Once upon a time, we only had a glimpse of our favorite stars when they graced the red carpet or appeared on glossy magazines. Now, with the power of carefully constructed Instagram posts, the stars of today allow us into their personal lives and we can't get enough. There are the bedroom selfies, bathroom mirror pouts and of course, the adorable pets that make an appearance that keeps us insanely hooked on their updates. With such a high demand from fans, these stars have to make sure they are constantly updating about their fabulous lives - but just how much of it is the truth?
Celebrity Instagram is big money. Jo Piazza, author of Celebrity Inc and celebrity social media manager, explained to E! Online, "I've heard of (social) media managers being fired because they posted the wrong thing, the wrong picture or just because the celebrity didn't like it. You have to be absolutely meticulous. It's immediate, it's fast-paced and it has to be perfect." She added, "There is 100 percent Photoshopping of the pictures. Those pictures are selected to look absolutely perfect."
So all those "I woke up like this" selfies or "#nomakeup movement" moments might not be so realistic. All it takes is dodgy paparazzi photo to leak online to prove that nobody is perfect, and these following stars were all exposed as frauds.
21 Zendaya Without Makeup Looks Closer To Her Young Age
Zendaya is the It-girl of the moment; from child actor to backing dancer to Disney star - she made it big with two box office hits Spider-Man: Homecoming and The Greatest Showman co-starring Zac Efron. Now at just 21-years-old, she is one of the most sought-after actresses and a style icon. Even though she is still young, her flawless makeup regime and designer wardrobe makes her look very mature so it's much nicer to see her so fresh-faced.
However, she did reveal that the main reason why she wears makeup is that it makes her feel like a queen. She told Vogue, "(Makeup is) not about making yourself ‘prettier’ or making yourself look ‘better. I wear it for myself because I feel fabulous. It’s not to impress anybody else but myself.”
20 Ariel Winter Only Posts The Most Striking Pictures Of Herself
Modern Family star Ariel Winter is another actress who appears older than her 20 years. Even at her young age, she has achieved so much including scooping four Screen Actors Guild Awards for Best Ensemble and being the voice of body positivity. The Los Angeles-born beauty was caught out on a rare chill day in West Hollywood with her hair scraped back and without her signature dark eyeliner.
Winter has called out the body shamers before that have criticized her laidback look when she's not on set. In a post on Instagram, she wrote, "Every time someone tries to bully me online, it gives me a chance to re-emphasize to my fans, and even myself, how important self-acceptance is. Stop the hate. Accept all that you are and know your flaws are what make you the PERFECT you.”
19 What Gigi Hadid Wants You To Believe She Looks Like Vs. Reality
Gigi Hadid has always been killing the game on Instagram and now has more than 38 million followers. But her 'I woke up like this selfies' might not be as realistic as she wants us to believe. When she was spotted attending a boxing class at an LA gym, she looked nothing like the flawless Gigi her loyal fans have come to know.
Only two years ago she was going to throw in the towel and quit social media for good. The online trolls had become too much for, as she explained to Vogue, "These are obviously also people that don’t think of you as an actual human with actual feelings, which I think is a really big problem right now in social media. I try not to pay attention to it that much, but it got to a point where I started to feel self-conscious about certain things." She now blocks out the haters online and is much stronger than ever.
18 Kylie Jenner Actually Has Freckles Under All That Contouring
Who would have thought that underneath all the contouring - Kylie Jenner actually has freckles. It's so rare to see her not looking Instagram-ready but over on Snapchat she posted a video with the comment: "Freckles out of control from this sun." According to Kylie, when she's not posing for pictures she rarely wears makeup at home. "If I'm going to see people, I won't wear heavy makeup. It's not attractive on me," she told The New York Times.
The 20-year-old welcomed her baby daughter Stormi Webster with her boyfriend rapper Travis Scott. Alongside hiding her freckles from the world she also hid the pregnancy for nine months causing a whirlwind of speculation. Now she's more relaxed and even updated to a video of Stormi's feet and cooed to her followers "Mummy’s cute little toes..."
