21 Times Celebs Wore Makeup-Free Looks On The Red Carpet And Left Us Stunned

Red carpets have long doubled as ultimate Hollywood playgrounds for high fashion and picture-perfect beauty. Airbrushed-looking skin, contoured features, dramatic eyeshadow, and bold lipstick shades that can withstand hours of posing for the camera are basically part of the dress code at this point. But every once in a while, a star will arrive to an A-list event without a full face of glam — and yes, people notice. 

After Pamela Anderson stopped wearing makeup to red carpet events, Scarlett Johansson expressed her admiration for the "Baywatch" star in an interview with PopSugar. "I think it is definitely different to see somebody that's in the public eye, a woman in the public eye, go to a fashion show or big event with no makeup on. It's just very different from what we're used to," Johansson said. "It's a powerful message for women to see that, whether they follow suit or whatever the effect is, in the zeitgeist. It's powerful for women to see other women rejecting standard beauty norms."

Some celebrities may ditch makeup entirely. Others may go for a super pared-down makeup look that raises questions about whether they're wearing any makeup at all. For some, forgoing the glam is about making a statement of empowerment, whereas for others it's about claiming space to just be their natural selves. Here are all the times celebs went with makeup-free looks on the red carpet and left us stunned. 

Tilda Swinton's natural beauty aesthetic has long been a key part of her vibe. Look no further than when she showed up to the Cannes red carpet in 2012 with little to no makeup on. Beyond a swipe of pinkish-red lip stain, the Oscar winner appeared almost entirely barefaced and in full embrace of the texture of her porcelain skin. 

The look was in sync with the minimalist mantra to makeup Swinton has maintained for much of her four-decade-long career. As she told Harper's Bazaar in 2015, "The wonderful thing about makeup for me is that a little goes a very long way." 

From walking the Cannes red carpet barefoot to choosing androgynous fits over fairytale gowns, Kristen Stewart has shown time and again that she's not reading from the Hollywood beauty rulebook. So it was hardly surprising, but still exciting, to see her show up at the 2023 Met Gala in a barely-there makeup look. 

For what is regarded as the biggest night in fashion, the "Twilight" star opted for an asymmetrical black and white suit that contrasted with her messy, devil-may-care hairdo. Stewart's no-makeup glam was just right for the look, as her glowy skin was on full display. 

At the Fenty x Puma show in 2017, Ashley Graham embraced a super minimal makeup look. The model appeared without heavy makeup on her face, leaving her freckles and natural texture on proud display for the world to see. It was but one of several moments when Graham absolutely slayed a no-makeup look. 

Of course, the model is luminous with or without a full face, but as she told Harper's Bazaar in 2025, she often feels less is more when it comes to glam. "I will say a no-makeup makeup look makes me feel very put together and still me," she said.

While Rooney Mara can certainly rock a dramatic makeup style — look no further than her goth glam in "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo" or at the 2016 Oscars — her more subtle makeup looks are sure to turn heads, too. 

At the Social Innovation Summit in 2013, Mara kept things understated. Her stripped-back appearance — no obvious makeup, no jewelry, and a slicked-back hairdo — was effortless and chic. While we do love whenever she shows up to an event with a bold lip or eyeshadow (or both), this time she let her natural beauty take the lead. 

If there's one star who owns the "no-makeup" makeup aesthetic, it's Zoe Kravitz. The "Kimi" actor has nearly perfected the beauty trend to a degree where it's even hard to discern whether or not she is even wearing basics like foundation or concealer. Her look at the 2025 Vanity Fair Oscars Party is a prime example.

Kravitz showed up to the event in a barefaced look that, at most, might've featured some subtly tinted products. While she kept the makeup understated, she took a bolder swing with her dress, which featured a cheeky mesh detail that showed off most of her back and her bum.

In 2015, natural and chill makeup was not exactly en vogue, and Bella Hadid's career was just taking off. But that year, when she went to a fashion event in Los Angeles hosted by The Daily Front Row, she skipped the contouring and drawn-in eyebrows that were all the rage at the time. 

