The Evolution of the Oscar Winners for Best Makeup

This Sunday will mark the 88th annual Oscars, but only the 35th time that the Academy hands out a statue for Best Makeup. The category was introduced to the ceremony in 1981 (and skipped in 1983) after an uproar over the inability to recognize the work for David Lynch’s The Elephant Man (see, AMPAS does respond to outrage), and since has honored some of the profession’s biggest trailblazers — including prosthetics genius Rick Baker a record seven times.

As with the rest of cinema, the technology and level of sophistication in makeup work have advanced drastically over the past three decades. Here’s a look at some of the most memorable winners, and the leaps they represented.