17 Adele Isn't Keeping It As Real As We Thought
Is it even the real Adele if she isn't wearing her signature winged eyeliner? During her last (and possibly final) world tour, she was captured backstage completely makeup-free and although she's not one for over-the-top glamour, it was still a jaw-dropper for fans. Her tour was a huge worldwide success even if Time magazine reported that during one performance she cursed a total 30 times from start to finish.
The Rolling In The Deep singer also belched in a fan's face when they tried to take a selfie but she apologized, blaming it on a "dirty burger" she had before getting on stage. On the final leg of her 15-month tour, she confessed to the crowd, "Touring isn’t something I’m good at. I don’t know if I will ever tour again. I’m not sure if touring is my bag." We’re sure fans will miss the belches.
16 Emma Watson Is Magic With A Makeup Brush
Harry Potter star Emma Watson has a very strict set of rules when it comes to her own fame and one way she avoids attention is by removing all her makeup. We can see how this works like magic because she doesn't look anything like her usual perfect self. She told Interview magazine, "The story of my life has been of public interest, which is why I've been so passionate about having a private identity."
One of her strictest rules is no fan photos - ever. She explained, "If someone takes a photograph of me and posts it, within two seconds they've created a marker of exactly where I am within 10 meters. They can see what I'm wearing and who I'm with. I just can't give that tracking data." Instead, she offers, "I will sit and answer every single Harry Potter fandom question you have but I just can't do a picture."
15 We Couldn't Even Tell This Was Lorde
Lorde is loud, outspoken and headstrong - but deep down she has her own insecurities as she battled with a lifetime of acne problems. She often encourages her fans to go makeup free and embrace their natural side but even she commands the help of a clever filter and some crafty angles to make her look better.
If you're thinking about offering the Royals singer any skincare advice then think again as she hates nothing more. In a video posted on Instagram, she ranted, "For real though, acne sucks. You know what also sucks? When you've had acne for years and years and years, done all the drugs, tried all the things, and people are still like, "You know what worked for me? It's moisturizing!'" We're sure her fans were just trying to help.
14 Taylor Swift Knows How To Use A Filter To Her Advantage
If there's one artist who loves complete control over her image it's Taylor Swift and although she isn't a serial updater, she does treat fans to the occasional selfie. Of course, filter and makeup applied, there is a huge contrast between the real Taylor and online Taylor. She has been caught on camera walking like a crab sideways to try and avoid any photos being taken of her but there are still some out there.
Most of her photos are now a thing of the past as she deleted all of her old posts during a huge Instagram purge. Gone are her throwback country moments, goodbye 'swan goals' with Calvin Harris, no more cringy PDA pics with Tom Hiddleston or even her famous cat selfies. Now she only has 100 photos starting from the time she dropped her latest album, Reputation. In her words: the old Taylor is dead.
13 Selena Gomez Needs To Be Honest About "Makeup Free" Selfies
Selena Gomez is the most followed celebrity on Instagram with 134 million dedicated fans. She didn't get to such a huge following by appearing as anything other than perfect. A photo she posted alongside her best friend when she was in hospital receiving a kidney transplant is the fifth most-liked photo of all time with 10.5 million likes.
When you're under that much pressure, there will be times when your crown slips and Selena knows that all too well. She appeared to be angry at Billboard magazine as she posted alongside a screenshot of the article: "Never will I let another human guess my words ever again. Or invite them in my home. That is so hurtful. The most ridiculous part of that is no one knowing my heart when I say things." She then put her Instagram on private and fans freaked out that Selena was gone. However, likely after she had calmed down, she returned and it was business as usual for the Bad Liar singer.
12 Kate Upton Without Make Up Makes Us Feel More Normal
Considered one of the most beautiful and desirable women in the world, Kate Upton is the woman who has it all - the career, the cash, the looks, and her husband is professional baseballer, Justin Brooks Verlander. The reality is, she is just like us and also suffers from a skin breakup from time to time.
The pressure to stay perfect is a bit too much for the model turned actress and she longs to delete all of her social media accounts. She told Evening Standard, "I fantasize about deleting my social media accounts. But I can’t." She keeps her account open so she can promote her business ventures and be a positive role model for other young women. She said, "I'm happy to be seen as a good example. If I can help girls who are going through body-image issues, I think that’s amazing."
