Most of the time, when we see celebrities, they’re all glammed up. Even if you just spot them in a paparazzi shot around Los Angeles, they know that they’ll likely be followed by paparazzi, so they’ll put on at least a natural face of make-up. That’s because their image is their brand – they want to portray an image of perpetual glamour and beauty.
However, celebrities are also human, and sometimes they get spotted without make-up. I mean, what woman hasn’t had one of those days where she just doesn’t want to put in the effort of applying countless products and spending the extra time before she leaves the house. Sometimes, you just want to grab a quick latte or check that errand off your to-do list. Perhaps, in celebrities’ case, you’re on your way to set where the make-up artist will be putting together your look anyway. Whatever the case, these 15 celebrities were caught by the cameras without their make-up on – and they look like almost entirely different people.
We totally support the no makeup movement, and if female celebs decide they want to put forward a more natural face, all the more power to them! However, you can’t deny that it’s a bit jarring to see these usually super glam celebs bare faced, looking like they could just be regular people you see at a supermarket rather than A-List celebs who get paid millions per project.
Here are 15 pics of celebrities without make-up that will definitely surprise you.
15 Katie Holmes
Admittedly, Katie Holmes has a bit of a more natural look than many other celebrities. While other celebs have carved out identities as sex kittens and super glamourous starlets, ever since her breakthrough role on Dawson’s Creek as the literal girl next door, Holmes has always projected that kind of sweet, girl next door image. However, even the girl next door gets glammed up for red carpet events and promo appearances, which makes it surprising to see her totally bare-faced in this shot. On the right, Holmes looks like she always does – utterly gorgeous with flawless skin. On the left, she looks a little more like a college student on her way to the library to finish up that paper. Her skin, incredibly, is still utterly flawless – proving that skincare is way more important than whatever foundation you choose – but her eyes definitely look a lot more tired, and a little concealer to hide those under eye bags might be in order.
14 Lady Gaga
Lady Gaga is perhaps one of the toughest celebrities to imagine without make-up because she doesn’t just do the average smoky eye and nude lip that so many celebrities do – she’s the queen of transformation and loves to play with make-up to create new looks. That’s why seeing her without a stitch of make-up is so jarring. Sure, the facial features look familiar, but she looks like an entirely different person all fresh-faced. Her blonde eyebrows almost disappear without definition courtesy of a brow pencil, her piercing eyes aren’t framed by colourful shadows or bold lashes, and her naturally plump lips aren’t rocking any type of brightly colored shade. It’s definitely a different side of Gaga, and hey, who knows – maybe her next big look will involve going bare-faced all the time. We certainly wouldn’t put it past her – she’s basically built a career on her ability to constantly mix it up and keep things interesting.
13 Katy Perry
Katy Perry has become known for her look almost as much as for her actual songs – I mean, this is the woman who regularly performs with things like giant lollipops and cupcakes and oversized cartoon sharks. She’s all about fun and bright colours on stage, from her sparkly outfits to her neon make-up. At the very minimum, she’s almost always rocking an extremely bright lip and long, thick lashes. That’s why this photo of Perry prepping for a show is almost like seeing an entirely different person. She’s clutching some peppermint-studded attire to her chest, but her face is totally make-up free – no lipstick, no eye colour, hair just swept back in a messy ponytail. It makes you realize just how much make-up makes a difference for celebrities – a bare-faced Katy is still gorgeous, but she looks like any regular girl you’d be standing in line with for Katy Perry tickets, not the starlet putting on an insane show herself.
12 Sofia Vergara
Sofia Vergara’s look can be summed up in one word – bombshell. While she looks gorgeous dressed down in the occasional casual outfit, the majority of the time, she’s taking full advantage of the crazy curves she’s been genetically blessed with (and that her personal trainer likely works hard to sculpt and maintain). She’s a fan of body-hugging clothing – on date nights with sexy hubby Joe Manganiello, on the red carpet, and on screen in her role as the sexy Latina Gloria Pritchett on hit sitcom Modern Family. Her ultra glam beauty look goes with her sartorial preferences – plus, Vergara herself has stated that she absolutely loves primping and taking the time to do her hair and make-up and look glamorous on a daily basis. However, even the make-up lover has moments when she’s running between obligations without a chance to put on any make-up, as this photo proves, but cut the girl some slack – she hasn’t even finished her coffee yet!
