Selena Gomez Drops a Nostalgic 2016 Throwback for Rare Beauty Fans
Selena Gomez is clearly having fun with nostalgia, and fans are loving every second of it. This week, Rare Beauty shared a set of throwback-style photos on Instagram that instantly sent social media into a frenzy.
The post came with a teasing caption that read When we said 2016 was coming back, we meant it… See you on March 1, according to the brand’s official Instagram account. The photos show Gomez fully leaning into her 2016 beauty era.
In the first image, her brunette hair falls loosely around her face with slightly messy strands that give off a casual, lived-in feel. The makeup is soft but bold at the same time, with a smoky eye that looks effortless and worn in. It feels like a quiet nod to the kind of beauty looks that once ruled Instagram feeds.
The second photo turns things up a bit. Gomez wears her hair in loose waves pushed over one shoulder. Her eye makeup looks darker and more dramatic, paired with glowing skin and fuller lashes. By the third image, she goes all the way.
The smoky eye is intense, the lashes are thick, and her cheeks are sharply contoured, giving full 2016 glam energy. Fans were quick to react in the comments. One person wrote Just casually freaking out over here.
Another added Oh, now THISSSSSSS was an era we would HAPPILY RELIVE. A third comment summed up the mood perfectly by saying SMOKEY EYE PALETTE?! 2016 IS SO BACK. The timing of the campaign is no accident. Rare Beauty has been growing fast, especially after expanding into more than 1,500 Ulta Beauty stores earlier this year, according to retail reports.
The brand has also been active with its Rare Impact Fund, which focused on mental health awareness throughout February in partnership with Ulta. Outside of beauty, Gomez is also having a strong moment in her acting career. She recently earned major praise for her role in the musical thriller Emilia Pérez, which performed well during awards season.
While she did not receive an Oscar nomination, the film made history with its total number of Academy Award nominations. On television, Gomez is back as Mabel Mora in Only Murders in the Building. Season five premiered in late 2025 and continues into this year on Hulu.
The show has already been renewed for another season, keeping Gomez alongside Steve Martin and Martin Short for the long run. With fans already guessing what the March 1 reveal could be, many believe this throwback campaign could lead to a full 2016-inspired beauty launch.
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