We live in an age where you can’t log onto any of your social media accounts without seeing at least one 13-year-old with a perfectly contoured face and false eye-lashes. Back in the early days of your everyday millennial, we had to walk around with foundation that was two shades darker than our original skin tone, lipstick that was far too light, and body glitter. So when we see the younger generation taking selfies that make them look well into their 20’s, we have to huff a little.
And then we see the flawless celebrities who are out there slaying with their look every single day. While most have the help of handy makeup artists who are constantly within arm’s reach, some have become makeup connoisseurs all on their own (basically, anyone can be with all the epic makeup tutorials out there now). But what about the other end of the spectrum?
Just as much as people are flocking to YouTube beauty experts to get makeup tips, some celebs are opting for the fresh-faced look just as much as they are the flashy contour. And they rock the look just as much as their made-up look, if not more. These 18 celebs know just when it’s time to switch up their look by just by doing the bare minimum.
18 Queen Bey At Her Finest - Beyonce
It’s not enough that she’s basically the queen of everything under the sun, but she had to step in and shock the world at Coachella this year with a thrilling performance that was talked about for days afterward. Beyonce, some argue, is one of the most perfect beings to ever walk the earth. Whenever something seems to go sour in her life, she turns it into heart-stopping art (case and point: Lemonade) and the world has to pause to take a breath and simply marvel at her. And also, beyond a doubt, Beyonce happens to be one of the most beautiful people to ever grace this earth. Whether she’s on stage, posing for a magazine cover, or stepping out to Target with daughter Blue Ivy, she never DOESN'T look stunning. But we have to say, she really does insanely rock the fresh look.
17 All Glam, No Matter What - Rihanna
Famous singer? Check. Fashion icon? Double check. Beauty guru? Triple check. Despite being an extremely busy celebrity as is, Rihanna took her game to the next level when she created Fenty Beauty, her very spicy, and very inclusive, makeup line just this last year and launched. “Lipstick in Barbados? Not unless I was a bridesmaid in a friend’s wedding,” Rihanna told InStyle magazine last year after her line launched. “My mom wasn’t flexible. I wore NO makeup.” She went on to say that even though her mom kept a firm leash on the singer when it came to cosmetics, she was the inspiration for her diving into the makeup world. Though we rarely see Rihanna stepping out without makeup on these days, when she does (or snaps a selfie of herself and posts it on Instagram) we still manage to swoon at her all natural look.
16 Bare-Faced, Bare Proud - Alicia Keys
These days, The Voice judge doesn’t appear in public WITH makeup on her face. And when Alicia Keys announced that she gave up makeup, people actually started freaking out. “Y’all, me choosing to be makeup free doesn’t mean I’m anti-makeup. Do you!” she tweeted out along with a picture of her fresh-face blowing a kiss. While some people were straight up confused by her giving up makeup, most applauded her decision, including her fellow judges on The Voice. Singer Adam Levine even talked about it on Sirius XM’s The Howard Stern Show earlier this year when the host asked about Key’s no-makeup ban. “She’s, by the way, so great,” Levine said. “She was putting on a little bit of makeup and I was like ‘Oh, I thought Alicia doesn’t wear makeup’ and she was like, ‘I do what the [expletive] I want.’ I love you so much.”
15 Who Needs Sephora? - Demi Lovato
Singer Demi Lovato has never been one to shy away from talking about herself, mainly the troubles in her life that she’s had to face. And she’s become an iconic warrior for it. Earlier this year, she appeared in a dramatic video for Vogue as a part of the magazine’s series aimed at honoring women. In the video, Lovato is first seen sitting in front of the camera, wearing a full face of makeup. She then slowly starts to wipe it away. She removes her false eyelashes, wipes off her eyeshadow and lipstick. “I think society tells us we need makeovers, but why can’t we embrace the beauty that we naturally have?” Lovato said in a candid interview with Vogue. “I love makeup. I love doing my hair; I have extensions, but there’s a time and a place for everything, and natural beauty needs to be celebrated.”
14 Sans Cherry Lips - Katy Perry
Singer Katy Perry has never been one to shy away from being simply herself. If she’s on stage, on camera, or simply walking into a coffee shop to get a latte, Perry has always demonstrated what it takes to be a strong woman in the public eye. She’s paraded around with some pretty stunning candy-coated makeup before in the past, and while she’s toned it down a bit, she always looks pretty much amazing – especially when she’s simply relaxing with a bare face. The singer has a cat-inspired CoverGirl makeup collection named Katy Kat, that’s affordable AND good (you don’t see that very often) and also seems to reflect her ever-changing and iridescent style. Even though she’s created a makeup line, doesn’t mean she must forever be in costume, and even when she goes bare, she still makes a very Katy statement with her expressions.
