Cover Talk: Mags without makeup

Following on from Dolly editor Gemma Crisp's foray into Photoshop-free territory (and French ELLE's "sans fards" issue), weekly magazine Who has published its annual 'Stars Without Makeup' issue, fronted by makeup-free pop star Natalie Bassingthwaighte...

At the height of her career, Bassingthwaighte, 33, is definitely deserving of a GWAS Bravery Award, though the positive PR might just be enough reward in itself. Natalie's Who images are quite the departure from her glossy, near-perfect So You Think You Can Dance persona. Natural Natalie is the kind of girl you can hang out with and not feel crap about yourself. She tells Who: "I feel my most beautiful when I'm in my jammies, no makeup, curled up on my boyfriend's lap, without a care in the world." Endearing, no? I'm off to buy her album.

Bassingthwaighte adds: "I know how to get the most out of makeup: you have to know your face and not be afraid to try new things." This sentiment is in perfect alignment with the glossy mag take on the makeup-free movement. Essentially, it's all good and well to show our real faces, but we still love makeup (and our beauty advertisers!).

On the last page of Who's 'Stars Without Makeup' portfolio, opposite an ad for Clearasil (tagline: "Dare to be spotted bare"), there's a break-out box featuring the 12 makeup-free stars in full makeup accompanied by the text: "Natural is nice but sometimes a girl has to shine for the cameras". Jump past the ads for Revlon and Rimmel to the beauty section and you'll be shown how to put on false lashes a la Leighton Meester!

To be fair, the glossy take is really in line with most women's relationship with cosmetics. I love to go make-up free whenever possible (and am encouraged by seeing celebrities are, too), but also love to indulge my girlie side by glamming up with a little eye shadow, foundation and blush. As such, I am utterly obsessed with Revlon's new ads featuring Beau Garrett sporting an inky shade of matte blue shadow...

You can even watch how Gucci Westman created the look via video at Primped.com.au (Revlon is a major sponsor of theirs). But back to Who...

Props must be given for featuring an Australian celebrity on the cover (last year it was Kate Hudson) and special mention to All Saints' Tammy MacIntosh, 39, and Home and Away's Esther Anderson, 29, for going bare-faced...

We are told by editor Nicky Briger that the 12 stars featured in the portfolio have applied nothing but moisturiser and lip-balm "after an on-set facialist cleansed and primped their skin". No mention of whether the shots have been touched up with the Photoshop wand, though I'd presume as much. Vanessa Hudgens, Ruby Rose, Amanda Bynes, Tahyna Tozzi and Taylor Swift may be makeup-free but their images are glossy-standard. Claire Danes and Eva Mendes have their pores and slight under-eye darkness on show but are so naturally beautiful that they needn't wear any makeup, ever (Mendes is one of those girls who looks better without, anyway)...


And, like Dolly with its 16-year-old models, Who features two youngsters (Home and Away's Rebecca Breeds, 21, and Tessa James, 18) for whom going makeup-free isn't really an ego ordeal...

Now, I'm off to buy a new foundation as recommended by the Primped girls (apparently ELES Sheer Mineral Tint, La Prairie anti-aging foundation, Revlon Age Defying Spa Foundation and Maybelline's mineral powder are the way to go)!

Yours truly,
Girl With a Satchel

4 comments:

julialow said...

Hi Erica,
Do correct me if I'm wrong, but is that lip gloss I see on Claire Danes' smackers? I'm so curious! They look awfully (and I actually mean quite the opposite) pretty and pink for a "sans makeup" shoot. Are my eyes deceiving me / am I delusional or does she actually have naturally THAT pink lips? If they're her natural lip colour, then by george, they're amazing!

Also, just wondering, in sans make-up shoots like these, do they still use just a wee bit of natural-coloured make-up / Photoshop?

Thanks!

x

suzyp said...

If only we could all look this good without makeup.

universe93 said...

When it comes to whether or not these pictures are photoshopped, take a look at the last image in here - you can see they haven't gone Photoshop mad on Rebecca's arms or knuckles, or Tessa's elbow. (Though quite honestly I'm still shocked that Rebecca is 21!) Nat Bass looks completely different without make-up, but to me these issues don't highlight what the stars are like under the make-up, more just how much is put on them. Home & Away seems to be slapping it on Tessa and not for Esther and Rebecca.

Also, correct me if I'm wrong Erica, but I believe People magazine in the US did their own stars without makeup issue earlier in the year - with a pic of the 90210 girls in the exact same pose as that last H&A pic. I think that's where the Claire Danes and Eva Mendes pics come from thus why they have a bit more makeup on.

Apples said...

Make up free...but with soft lighting and photoshop. Don't buy this if you are looking for a self-esteem boost, this is not celebrities as 'normal' people, more 'look! still gorgeous!'

I much prefer the down and dirty make up free editions of the weekly trashmags.