Celebrities are basically paid to look good. And whether it’s on stage, on the big screen, or on the red carpet, they always have a ton of money – and professionals – to help them look better than the rest of us.
We are used to famous people looking totally flawless, so it can be a bit of a shock when they post pictures of themselves with no makeup! But as the body positivity trend takes hold and more and more people embrace their natural beauty, celebs have jumped on the bandwagon and revealed just how great it is when you shed the mask and let the true you shine!
Jennifer Lopez
Jennifer Lopez is not just a celebrity – she’s a force. Singer, actress, entrepreneur, there’s nothing this diva can’t do. She has kept herself in amazing shape throughout the years, so it’s no surprise that her makeup-free selfie was just as flawless as the rest of her.
With her hair in a tousled top-knot and not a drop of makeup on her face, Lopez revealed just how beautiful she is without all the glitz and glam.
Ariana Grande
Without a doubt, pop star Ariana Grande was always a naturally beautiful girl. The 26-year-old started out her career when she was just a kid, and as she has matured throughout the years she has attempted to transform her style into something sexier and more grown-up.
But when she posted this makeup-free selfie, everyone was reminded of how young she actually looks; without the distraction of dramatic makeup, her flawless complexion and beautiful features take center stage.
Madonna
Madonna is a pop music legend. Throughout the years, she has given the world some of the most iconic songs – and looks – setting the trends for nearly four decades. At 61 years old, it’s pretty incredible how she has managed to preserve her good looks and stay relevant – she has even released an album in 2019.
Equally impressive was her flawless makeup-free skin in this selfie she posted on Instagram. Her bright, smooth complexion rivals some people who are half her age.
Kim Kardashian-West
Reality show star Kim Kardashian-West rarely shows up anywhere without looking immaculately polished. So when she posted this makeup-free selfie revealing her less-than-perfect complexion, she shocked her fans.
But it was all for good reason: Kardashian-West was trying to foster awareness about her condition, psoriasis, an auto-immune disease which causes red, itchy patches to break out on the skin. Her bravery and honesty are sure to inspire many fans and others who suffer from the condition.
Carrie Underwood
Country star Carrie Underwood has certainly not had it easy when it comes to her face. Both her beauty and her career were jeopardized when she fell down the stairs at home, which resulted in more than 40 stitches going down her face.
It was so severe, that Underwood couldn’t even sing, revealing, “I had stitches inside my mouth, outside my mouth. It was physically impossible.” We’re happy to see that just a couple of years later, she is fully recovered and rocking the no-makeup look.
Sofía Vergara
There’s no denying that Modern Family star Sofía Vergara is a total knockout. The 47-year-old Colombian-American is among the best-paid actresses in the world, and there’s no doubt that a sizable budget is dedicated to maintaining her naturally stunning looks.
But the actress surprised us all when she posted a makeup-free selfie while sick with fever, commenting that it gave her a nice natural flush to the cheeks. Without makeup, the actress is barely recognizable and looks years younger.
Jennifer Aniston
Jennifer Aniston has been in the public eye for as long as anyone can remember, and she’s managed to retain her girl-next-door good looks into her 50s.
She’s usually notoriously controlling about her public image, so it was surprising that she let her longtime hairstylist and friend Chris McMillan post a makeup-free selfie of the two with the caption, “Best #friends #no makeup #girl-time.” The image-conscious actress, who allegedly spends $8,000 a month on beauty treatments, looks young and radiant with no makeup at all.
Gwyneth Paltrow
Actress, singer, author, and businesswoman Gwyneth Paltrow is no stranger to going makeup-free – and there’s a good reason for that. Her beauty and wellness brand, Goop, produces lots of skincare products, so of course, she wants to represent her own brand well by showing her ageless complexion.
And we have to say, it looks like Paltrow’s skincare regimen is really working for her. She explains that she doesn’t actually wear makeup often, and that “those makeup-free selfies I occasionally post are…the real everyday me.”
Adele
Adele almost always goes with a dramatic makeup look with winged liner, false lashes and bold lipstick. So when she posted a makeup-free selfie, her fans barely recognized her. It was for a good reason – Adele had a bad cold and had to cancel a show.
She explained to her fans, “I’m so sorry. It’s the last thing I want to do but I have to look after myself.” Although the singer definitely doesn’t look like herself, her amazing eyebrows and crystal-clear complexion are enviable.
Jessica Biel
One of the most stunning women in Hollywood and the wife of singer Justin Timberlake, Jessica Biel is usually seen all glammed up. But she recently shared a no-makeup, no-filter selfie – and it wasn’t just to impress us with her gorgeous natural beauty.
“Spreading some self love today with zero filter and zero makeup for my girl @KateUpton. She’s on a mission to encourage everyone to feel strong and love themselves *as they are*… and I’m so honored to help spread that message,” she wrote.
Cameron Diaz
It’s pretty hard to believe that Cameron Diaz is already 47 years old. Diaz still looks natural and radiant, and her makeup-free selfie proves it.
