Pamela Anderson says she has nothing against makeup. But having worn plenty of it in her younger days, the 58-year-old actress now feels more comfortable attending fashion shows and film premieres with a bare face.
Her fresh-faced appearance has sparked conversations, particularly among older women, about whether to continue chasing youth with full makeup or to embrace natural skin.
“I’m not trying to be the prettiest girl in the room,” Anderson told Vogue before a Paris Fashion Week show. “I feel like it’s just freedom. It’s like a relief.”
Since the pandemic, many women say they have also grown more comfortable going makeup free at work. Some have found it easier, cheaper and more liberating, while style experts point to ways of enhancing a natural look.
Makeup artist Rebecca Robles suggests focusing on hydration with a five-step routine — gentle cleanser, vitamin C serum, moisturizer with SPF, a separate sunscreen and a glossy lip balm. For a subtle lift, she recommends using a lash curler and brushing brows neatly into place.
Personal stylist Natalie Tincher noted that celebrities like Anderson and Alicia Keys have inspired women to explore alternatives. She advises clients who go makeup free to rely on colorful clothing, experiment with textures, and accessorize thoughtfully to maintain a polished appearance.
For some women, the shift has been long in the making. Colleen Gehoski Steinman, 59, from Michigan, gave up hair dye and makeup during the pandemic, saying, “This is who we really are, and you can be beautiful just as you are.”
Others, like 57-year-old Cate Chapman from South Carolina, abandoned makeup decades ago due to cost and time pressures. “If you enjoy it, do it,” she said. “But if you feel like a slave to it, let it go.”
Still, challenges remain in workplaces that expect a polished appearance. Deborah Borg, a senior executive at a global firm, acknowledged that women face “politics” around looking presentable, even in creative industries.
For Anderson, however, the choice is clear — makeup is no longer a necessity but a freedom she embraces with confidence.