11 Gwyneth Paltrow Should Get An Oscar For Special Effects
Fans either love or love to hate Gwyneth Paltrow as her Goop lifestyle isn't for everyone. Her Instagram is usually a feed of luxury holidays, outrageously priced products, complex home cooking recipes, and selfies with famous pals including Drew Barrymore, Cameron Diaz, Reese Witherspoon and Beyonce just to name a few.
She celebrated her 44th birthday with a makeup selfie on Instagram to show how her age wasn't affecting her natural looks. Fans celebrated her laidback attitude and of course the piercing blue eyes but compared to other images, that selfie might not have been very accurate. We can't blame her though as it was a sweet birthday treat. What else can you expect from the woman who publicly said, "When I pass a flowering zucchini plant in a garden, my heart skips a beat."
10 Top Model Gisele Bundchen Knows Her Angles
Supermodel Gisele Bundchen appeared on the front cover of Vogue Italia without makeup and it was something else. WWD reported that no artificial lights were used, there was no hair team, and no makeup team - she was just totally au naturel. When you're one of the highest paid models in the world with more than two decades of experience, it's likely you know a decent angle or two as other makeup-free pictures of the Brazilian-born beauty are not so flattering.
Gisele's husband Tom Brady has been called the best Instagram husband of all time. He followed his stunning wife around the Met Ball, taking photos of her as she walked around. He later broke the famous "no selfie" rule at the event, posing with Anna Wintour and his wife probably just to keep her happy. What a guy.
9 Karlie Kloss HATES This Paparazzi Photo Of Herself
Supermodel Karlie Kloss has posted many natural selfies over the years but now it's quite clear these aren't a fair representation. Appearing at Los Angeles International Airport, she looked hollowed and, clearly, her busy schedule was taking its toll on her usually glowing appearance. It's hard for her to avoid the paparazzi as at 6ft 1" she's quite difficult to miss.
Karlie landed herself in hot water earlier this year when she posted the lyrics to Katy Perry's diss track Swish Swish as she dribbled a basketball. The track, which is supposedly aimed at Katy's sworn enemy Taylor Swift who was one-time Karlie's best friend, was a surprising find on Karlie’s social media. When fans commented if everything was okay between Karlie and Taylor, she edited the comment and buried the shade.
8 Kim Kardashian Before And After The Filter Is Applied
Kim Kardashian posted the above selfie with the caption: "Think I’m gonna wear no make up today at the Balenciaga show.” It's quite obvious that behind the scenes she sure is wearing minimal makeup but thanks to a carefully selected filter she almost gets away with it. This might be 'toned down' for Kim but it's still not fair on her fans to keep plugging this as a 'natural' look.
The reality star turned multi-millionaire beauty and technology mogul has admitted that she owes her entire career to social media. Speaking after her robbery in Paris, she told 60 Minutes, "There are pitfalls. Lack of privacy, loss of privacy. And that's not for everyone. For me, I can handle it. I totally attribute my career to social media." When questioned about what she would consider her actual 'talent' to be, she replied, "It is a talent to have a brand that's really successful off of getting people to like you for being you."
7 Behati Prinsloo Wakes Up Next To Adam Levine Like This
Victoria's Secret model Behati Prinsloo showed the world exactly what her husband, Maroon 5 frontman Adam Levine, wakes up next to. A far cry from her Instagram feed but this is one couple that is so madly in love with each other that she could look like she's been dragged through a bush and he will still be head over heels. Behati revealed that they both enjoy date night in an unusual location - at the tattoo parlor. She told People magazine, "It’s a weird thing to describe to others... but it’s one of the things that connect us and that we share."
Her rocker husband also revealed on The Tonight Show With Jay Leno, "(I said) ‘I'll never get married.' You know, I still don't think you have to get married unless you meet someone that makes you want to marry them. And then you marry them and it's wonderful." He added, "This is the longest, most functional relationship I've ever been in. I don't want to screw it up."
6 Kesha Is Unrecognizable Without The Heavy Makeup
Singer Kesha has been through some serious stuff over the past couple of years. She is currently in a legal battle against her record company after she claimed producer Dr Luke had been abusive throughout her pop career. It was a relief to see the singer without her heavy makeup and show her true self.
