Selena Gomez Says People Want Her to Look Like She Did in 2016: ‘It’s Not Gonna Happen’

Selena Gomez is making it clear that she has no plans to turn back the clock.

The singer, actress and Rare Beauty founder recently opened up about the continued fascination with her appearance from 2016, acknowledging that throwback photos from that era still attract plenty of attention. But while Gomez understands the nostalgia, she says she is not interested in trying to recreate the way she looked a decade ago.

In a recent PEOPLE cover story, Gomez discussed aging, beauty and the pressure that can come with being a celebrity whose appearance is constantly examined online. Her message was straightforward: she is comfortable changing, and she does not intend to remain frozen in her younger years.

Selena Gomez Says Fans Want to “Freeze” Her in 2016

Gomez specifically addressed the way old photographs from 2016 continue to circulate across social media.

“I always make this joke where I think people want to freeze me in time to that period of my life,” Gomez said in the PEOPLE interview. She added that she believes people want her to look the way she did back then, before making her position clear: “That’s just not going to happen.”

The comments come as images from Gomez’s 2016 era continue to resurface online. At the time, the star was 24 and had become one of the biggest names in entertainment, with her music career, fashion profile and celebrity status all growing rapidly.

Gomez says she can enjoy those throwback images while still recognizing that they belong to a different chapter of her life.

Why 2016 Remains Such a Big Part of Selena Gomez’s Image

There is a reason fans continue to revisit Gomez’s 2016 appearance.

That year represented a major moment in her career. She was widely recognized as a former Disney star who had successfully transitioned into a more mature pop and fashion identity. Her style attracted significant attention, while her collaborations with major fashion and beauty brands helped establish her as a major celebrity beyond her early television career.

Her makeup from the period has also become particularly recognizable. Darker smoky eyes, polished glam and dramatic red-carpet styling became associated with the Selena Gomez of that era.

Today, however, Gomez says her relationship with beauty has changed.

She explained that although she still enjoys doing a smoky eye, it looks different now. Her everyday approach is more understated and centered around what she describes as natural beauty.

“Getting Older Has Been So Much Fun”

Perhaps the most notable part of Gomez’s comments was her attitude toward aging.

Rather than describing getting older as something she wants to fight, Gomez said she is enjoying the experience.

“Getting older has been so much fun. I’m not scared at all. I love getting older,” she said. She acknowledged that physical changes are inevitable, but framed those changes as part of being alive and moving through different stages of life.

That perspective represents a significant contrast to the expectations often placed on celebrities, particularly women, to maintain the appearance associated with the period when they first became famous.

For Gomez, the issue is not whether she can recreate a particular makeup style or hairstyle. Instead, she appears to be pushing back against the broader idea that she should continue looking exactly like a younger version of herself.

Her Beauty Philosophy Has Changed

Gomez’s current approach to beauty also reflects the evolution of her career.

As the founder of Rare Beauty, she has built a brand that emphasizes self-expression and a more accessible approach to makeup. Her own beauty routine has become relatively simple compared with some of the more elaborate looks associated with her earlier years.

In the PEOPLE interview, Gomez described a routine involving primer, foundation, brow gel, blush, mascara and lip oil. She also made it clear that enjoying natural-looking beauty does not mean she has completely abandoned glamorous makeup.

The difference is that she is no longer interested in using beauty to recreate a specific moment in her past.

“Sometimes people don’t like the natural beauty look,” Gomez said, while explaining that natural beauty has become an important part of her identity.

A Decade Can Change a Lot

It is easy for audiences to remember celebrities through a particular snapshot in time.

For Selena Gomez, 2016 is one of those snapshots. Old photographs can make it seem as though a celebrity’s most memorable appearance represents who they should remain forever.

But Gomez’s comments highlight something much simpler: people change.

A decade has passed since those photographs were taken. Gomez is now 34, and her career has expanded from music and acting into beauty and entrepreneurship. Her personal style has evolved alongside those changes.

The 2016 version of Gomez can remain part of her history without becoming a standard she is expected to meet today.

Selena Gomez Isn’t Going Back — And She’s Fine With That

The continued circulation of Selena Gomez’s 2016 photos shows just how powerful nostalgia can be in celebrity culture.

Fans may enjoy revisiting the hairstyles, makeup and fashion that defined that period, and Gomez herself says the throwbacks can be fun. But she has drawn a clear line between appreciating the past and trying to recreate it.

Her message is essentially that the old photos can stay where they belong: in the past.

Gomez is embracing the fact that her appearance will change, her style will evolve and her life will continue moving forward.

For anyone hoping to see her permanently return to the exact look she had in 2016, Gomez has already delivered her answer: “It’s not gonna happen.”

And for Gomez, that seems to be perfectly okay.