Rather, Hadid rocked the model off-duty glam vibe, as her face appeared to be almost entirely untouched by makeup at the 2015 event. The rest of the runway stomper's look was equally understated, comprising a plain black dress and slicked-back hair. 

In 2022, fans got a glimpse of what Gwyneth Paltrow actually looks like under her makeup, when she stepped out for an event by sportswear brand Copper Fit without any heavy layers of products concealing the natural texture and lines on her face. 

Staying true to her skin-first approach as the founder of Goop, Paltrow kept things simple and no-fuss, with just a touch of makeup — seemingly some blush, gloss, and a light swipe of mascara — that barely registered on camera. Even her hair hung loosely down her shoulders, adding to the low-effort charm of her getup. 

At the 2013 Outfest Film Festival, America Ferrera embraced the no-makeup look. The actor-director arrived at the event in her natural skin, with her freckles, lines, et al on full display.

This look didn't veer too far from her ideal everyday makeup look. As she once told Who What Wear, "Maybe I'll use a tinted moisturizer, a great mascara, and, again, a tinted lip." In a separate chat with Harper's Bazaar, she shared that at the end of the day, she ultimately prefers being barefaced. "What I really love to do is not wear makeup and just rest, rejuvenate, and re-hydrate my skin," she said.

Once upon a time, we would've thought seeing Kim Kardashian without makeup at a red carpet event would be less likely than witnessing a unicorn jump over a rainbow. But believe it or not, the shapewear mogul known for her dramatic statement makeup looks sported an extremely well done no-makeup aesthetic at the Vanity Fair Oscars Party in 2025. Sure, we're inclined to assume she's wearing at least a little product, but it did not take away from her natural dewy glow.

While she certainly kept her glam understated, the same cannot be said about her outfit. Kardashian's voluminous, bridal-style gown was a showstopper. 

For a star who commanded, if not defined, the era of over-the-top '90s beauty, Pamela Anderson's recent transformation into a makeup-free diva has been a sight to behold. The "Baywatch" alum continues to make hearts race and, in the process, showcases what it means to age with confidence.

Among all of Anderson's best makeup free looks, her turnout at the 2025 SAG Awards was one for the books. Dressed in an elegant Dior gown and minimal jewelry, she let her natural radiance take center stage. Talking to Elle, she described her reformed persona as "freeing, and fun, and a little rebellious too." 

Amanda Seyfried is no stranger to sporting bold makeup, but one of her best red carpet moments came about when she skipped it altogether. Back in 2015, the "Mean Girls" star showed up to the opening night for the United States Tennis Association's annual gala with a totally natural glow.

Seyfried looked like a different person without her usual makeup, and of course, she looked gorgeous as always. Her social media followers are certainly familiar with her natural visage,  as she's posted many makeup-free Instagram selfies. As she said of her IG posts to New Beauty, "The bare-faced look is pure laziness."

Superstar musician Alicia Keys' journey with refusing to wear makeup began in 2016 and stretched on for several years and across major events, including the 2018 Grammys, which gave us one of the most memorable makeup-free looks from the "Girl on Fire" hitmaker.  At the event, she looked radiant at under the red carpet lights. 

In a viral essay for Lenny Letter (via Time), Keys reflected on eschewing makeup entirely, writing that it was "the strongest, most empowered, most free, and most honestly beautiful that I have ever felt." And while she eventually did return to wearing makeup, her message of inclusivity stayed with fans. 

At the 2018 Academy Awards, all eyes were on Frances McDormand. And not simply because the film icon won an Oscar for her work in "Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri." She won it while casually sidestepping red carpet beauty expectations by skipping the makeup chair and letting her golden statuette do all the talking.

It was hardly the first time McDormand distanced herself so unabashedly from Hollywood high glam. Ever the red carpet rebel, she pulled a similar move at the 2015 Emmys by showing up to the ceremony — and even nabbing an award for "Olive Kitteridge" — entirely makeup-free.