The Tick Tock singer revealed, "There was a very long, long, long period of time where I was not sure if I was ever going to be able to put out music again and that was really difficult. And how I dealt with that was, I dragged my body into my car, and I had my saint of an assistant drive me to a tiny little studio, and I would pour my guts out, and I would lay on the ground and look at the sky and just weep, or laugh, or whatever it was – whatever the feeling of the day was. And that is how I made it through the past four years.”
5 Rosie Huntington Must Give Jason Statham A Shock In The Morning
Supermodels have to be diverse but there is such a huge difference between Rosie Huntington-Whitely's Instagram pictures and her real self that it's quite alarming. Since she's settled down with British action actor Jason Statham and the pair have a newborn daughter together, she's more hardworking mom than model.
Her English rose complexion has made her popular with designers but it has created a few beauty errors for her in the past. She told Refinery 29, "When I was 19, I remember going to the (tanning) salon in New York before a big shoot, and laying down on the bed and thinking, 'This is so warm and lovely.' Then I got home and started to move around and felt that my bum was really sore. My butt had never seen daylight before, so it was that milky, English, white skin, and now it was red and raw. I couldn't sit down - and it took weeks for the swelling to go down."
4 Olivia Wilde Must Worship Her Makeup Artist
Olivia Wilde was caught without makeup and looking so tired she was almost grey. Known for playing characters that are attracted to both genders, the House actress who is married to comedy actor Jason Sudekis confessed to The Advocate magazine that she is "honored" when women hit on her. She revealed, "It’s more of an honor when a woman hits on me. With a man, it’s like, yeah, you were built to hit on everything that breathes. When it’s a woman, I always blush a little harder."
Although she is married and has a young son, she doesn't believe in the pressure of labels. She asked, "Why do we insist on labels that hold us back? My hope is that my son, by the time he’s my age, doesn’t recognize a world in which we’re stuck in definitions others put upon us."
3 Wait - Jennifer Lopez...Is That Really You?
Jennifer Lopez is the queen of bronzer and her signature flowing look even inspired her very own perfume range. She treats her 70 million Instagram fans to stunning selfies either in a luxury hotel room at an exclusive restaurant. In reality, she is less glamour and more glum according to these paparazzi snaps that caught her off guard.
Now she's 48-years-old, her beauty regime is a lot stricter as she tries to stay as youthful as possible. She told People magazine, "It's hard work!" Revealing, "I try to always to get as much sleep as I can so that I can start the day well rested and do my morning meditation and affirmations." The mother-of-two added, "I think drinking lots of water and fresh foods with lots of fruits and vegetables all play into the quality of skin’s appearance." She is also famous for completely avoiding alcohol too.
2 Diane Kruger's "Natural" Selfie Wasn't Very Accurate
When Diane Kruger shared a makeup-free selfie on Instagram her fans rejoiced. Lounging in her garden at home she captioned the photo "Dude" and her fans were quick to comment how beautiful, natural and relaxed she looked. In another selfie, she shared from her car, the Troy actress wrote, "I don't know why I still look like a teenager sometimes." However, when she was caught by paparazzi, it appears that her makeup-free selfies only make it to Instagram when they are very flattering - we don't blame her.
Most recently she was spotted out with her new boyfriend The Walking Dead star Norman Reedus as the pair hunted for luxury real estate in New York City. They had their eyes on an $11 million townhouse, which would make the perfect love nest for these two.
1 Sharon Stone Looks Nothing Like Her Glamorous Self
Sharon Stone has always been an actress who speaks from the heart but she never revealed what she really looks like when stripped of all the glamour - until now. The Basic Instinct and Casino star has put aside the things in life that don't matter following a near-death experience that changed her life.
The mother-of-three revealed during a Hollywood Foreign Press Association press conference that she had suffered a stroke. She said, "I had a 5% chance of living at all, let alone regaining all my faculties. When I came home from the hospital, I could barely move. I couldn’t see out of my left eye, and I couldn’t hear out of my left ear because when my vertebral artery – which is the right artery that feeds my brain – ruptured, it ruptured with such force that the blood flow hit the nerve that feeds my ear and my eye." So a makeup brush is not her priority any longer.
Sources: vogue.com, people.com, dailymail.co.uk
