Alicia Keys’ Barefaced Approach to Life
Image Courtesy: Mediasurf
It was “the strongest, most empowered, most free, and most honestly beautiful that I have ever felt,” Alicia Keys says of the 2016 album cover shoot that led her to embrace a makeup-free lifestyle.
Image Courtesy: Twitter
Beauty in today’s world can be so subjective, as makeup trends rise and fall and makeup artists become overnight celebrities in their own rites. The impact of YouTubers, Instagram beauty gurus, and a digitally forward attitude among target audiences makes today’s beauty industry a force to be reckoned with. As makeup trends progress, younger audiences are beginning to see makeup as an art form rather than something used to mask or transform imperfections. Makeup is increasingly being viewed as more than just a way to cover up or hide behind insecurities, as stigmas surrounding who wears makeup and why are also becoming more and more progressive. As makeup becomes more widely recognized as an art form, the industry itself is on its way to becoming one of the most ethnically diverse and inclusive out there. Major makeup brands are catching onto this call for inclusivity, and indie brands are experiencing a surge in sales as social media influencers help them ascend in the ranks among cult favorite staple products. Makeup’s role in society has changed and evolved with each new generation, and lately the dichotomy between wearing a full face of makeup and going without has become a thin line to walk.
Singer Alicia Keys has made ripples in an industry where tsunamis are more common, but the headlines that begin to emerge after the star walks a red carpet say everything:
The Truth Behind Why Alicia Keys Stopped Wearing Makeup. The Secret Behind Alicia Keys’ No-Makeup Routine, Revealed. Alicia Keys Hosts Grammys Wearing No-Makeup Look.
Makeup has played one of the biggest roles in the face of the beauty industry, and makeup companies are noticing. In an age where beauty influencers dominate social media and collaborations between brands and prominent figures in the community are becoming commonplace, the flipside of the narrative becomes a journey toward embracing natural beauty and what is already there. In a 2016 interview, the singer and coach on The Voice opened up about her views on how our society sets the standard on looks saying, “Society tells us how we should look, what we should eat. The industry forces us to live up to some ideal, just because it wants to sell a product.”
After her decision to forgo makeup in the cover shoot for her 2016 album HERE, the singer debuted her no-makeup look at the 2016 BET Awards. Since then, the singer has committed to going barefaced in the public eye. She has walked many a red carpet and most recently hosted the 2019 Grammy Awards without makeup, once again spurring a conversation surrounding her seemingly revolutionary choice. Keys is transparent with what led to her decision to go through her album shoot with a fresh face: “I realized that my whole life I’d been using makeup as a shield to hide my true self, thinking it would make me glamorous. I thought I had to be made up to be successful in show business, but that’s complete nonsense.”
Image Courtesy: Strike Tallahassee
Keys’ choice to ditch the makeup routine is not without its trade-offs. Choosing to skip the full face of foundation and forgoing other products means keeping up with an immaculate skincare routine. Her makeup artist (yes, she still has one) Dotti employs a combination of techniques ranging from the use of a jade roller, acupuncture, fresh-made cucumber face masks, and facial oil. She might use an eyebrow pencil to fill in the singer’s brows or enhance her natural freckles, or a dusting of powder to keep her face oil-free when Keys performs.
In an industry where appearances are key, it’s refreshing to see some fresh faces among the crowd.
Strike Out,
Writer: Giselle Parks
Editor: Savannah Tindall
Graphic Designer: Sophie Li
Tallahassee