Longtime Neutrogena spokesperson Jennifer Garner sure knows a thing or two about looking radiant, with or without a full face of glam. Evidently, she went the without route at the 2016 Telluride Film Festival while promoting her drama film "Wakefield." 

Garner showed up to the event glowing, sans any heavy makeup layers or high-glam embellishments. Her effortlessly cool attire — comprising a classic sweater-jeans combo (and a scarf for a pop of color) — rounded off her dressed-down, no-makeup look for the evening beautifully. The best part was that her laidback appearance wasn't a one-off; she kept that vibe going for much of that festival. 

Shailene Woodley is all about feeling true to herself — and sometimes, that means wearing no makeup. "It's important because I saw somebody—what I thought was me—in a magazine once, and I had big red lips that definitely did not belong on my face," she said in a 2013 chat with Interview magazine. "For some events where it's a more casual vibe, I just want to be me."

That outlook was on full display at the screening of the 2012 film "Red Lights." Woodley arrived in a simple plaid shirt, with her hair casually hanging down her front and natural skin texture untouched by heavy concealer or contour. 

When Ciara hits a red carpet, there's a good chance you'll spot her with a striking smoky eye and maybe a bold lip. However, the gorgeous singer-songwriter dialed things down while attending the Makers Conference in 2017. And yes, she is certainly a celeb who looks even more stunning without makeup.  

In any case, no amount of makeup could have matched the kind of natural pregnancy glow Ciara had going on for herself that evening. Her baby bump was on loud and proud display on the red carpet, which she walked alongside her husband, Russell Wilson. 

In 2017, Paris Jackson arrived at People magazine's One To Watch event without a spot of makeup. This was during the height of the bold matte lip and painted-on eyebrows craze, and her fresh-faced vibe was a breath of fresh air.

That is not to say that Jackson resists wearing makeup entirely. She has been open about finding comfort in makeup and dressing up throughout her journey of feeling confident in her own skin. As she once told Teen Vogue, "The idea that we all have to fit one idea of beauty is outrageous and ridiculous because 'perfection' is just an opinion."

With each passing year, Elisabeth Shue only becomes more comfortable in her skin. "I want to know what it's going to be like, and I want to see it, and I'm not afraid," she told Page Six about aging. In fact, her wisdom has brought her to a place where she feels confident walking red carpets without any makeup on. 

She attended the premiere of her film "The Good Half" at the 2023 Tribeca Film Festival carrying that same vibe. Her zero-makeup look perfectly complemented her no-fuss attire that included good ol' denim, an effortlessly cool leather jacket, and glasses to match.

When it comes to makeup, Julia Stiles is not exactly one to step out at a Hollywood event wearing an over-lined lip or super thick eyeliner. So it was rather on-brand for Stiles, who has been aging like fine wine, to show up for a New York screening of the film "Coup!" in 2024 in next to no makeup. 

The "10 Things I Hate About You" star seemed to have been wearing very little on her face, save for a swipe of lip color. The look was closely reminiscent of her simple, makeup-free red carpet appearances in the '90s.

Julia Roberts was one of the undisputed sweethearts of the '90s, so much so that even her most lowkey fashion moments became iconic. Her appearance at the premiere for "Die Hard 2" in 1990 marked one such outing, for which she arrived hand-in-hand with her then-partner, Kiefer Sutherland. 

Roberts appeared perfectly at ease in a super casual floral dress, cropped hair, and a face free of heavy makeup. The look was effortless '90s simplicity at its best and offered a refreshing counterpoint to the decade's otherwise high-octane, lip liner-heavy aesthetic. Pared-down makeup has remained a signature part of her look. 

Kate Walsh diverged from the usual red carpet playbook at the 2010 Tribeca Film Festival by gracing an afterparty for the premiere of the documentary "Ultrasuede: In Search of Halston" without a single swipe of makeup on her face. The "Grey's Anatomy" star let her deep-plunging black dress and minimal jewelry carry her look, which brought the subtle but chic glam. 

When it comes to makeup, Walsh's mantra is simple. As she once told via E! News, "Happiness is the best makeup! And a little mascara never hurt anyone."