Before Lauren Sanchez found love (and red flags) with Jeff Bezos, she looked drastically different. In fact, she looked nearly unrecognizable compared to the space visiting vixen we know today. Back in 2002, while on the red carpet for the premiere of “Hollywood Homicide,” Sanchez had a noticeably fuller face. And alhough her lips appeared naturally full, they weren’t quite as plump as we’re used to seeing when she’s on Bezos’ arm.

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The journalist rocked very dark locks in the early noughties and showed us another celeb-approved way to wear wispy bangs, which may have contributed to her looking so different. The star’s makeup could also have been behind her more youthful look. Though Sanchez has since adopted a contoured, chiseled cheekbone look and glowy blush as she’s aged, in 2002, she (or her makeup artist) seemingly placed her contour and blush a little lower so it didn’t have the same lifting effect. The placement also ensured the angles on her face weren’t quite as defined as we’ve become accustomed to.

While it’s easy to see the contrast between Lauren Sanchez’s look in 2002 and 2025, there were several other periods in the journalist’s life where her face underwent a dramatic transformation. One year after the “Hollywood Homicide” red carpet, she attended the premiere of “Bruce Almighty” in 2003 with a totally new look. Gone were the bangs that helped frame her face the year before, but her straight hair was jet black, unlike when she attended the amfAR gala Cannes in May 2025 with caramel highlighted locks that stretched all the way down her torso in loose waves. She had yet to adopt the contour she would nearly two decades later, and her blush looked noticeably warmer side compared to the shade she opted for in 2025. She also appeared to opt for more natural looking faux lashes, which subtly elongated her eyes — though she looked equally radiant in both snaps.

But why does Sanchez look nearly unrecognizable? Aside from the obvious reason, aging, there’s been speculation she may have gotten plastic surgery or less invasive beauty treatments. And even though she’s never publicly gone on the record to confirm going under the knife, if she has, there’s nothing wrong with that. Speaking to The List about Sanchez’s face changing a lot over the years, board-certified plastic surgeon Dr. Raja Mohan noticed, “Her upper lip appears notably fuller, especially in the Cupid’s bow area. The lower lip also looks a bit more voluminous.” He suggested, “The change is consistent with hyaluronic acid fillers (like Juvederm or Restylane).” He also suspected Sanchez has likely had Botox, which can lift the eyebrows (though Botox also has some health benefits, too), but noted, “Alternatively, a brow lift or blepharoplasty (eyelid surgery) might also have been performed, though it’s difficult to say definitively.”