13 Model Behavior - Cara Delevingne
Cara Delevingne has proven that even supermodels can suffer from everyday problems. Even though she has slayed on the catwalk, Delevingne revealed that she suffers from the skin condition known as psoriasis. “People would put on gloves and not want to touch me because they thought it was, like, leprosy or something,” the model told The Times in an interview. “It wasn’t a good time, I was, like, fight and flight for months. Just constantly on edge. It is a mental thing as well because if you hate yourself and your body and the way you look, it just gets worse and worse.” Psoriasis is caused by stress so the more she would stress out, the worse it would get. The older she’s gotten though she appears to have become more comfortable in her skin and it shows in her bare-faced and beautiful pictures.
12 Age Has Nothing On Her - Salma Hayek
In her early years, actress Salma Hayek first graced the world with her pretty presence via some Mexican novellas. When she eventually moved over to Hollywood, she seemed to take Tinsel Town by the horn and never let go. She had a beauty that couldn’t be denied, a work ethic that couldn’t be denied, and an intellect that put most men to shame. And even though she’s now in her 50’s, she shows no sign of slowing down. Recently, Hayek posted a makeup-less selfie on Instagram and the world went nuts. She still had the youthful glow she did way back in her Mexican soap opera days. Even though she’ll be forever stunning, Hayak has managed to transform herself for the sake of a movie part, like when she played the Mexican painter Frida Kahlo in the 2002 film Frida, a role she was nominated for at the Academy Awards.
11 Freckle-Faced And Stunning - Kylie Jenner
We’re used to seeing beauty entrepreneur and reality TV star Kylie Jenner with a perfectly contoured face and flowing hair these days. Before, in her younger years on Keeping Up With The Kardashians, she seemed to not really give two hoots about makeup as she and her sister Kendall ran around with bare-faces. But as she got older, she started getting more into makeup like her older sisters, and soon, she was outdoing in them in the style department. When she created Kylie Cosmetics, she basically won the “favorite daughter” trophy from mama Kris Jenner. And while we all wish we can copy her flawless makeup looks, Kylie has said that she’s happier when she’s wearing no makeup at all. And we have to agree whenever she posts a natural selfie.
10 Flawless Everyday - Heidi Klum
Seeing a world-famous supermodel without makeup is like seeing the Mona Lisa without her nonchalant expression. But when it comes to the all-natural looking Heidi Klum, we’re all for it. At 44-years old, Klum has one of the most recognized faces in the entire world and shows no sign of slowing down. Currently, she is a judge on NBC’s America’s Got Talent and is said to be more of a businesswoman rather than simply a model. Forbes even agreed with this back in 2011 when they estimated her earnings that year as $20 million. The model is notorious for bold and honest during interviews. “I was just in Germany and I had too much chocolate,” she once said in an interview with Redbook magazine as she pointed to a huge pimple on her chin. “That’s what happens.” Never change.
9 Natural Jenny From The Block - Jennifer Lopez
Singer, actress, entrepreneur, dancer Jennifer Lopez has constantly been associated with the word “perfection.” I mean, just take a look at her face! She always appears as if she’s aging backward. Even though she’s such a hard worker, her skin glows as if she had just woken up from a weekend of rest and relaxation. “Take time for yourself,” she once said when asked about how she’s able to look so good yet works her tail off. “When you look good, you feel good. When you feel good, you are a better person and parent. That doesn’t require a week at a spa. I just breathe and clear my mind whenever I have a moment. Sometimes we just have to do nothing, just breathe.”
8 Glamorous Gal - Ciara
Everyone knows that singer Ciara has some epically flawless skin. Everyone knows it because she photographs so well. Ciara is actually the brand ambassador for Pandora’s new Shine Collection and when she was interviewed by Allure magazine about it, the writer doing the interview was shocked by how simple her skin routine actually is. “It’s really bad, but I wash my face with my body soap,” she confessed to the magazine. “I was telling a dermatologist that, and they thought I was crazy. They were looking at me like I had four eyes or something.” Her body soap, by the way, is Dove, which is actually extremely moisturizing. “Whatever I wash my body with, I will use for my face. I don’t know if that’s the smartest thing.” Whatever she’s doing, she should keep it up.
7 Just Act Natural - Lupita Nyong’o
She’s a young actress who has taken the world by storm recently even though she’s been around for a little bit already. Lupita Nyong’o stunned audiences with her turn in the box office smash hit, Black Panther this past year, but most sometimes forget that she’s already a seasoned, Academy Award-winning actress (12 Years a Slave). She recently told Vogue magazine that she enjoys learning new things like different languages and accents. “I value not being good at things, because children are not good at things,” she told the magazine, who commented on her childlike nature. Those who have worked with her often comment on her poise and grace and her immense love for everyone who makes her smile. We look forward to a lifetime of seeing her beautiful face and personality light up the screen.