11 Kylie Jenner
Ah, Kylie Jenner – apart from big sis Kim Kardashian, she’s probably the member of the Kardashian family who plays around with beauty looks the most. When audiences first met her, she was still a child who hadn’t discovered the joys of make-up, but when she hit her teenage years she became a beauty icon. Women around the world tried overlining their lips to achieve Kylie’s covetable pout (you know, before she finally ‘fessed up that those pumped up lips had been pumped up with something more than lip liner and liquid lipstick). Despite that, she managed to move into the world of cosmetics based solely on the amount of women who admired her beauty look – that’s saying something! She’s impeccably contoured, with expertly applied lipstick and killer eyeliner, in nearly every picture of herself – which is why shots like this are so surprising. In this photo, Jenner seems to be stocking up on a few beauty products, based on the Urban Decay sign in the background, but hasn’t applied anything to her own face yet.
10 Olivia Wilde
Okay, let’s get one thing straight – Olivia Wilde has been insanely genetically blessed in the beauty department. I mean, with cheekbones like that, who even needs contouring? However, this photo proves just how helpful make-up can be, especially when you’re a busy star with a packed schedule who is running low on sleep. In the photo on the right, Wilde looks like her normal glam self, with a smoky eye, a hint of blush to accentuate those crazy cheekbones, expertly darkened brows and just a hint of a nude lip colour. On the left, she’s totally bare-faced – and while her skin and cheekbones look equally gorgeous, the bags under her eyes haven’t yet been expertly concealed, her brows are a tad bit patchy, and her lack of lip colour washes her out a bit. It just proves that even the most naturally gorgeous stars usually have a bit of make-up on when you see a picture of them – they’re not naturally 100% flawless.
9 Adele
Of all the celebrities out there, Adele is probably one of the realest – she’s outspoken about things she loves and has that killer signature cackle that’d make anyone crack a smile in response. However, she’s also become known for a very distinctive beauty look – that killer retro winged liner. Recently, she’s given up the retro beehive that she was rocking when she first entered the spotlight, opting for a more natural wavy bob instead, but her beauty look has stayed the same – winged liner, a nude lip, and a flawless canvas. On the right, Adele looks like her normal self – great liner, a retro hairstyle, killer nails, proudly beaming as she accepts a prestigious award. On the left, she looks like a mum dropping off her kids at school, rocking a cozy sweater, a messy bun, and not a stitch of make-up. While her skin is still porcelain perfection and her lips are enviably plump and pouty, she definitely looks different without her trademark liner.
8 Zooey Deschanel
Zooey Deschanel is yet another celebrity who has a bit of a signature look. Like Adele, Deschanel has always channeled a bit of a retro vibe, preferring retro liner and a bolder lip in the majority of her red carpet appearances. In this selfie she took, she pulls the veil back on her perfect celebrity image and admits to her fans that no, she doesn’t wake up with flawless make-up and perfect bangs like we might think she does. Instead, she wakes up in an old tee, bags visible under her eyes, her hair a crazy mess with the bangs side-swept, her expression bleary. Real talk, guys – Zooey Deschanel before she’s had her morning coffee is all of us, and we salute her for sharing that information. Again, you can still see the features that have made her beauty so iconic – that porcelain skin, those plump lips – but she definitely looks a lot different without her normal make-up.
7 Eva Longoria
Ever since she first made a splash as the spicy Gabrielle Solis on Desperate Housewives, Eva Longoria has been rocking the red carpet, her petite physique looking flawless in virtually any gown she chooses to wear. Her beauty look has stayed fairly consistent over the years – just a hint of glam, nothing too over the top, to complement her naturally stunning features and warm skin. In the photo on the left, though, we finally see that she’s not naturally quite as drop dead gorgeous – though those eyes and stunning smile are still there, without her brows defined, her eyes lined and lashes fluffed, and her lips glossed perfectly, she definitely looks a lot different. The Eva Longoria on the right is somewhat intimidatingly gorgeous, someone you’d stammer at nervously on the red carpet. The Eva Longoria on the left, however, is someone we can see sharing some wine with and dishing all about life.
6 Mila Kunis
Mila Kunis is probably one of the few celebrities who has been spotted quite a few times in public without make-up – perhaps rising to stardom at such a young age with That ‘70s Show gave her a little more confidence than the average starlet who makes it in their early 20s. Now, Kunis is obviously incredibly genetically blessed, and looks pretty darn gorgeous without a stitch of make-up on. However, when she lines those stunning eyes and creates a flawless complexion, she’s almost superhumanly beautiful. In the shot on the left, she’s looking a lot more real – hair pulled back in a messy bun, complexion slightly less than flawless, bags under her eyes visible, brows a bit mussed, and eyes stunning but not accentuated by any type of make-up. Kunis is a celebrity that proves that, while you can certainly go out in public without make-up, why not harness the power of make-up to make a truly glam appearance?
