The make-up free movement is more than a moment: authentic A-list pioneers like Pamela Anderson, Millie Bobby Brown, Amanda Seyfried and Alicia Keys have changed our beauty standards forever

Feb 3 , 2024

Pamela Anderson is in the vanguard of the make-up-free movement after repeatedly stepping out product-free at Paris Fashion Week. Photo: Reuters

Jamie Lee Curtis, Isabella Rossellini, Hilarie Burton, Christy Turlington, Justine Bateman and Andie MacDowell are among the growing list of celebs to speak up and show their true selves

For a low-key hybrid skincare routine, Miracle Balms by Jones Road, Ilia’s Super Serum Skin Tints and Westman Atelier highlight sticks are Style’s choices for those not quite ready yet to go completely product-free

Make-up has been influential in shaping our beauty ideals for centuries but now something remarkable is happening. For the past decade, a trend that encourages people to peel back the layers and reveal their unadorned, unfiltered selves to the world has gained momentum, a testament to self-confidence and self-acceptance, challenging age-old beauty standards: the make-up-free movement.

Actress Pamela Anderson made headlines as she confidently graced the front rows of Paris Fashion Week in the autumn, flaunting a make-up-free look. “It was unapologetic; that’s why it was so powerful,” says celebrity make-up artist Humberto Moya. “It resonated in a world that has long dictated the goal is to be perfect, so it fired up a conversation about liberation, confidence and the world’s preconceived notions about beauty.”

Pamela Anderson outside the Vivienne Westwood show at Paris Fashion Week in September. Photo: Getty Images

Other women too have chosen to lower the concealing mask of cosmetics, embracing their natural beauty with confidence and grace. Notable figures like Alicia Keys, Amanda Seyfried and Millie Bobby Brown have joined the make-up-free revolution, showcasing their bare faces in public and breaking free from the constraints of traditional beauty standards.

Anderson later revealed that the decision to forgo make-up was an impromptu one, driven by a desire not to overshadow the elegance of the clothes she wore. However, the 56-year-old’s candid admission about the sense of freedom and relief she experienced without make-up reflects a broader shift in the perception of beauty.

Jamie Lee Curtis, a vocal critic of unrealistic beauty standards, celebrated Anderson’s barefaced appearance, lauding it as an “act of courage and rebellion”. Others are showing similar courage – Isabella Rossellini, Hilarie Burton, Christy Turlington, Justine Bateman, Andie MacDowell and Tracee Ellis Ross – have all contributed to the narrative by accepting their authentic selves, whether through unretouched photos, embracing grey hair, or no-make-up looks.

In Keys’ case, it was back in 2016 that she decided to forgo cosmetics as a statement of rebellion against societal expectations. However, the Grammy-winning singer recently opened up about her evolving perspectives on beauty, explaining that her journey toward self-acceptance wasn’t solely about make-up or its absence but rather understanding how you want to express yourself and defining the boundaries that feel authentic. This led her to venture into the beauty industry with her brand, Keys Soulcare, with its focus on simplicity in beauty routines.

Alicia Keys often goes make-up-free. Photo: Handout