2026Credit: Leeor Wild

Looking back at her younger self, Gomez says she wishes she had had the confidence she now sees in her younger sister, Gracie.

“My sister is so much cooler than me. She’s 13 and has more confidence than I do. She is actually so thrilled to try things, but she also knows she doesn’t need it,” says Gomez.

The Emmy-nominated actress first launched her makeup company back in 2020 and announced that 1 percent. of product sales would go directly to the Rare Impact Fund, which has raised more than $30 million for youth mental health organizations, including Didi Hirsch, The Trevor Project, The Jed Foundation, Black Teacher Project and Movimento Mulheres de São Gonçalo.

“That’s always been my focus: how we can have a community for people that actually feel seen and loved,” she says. “We’re constantly looking to see what we can do to help in the mental health space. It’s extremely important to me.”

on People

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Source: “AOL Entertainment”