Elizabeth Holmes’ appearance has shifted from the striking makeup associated with her rise at Theranos to a noticeably pared-back look. That contrast is drawing attention as Nathan Fielder’s documentary “You Can See Everything” brings her public image back into focus.
The film follows Fielder moving into Holmes’ home days before she was due to begin an 11-year prison sentence. Its growing profile has also inspired Halloween impersonations, with people recreating her familiar black turtleneck, blond wig and dramatic makeup, often using clips from the documentary or the Hulu drama “The Dropout.”
In the years before her 2022 fraud conviction, Holmes was often seen with blond hair worn loose or in a casual bun, a pronounced side part and visible dark roots. Her makeup frequently paired smoky eyes, heavy mascara and black eyeliner with a curved wing and bold, overdrawn red lipstick. The look appeared in interviews, magazine covers and public events between 2013 and 2015.
More recent images show a different approach. Holmes appeared bare-faced around her sentencing, while in Fielder’s film she is shown wearing mascara. The change has led viewers to wonder whether the more natural look was intended to encourage sympathy, or whether other people influenced her style. Those possibilities remain speculation.
The film also raises questions about whether Holmes’ public image was a character she consciously created or one shaped by other people. Holmes has rejected the idea that she described her persona that way. Her appearance during Theranos’ rise may have reflected her own choices, the influence of her then-partner Ramesh “Sunny” Balwani, or some combination of factors; the reasons for her later shift are likewise unclear.
Ultimately, the contrast between the bold makeup of her public-facing years and her more minimal look now offers no definitive answer about how much her appearance reflected her private self and how much was part of the image she presented.
Sources: WWD.