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Alongside the proliferation of virtual and real-world makeup looks, it seems that the bare-faced beauty trend is here to stay. More prominent celebrities such as Selena Gomez and Pamela Anderson are proudly stepping out, and happy to be photographed makeup-free in the street or on the red carpet, to normalize “natural beauty,” as eNews spotlights.
What’s more, fans of a national beauty pageant, the Miss England Contest, BBC News, West of England reports, recently voted to retain its “bare-faced” heat.
In doing so, the contest overcame doubts from some contestants that makeup-free rounds prevent women from being able to make their own choices about their appearance to feel the best version of themselves, the Independent details.
No-Makeup Radiance Round to Remain at Beauty Pageant
After being one of the pioneers in including bare-faced beauty segments in 2019, in January 2025, the show’s organizers decided to throw open the debate to next-gen appearance-conscious beauty trends followers, inviting them to vote on social media whether to keep it as an optional round.
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Retaining it in the pageant won the day, to the delight of former contestants of the Miss England event, who have applauded the decision not to abandon the makeup-free section of the pageant.
Significantly, those in favor of bare-based beauty have simultaneously openly confessed that it takes courage not to rely on cosmetics or virtual filters. Melissa Raouf, 23, who chose to compete makeup-free throughout the 2021 edition of the contest, said it made her feel “empowered and brave” after years of struggling with the way she looks, as BBC News details.
Raouf confesses to having been worried about appearing sans makeup: “I was so insecure - all the photos I posted before were filtered, altered, loads of makeup on, always comparing myself, always thinking I wasn't good enough,” she shares. “There were all those toxic beauty standards. It had a really detrimental effect on my mental health.” She also tells the Telegraph that this round, which she thinks should be made compulsory, “inspires thousands of girls watching to feel comfortable and radiant as they are.”
Since the competition, she has started posting unfiltered photos online to help others “feel more happy in their skin.” She bears responsibility as a role model, she believes, one that can liberate women to feel that they don’t have to wear makeup.
Although entering the Miss England Bare Face Top Model round remains optional, BBC News points out that the organizers fast track the winner of the makeup-free heat to the final round of women competing for the overall title.
Contest organizer, Angie Beasley, explains on the official Miss England website, why she believes this segment is so important: “By showcasing their natural beauty without the aid of makeup, the contestants can celebrate their individuality and self-confidence. This round also promotes natural & realistic beauty on social media which I believe is a good thing,” she adds.
Beasley has expanded on her perspective in conversation with the Independent, saying that she introduced this no-makeup round to promote more of an authentic image on social media and in the competition. “At the time I was receiving so many entries with filtered images and contestants looked nothing like their entry pictures,” she shares.
Some A-listers Continue to Lead the Bare-Faced Beauty Trend
Stars like Martha Stewart, Jennifer Lopez, Millie Bobbie Brown, Selena Gomez, Lady Gaga, Salma Hayek, and Hailey Bieber continue to impress across generations with their bare-skinned selfies as Glamour explains.
Former Baywatch actress and model, Pamela Anderson, once representative of the power of artifice, or “unnatural enhancement,” has nowadays become something of an unofficial spokesperson for authentic beauty, often choosing to shine within makeup at prominent showbiz calendar fixtures.
eOnline recently published a photo-led feature on how multiple celebrities are partying without makeup. An earlier eOnline piece, from 2023, quotes Anderson discussing going makeup-free during Paris Fashion Week: “It's all about self-acceptance," she told i-D magazine in September 2023. "This is the chapter of my life I'm trying to embrace now. Since I really walk out the door as me, I feel relief — a weight off my shoulders.” She adds that “I'm dressing for me now, not for everybody else.”
She Knows, a publication aimed at new moms, is often seen as a mouthpiece for the opinions of Gen Z and Millennial women. It also recently ran an article considering the many times that celebrities went makeup-free on the red carpet. It is unashamedly supportive, feeling it speaks for next-gen beauty consumers by warmly welcoming this bare-faced chic:
“While we adore daring makeup looks, we have a real soft spot for when celebrities go makeup-free in any way they can,” the article explains. It goes on to elaborate: ”Even today, there’s still such a stigma around going makeup-free, and it’s a tired stigma that needs to be squashed already. Celebrities are also ready to break this stigma, and we’ve seen quite a few try to show the beauty of a bare face on the red carpet within the past few decades!”
