Mariah Carey's Curls Just Invited Us On a Walk Down Memory Lane

Throwback!

Mariah Carey
(Image credit: Getty Images)

While Mariah Carey's ringlets were everywhere in the early '90s, we don't see them often enough these days. With that being said, it seems the Queen of Christmas has left us with one last present this year: a peek at her stunning natural curls.

While shopping in Aspen, Colorado on Wednesday, December 27, the 54-year-old let her textured hair soar, with curls cascading over her shoulders and down to her waist. She attempted to reign the voluminous ringlets in with a slim headband, but they had a mind of their own (that's exactly why we love them).

Mariah Carey

(Image credit: Getty Images)

Another perk of the texture? It offers a great view of Carey's expert hair color. While she often wears her honey hair in soft, sleek waves, the tight curls show the full extent of her bright highlights. The blonde popped even more against the Grammy winner's black Chanel tracksuit, which was covered in glittery star appliqués.

The "Heartbreaker" singer previously opened up about what it was like wearing her natural hair in Hollywood at the beginning of her career.

“Here’s the thing: They didn’t know how to do my hair,'' she told Meghan Markle during an episode of her "Archetypes" podcast. “If it was a white hairdresser that had never dealt with textured hair, they would tend to do a different thing and my hair would be like, ‘You’re not doing that!’”

mariah carey natural hair

(Image credit: Paul Natkin/Getty)

On the other hand, if she was working with a hairstylist trained in natural hair, Carey found they weren’t accustomed to her mixed texture and would use “too much product.”

Nevertheless, Markle—like the rest of us—found a wealth of inspiration in Carey, from her big hair to her even bigger voice.

“She was so glamorous and fabulous and talented. She was successful. And she was mixed, like me,” the Suits actress shared. “She was an aspirational figure I could see.” 

Freelance Writer

Sophia Vilensky is a freelance beauty writer at Marie Claire, where she writes about the latest and greatest skincare launches, hair colors, and Cardi B manicures. Her work can also be found at Byrdie, Bravo, and Us Weekly. You can find her on Instagram @sophiavilensky.