Now that she’s moved on from acting to becoming an author of two books about the female body and aging, it makes a lot of sense that she regularly posts natural selfies and is vocal about fostering healthy attitudes about aging and beauty. With this selfie, she invited Instagram followers to take their own natural selfies for the jacket of her latest book.
Kesha
Singer Kesha shocked the internet when she posted her bare freckly face on Instagram. “This year my resolution is to love myself,” she said, “just as I am… imperfect and whatever else. And to let my freckles liiiiiiiive.”
The singer’s face is highly freckled but looks more youthful and glowing than she does without makeup. She explained the reason behind her selfie to Vogue, saying, “I really wanted to make a change — be more raw and real.” Her fans seem to be inspired by her bare-faced approach.
Salma Hayek
This talented beauty is truly blessed with great genes. At 53 years old, Hayek is fond of posting au naturel selfies, where she flaunts her incredible complexion that she claims is completely natural.
In 2017 she claimed that she’s never gotten Botox, fillers, or even a peel. Her skincare regimen is surprisingly simple, too: she only washes her face at night, cleanses with coconut oil, and follows that with rose water and a warm washcloth. The actress is comfortable in her own skin and proudly shows her grey hairs and bare skin.
Heidi Klum
The glamorous supermodel and TV show host is usually seen all glammed up on some red carpet or other. So it was certainly strange to see her with no makeup, but the 45-year old is proving that she can totally pull it off.
Her virtually wrinkle-free skin is bright and smooth. Now it’s easy to understand how she recently tied the knot with Tom Kaulitz, a musician 16 years her junior – the woman is proving with this selfie that age is just a number.
Kylie Jenner
As the billionaire founder of her own makeup brand, it’s understandable why Kylie Jenner is expected to look perfectly made-up whenever she makes a public appearance. But it’s when she takes it all off that her natural beauty really gets a chance to shine.
The internet has practically exploded each time Jenner has posted a makeup-free selfie – this is a woman who clearly needs no makeup. But don’t forget that she allegedly had extensive cosmetic procedures done in order to look like this.
Ashley Graham
Plus-size model Ashley Graham lives and breathes body positivity, encouraging women and men to love themselves at any size. So it’s no surprise that she often posts makeup-free selfies like this one.
As the first size-16 model ever to grace the cover of Sports Illustrated’s swimsuit issue, Graham is a model of self-acceptance. When society tells her she’s not good enough, Graham says, “I kind of just give my middle finger to it, like, ‘Guess what? I’m really hot.’” We agree!
Lady Gaga
This Grammy-winning pop star and actress is a real chameleon. Gaga has rocked tons of diverse looks over her career, some of them pretty over-the-top. But when she famously went makeup-free while shooting A Star Is Born, the world saw another side of Gaga that was miles away from her usual statement glam.
When she posted this beautiful makeup-free shot of her getting ready for the Oscars, her fans were raving over how naturally stunning she looked. And we’re sure that 141-year-old Tiffany diamond didn’t hurt.
Kristin Bell
This actress always looks perfectly flawless, whether in full makeup or totally barefaced. But Kristin Bell is not one for expensive skincare routines; instead, she keeps it very simple.
She claims that she doesn’t wash her face in the morning (“I don’t ever want to strip my own natural oils,” she says), uses coconut oil to keep her skin soft, and swears by applying sunscreen every morning to keep her skin in tip-top condition. Judging from her glowing makeup-free selfies, whatever she’s doing is working!
Michelle Pfeiffer
This ageless beauty is already 61 years old, but you wouldn’t guess it by looking at her. Even sans makeup, Pfeiffer glows with skin that looks better than many people half her age.
Pfeiffer explains her secret to maintaining a youthful complexion: “Eating a vegan diet — it’s just so much healthier — and you avoid a lot of toxins that could age your skin and your body.” While Pfeiffer acknowledges that it’s about vanity on some level, she’s really doing it to live longer.
Britney Spears
Britney Spears is really a trooper. Since her rise to pop stardom in the early 2000s, Britney has grown up – and experienced tons of dramatic life events – in the public eye. So it must be refreshing for her to let her natural beauty shine once in a while.
She joined the #NoMakeupMonday trend on Instagram, where she wrote, “On days where I don’t get primped and made up for my show, this is the real unglammed me… so nice to meet all of you!!”
Cindy Crawford
Former supermodel Cindy Crawford is now in her 60s, but she still looks beautiful and radiant without makeup. Now she has started her own skincare line and has an extensive regimen to maintain her looks.
But she’s also realistic about her expectations: “There is a lot of pressure on women to, well, not age. Being a model and having your whole career being based on how you look, I am probably even more sensitive to it—but you can’t keep chasing this impossible thing,” she explained in an interview.
Drew Barrymore
Drew Barrymore is no stranger to the makeup-free selfie. The 44-year-old actress, entrepreneur, and mom has started her own makeup brand, but that doesn’t mean she can’t go makeup-free on occasion.
She explains, “I feel confident without makeup cause I wear makeup so much for my job. Sometimes I look in the mirror and think, ‘Oh my god,’ but it’s nice to get away from vanity and just be yourself.” Barrymore’s many social media followers always applaud her authenticity.