5 Vanessa Hudgens
Starlet Vaness Hudgens has always had a bit of a boho chic vibe – she tends to favour flowy locks, a fairly natural look, and a Cali-girl bronzed tan. However, even she is occasionally captured without make-up, as this shot suggests. On the left, Hudgens has been caught in her glasses, hair pulled up in a messy ponytail, with not a stitch of make-up on her face, and she definitely looks totally different than she normally does. First of all, she looks a ton younger – this shot could easily have been from her High School Musical years. Second, it gives us a refreshing glimpse into what she probably looks like at home when she washes off all the make-up, pulls her hair in a bun, rocks her glasses and just sits back with a beverage to watch a movie or listen to some music. We totally relate, Hudgens – we totally relate.
4 January Jones
Okay, let’s get one thing straight – it’s basically not even fair how gorgeous January Jones is naturally. Audiences are used to seeing her as Betty Draper, all dolled up in retro lipstick with voluminous 60s hair and a full face of make-up, and she certainly looks stunning like that. And, when off duty from Mad Men, she’s always favoured a bit of an edgier look that also showcases her naturally stunning features. In this picture, though, Jones is captured on a shopping trip, rocking a cozy sweater, her hair pulled into a top knot, and her face totally bare. She basically looks like a model off duty, thanks to those stunning features, but we can see just how much make-up can accentuate what you were born with – while her blue eyes are still stunning, and her natural cupid’s bow is flawless, her beauty look is definitely amped up when she darkens her lashes and brows to define them a bit, and conceals and under-eye bags.
3 Mariah Carey
If you haven’t seen the movie Precious yet, you’ll be totally stunned by this picture of Mariah Carey. You see, in the film, the director felt like it would be appropriate for Carey to be make-up free – and the normally glamorous starlet agreed! Now, as everyone knows, Carey has always gone full glam with her look. From the moment she debuted back in the 90s as a promising young starlet, she’s been all about the crazy eyelash extensions, ultra-glossed lips, contoured and flawless complexion, big hair, and more. From her outfits to her beauty look, Carey definitely subscribes to the ‘more is more’ camp, which is why we can barely recognize her in this shot taken from the film. Not only is the straight dark brown hair a departure from her normally golden, voluminous locks. Her entire face looks different without make-up – her lips and eyes are far less defined, and she definitely doesn’t glow quite as much as she normally does.
2 Jennifer Lopez
We don’t really care about Jennifer Lopez’s beauty routine – we’re really more interested in the fact that she seems to be aging backwards. I mean, seriously – the woman not only looks the same as she did 20 years ago, she looks better! However, she’s normally the queen of glam. While she doesn’t tend to love super dark, dramatic looks, she’s an expert at warm glamour – big lashes, nude or beige gloss lips, caramel and chocolate tones, a sun-kissed complexion even in the depths of winter, etc. In the make-up free selfie on the left, while her facial features are the same – and still gorgeous – it’s definitely a different side of Jennifer. Her warm brown eyes aren’t as defined without all the shadows, liner and lashes she normally rocks, her eyebrows need a bit of filling in to truly frame her eyes, and her lips definitely look bare without her trademark swipe of nude gloss.
1 Kim Kardashian
Amongst all celebrities, Kim Kardashian is definitely a make-up queen. Sure, now that she’s achieved A-List status, she has make-up artists who will come to her house and do her make-up for her at the drop of a hat, but even when she was a rising reality star doing everything herself, she always looked flawless – because she absolutely loves playing with make-up. She rarely steps out in public without a flawless, full face of make-up, so finding shots of Kim Kardashian bare-faced is tough. However, thanks to the insane attention the paparazzi pay her, she has been captured once or twice in public rocking a bare-face, such as in this photo. Her plump pout is still there, but the rest of her looks totally different. The brows aren’t filled in, the eyes aren’t flawlessly accentuated with perfectly blended shadows and perfectly applied falsies, her complexion is a bit uneven, and though her hair is shiny, it’s definitely in a messier style than she usually favours. She’s almost an entirely different person!