6 Our Own Dark Angel - Jessica Alba
We will always see her as the star of Dark Angel (and star of our hearts), but what a lot of people don’t know is that Jessica Alba is also an entrepreneur who founded Honest Beauty. “Between the kids and the office, I usually only have about five minutes to get ready so I like to keep it simple,” the actress said of her daily beauty routine in an interview with W magazine. “I start with Everything Organic Facial Oil to hydrate and wake up the skin. Then I use Honest Beauty Everything Primer, Tinted Moisturizer, and Concealer Duo. I tap Magic Balm around my eyes, high points, and cupids bow. I put on Brow Filler, Crème Blush, curl my lashes, put on mascara, add a lip crayon and go!” Seems fairly easy enough!
5 Perfectly Perfect - Zoe Saldana
Even though she’s a brilliant actress, off the screen, Zoe Saldana is known for having flawless skin. “Growing up in the Dominican Republic, I learned to be very organic with my beauty routine,” she told Byrdie during an interview. “Cooking products are not just for cooking; you can actually use them for beauty, for wellness. If you live in the islands, you get a coconut, and you use every part of that coconut. You drink the water, you make food with the meat, you can squeeze it and make coconut milk, that milk you can put on your skin, on your hair.” She also went on to say that she actually puts rum on her hair in order to give it a natural “beachy” looking hairdo that won’t ruin it.
4 It's The Southern Sun - Jessica Simpson
Sure, we made fun of her (or rather, laughed with her) when she pulled the whole “chicken of the sea” bit when starring in her reality show Newlyweds: Nick and Jessica with then-husband Nick Lachey, but Jessica Simpson has proven time and time again that she’s not just another pretty face. Not only is she a singer and actress, but she also launched The Jessica Simpson Collection back in 2005 which is a fashion and beauty line. She’s also a beauty guru who has mastered the “clean” look these days and often chooses to go out in public wearing no makeup at all. Sure, when she puts on makeup, we get jealous of her technique, but we also get jealous when she posts “naked face” pictures up on her Instagram page.
3 Dimples And Smiles - Leighton Meester
She will always be that one Gossip Girl who would light up the small screen every time she was on it. But now, a more mature Leighton Meester has moved on to film work and still manages to make the camera fall in love with her. “Style-wise, I’m very easy-going, simple and minimal, I don’t care much about putting together the perfect outfit every morning,” she said in an interview with Elle magazine. “Trendy items can be unflattering. A good pair of jeans and a perfect leather jacket are my go-to's.” She also remarked that good health is what makes a woman beautiful. “To be physically healthy – through nutrition and exercise – you feel and look your best. Women that I consider beautiful are all very different. Different shapes, sizes, and ages. I think that diversity is probably the most important aspect of beauty.”
2 No Fear, Just Luminosity - Nicki Minaj
She’s bright, beautiful, and not just known as one of Drake’s many loves. Rapper Nicki Minaj is probably one of the most down-to-earth celebrities you’ll ever meet in your entire life. She’s also known for her colorful style. “I was always inspired by people who did wild stuff but didn’t always have the [guts] to do it myself,” she said to Elle magazine when asked about experimenting with her looks. “Now I can’t leave it alone. Even with my wigs, I get bored. I can’t believe I used to wear the same hairstyle every day.” She’s always been known for her wild style, but even when she posts a natural look (straight out of the shower), Minaj proves that she still is breathtaking in every way.
1 Not Weighed Down - Sienna Miller
A great deal of us took notice of actress Sienna Miller when she started dating actor Jude Law, a notorious ladies man. But truth be told, she’s actually been around for much longer than that and has had a flourishing career since moving on from Law himself. She’s starred in such films as Alfie (where she met Law), The Edge of Love, After Miss Julie, American Sniper, Live by Night, and even has done some professional model work. Through it all, her skin has remained flawless and she always seems to rock the fresh-faced look whenever she goes out in public. She revealed to Coveteur that she likes to play it different when it comes to taking care of her skin. “I’m not particularly loyal to any one brand [of skincare],” she said. “I’ll sort of switch it up all the time.” Whatever she’s doing, she should keep it up.
References: Instyle.com, glamour.com, eonline.com, vogue.com, dailymail.co.uk., redbookmag.com, stylecraze.com, allure.com, wmagazine.com, coveteur.com, byrdie.com, elle.com.au,
