Here's What Chrissy Teigen Looks Like In Real Life Vs. Instagram

Social media plays a significant role in people's lives today. It can be a source of social interaction, inspiration, and entertainment. 

However, according to Time, it has also come under fire as a contributor to emotional distress and negative body image. To portray perfection, apps like Facetune and Photoshop have become popular ways to edit photos. 

The good news is that there are plenty of everyday folks and celebrities working toward change. And, within that movement, Chrissy Teigen is a glowing example. But, sometimes, her glowy look is bronzer — and, other times, it's just regular old sweat.

It would be easy for Teigen to present an image of perfection in her social feeds, considering she's a supermodel and cookbook author with television notoriety. Plus, Teigen is married to John Legend, after all. 

But, in the endless scroll-show of edited-to-perfection images, Teigen has chosen a much different, more natural approach.

Chrissy Teigen often goes makeup-free online and in public

Chrissy Teigen was recently snapped in public with a bare face, wearing a wide-brim hat and carrying an adorable puppy. Her wide grin suggests she wasn't too upset about being photographed (or maybe she was just in puppy love with her doggo).

Likewise, her Instagram feed is just as likely to have a makeup-free selfie as a glossy glam shot. Often sharing some very real mom moments, Teigen isn't shy about posting images in her bathrobe, snuggling with her kids, Luna and Miles. 

She keeps it real, from lazy mornings to bathtime, and shares relatable everyday activities. And, as with many busy moms, sometimes, she just doesn't care about makeup or projecting a particular image.

Teigen often reminds her social media followers that perfection is just not realistic. She shared some very raw thoughts on the topic on Instagram in September 2021. 

"I really think you guys are too conditioned to seeing perfect photos all day," she said. "I just don't care about curating my Instagram to be perfection. I'm a mess, I'm chaotic, and this shall always reflect that."

The model lovingly refers to her stretch marks as 'stretchies'

When it comes to candid photos, Chrissy Teigen is equally unashamed about sharing snaps of her body. She made waves in 2015 with an image of her bruised inner thighs — stretch marks and all. 

"Bruises from bumping kitchen drawer handles for a week," she wrote. "Stretchies say hi!" What's that — an adorable nickname for the vilified stretch mark? Yes, honey!

The post was so popular — with over 150,000 likes — that it was a topic of discussion Teigen she was interviewed on "The Meredith Vieira Show." "I have those apps, the Facetune, those Photoshopping ones, and I just didn't feel like doing it anymore, and I'm never doing it again," she said. 

When the topic shifted to photos of other models and celebrities, she held firm in her keeping-it-real strategy. "I've seen these women in person," she said. "They are not like that. Please know that."

At least her fans can rest assured that the photos they see of Teigen are the real deal.