What Hallmark's Leading Women Look Like Without Makeup

The Hallmark Channel is known for feel-good, family-friendly flicks with a happy-ending romance guaranteed every time — and none of them would be complete without a leading lady. Of course, being a television star means always being ready to film with a full face of makeup, and "The Wedding Veil" star Lacey Chabert knows how important it is to prep the skin. "I just recently discovered The Dermapore, which is great for infusing serums into your skin before the makeup artist applies makeup," she revealed to New Beauty.

Chabert's co-star and fellow Hallmark Channel actor Alison Sweeney also knows how important it is to care for her skin. "My mother always taught me to use sunscreen every day," she told Allure. "Another is to take care of my smile. I think it's one of the first things people notice about you," the former "Days of Our Lives" star added. Having a makeup artist and nice lipstick certainly helps with that, but these stars don't always go glam; in fact, they prove that underneath their makeup, they're just as gorgeous.

Bethany Joy Lenz switched things up when she went from playing Haley James in the drama "One Tree Hill" to starring in the Hallmark film "The Christmas Secret" in 2014. She became a Hallmark staple with several other movies under her belt, so fans are used to seeing her all glammed up for roles. It was refreshing when Lenz shared a completely makeup-free selfie of herself right out of the shower in 2018, which she shared on Facebook. "This is my face. I have soaked up days in the sun, I've had terrible luck growing out those ever-popular boyfriend eyebrows, I've been through enough to give me wrinkles, but most of my wrinkles are from smiling and laughing," she wrote. She added that she shared the unfiltered selfie to stamp down her insecurities and encourage others to be real on social media.

In 2020, Lenz went makeup-free again and shared her getting-ready routine during an Instagram Live. Some of her favorite products include a tonic made by monks in Italy and a serum from South Korea. She also recommended using a facial oil, especially for those with oily skin. "It's amazing, you really should try it," Lenz told fans.

As a longtime soap actor from "Days of Our Lives" and now a Hallmark Channel star, Alison Sweeney has undoubtedly spent countless hours in the makeup chair. While the "Christmas at Holly Lodge" actor usually plays up her blue eyes with a dark liner and mascara, she displayed her natural freckled face in a 2019 Instagram post after learning a "small bump" that was removed from her nose was actually skin cancer. "[The doctor] assured me that we caught it early and I just wanted to share her advice: Check your skin for any noticeable changes and ask your doctor about it!! Even if it seems like nothing, let an expert decide," Sweeney advised.

Sweeney proved she's confident with no makeup when she shared a sweaty selfie after a workout. "It's hard when I'm filming on location to find time and opportunity to work out! I always feel off somehow without access to my usual routines. So it really felt like an accomplishment to get in a solid treadmill intervals," she wrote on Facebook. Along with her exercise essentials, Sweeney told Stylecaster she always carries a pressed powder foundation in her gym bag for post-workout touch-ups, helping to reduce any redness.

Holly Robinson Peete has been acting for as long as fans can remember. She shot to fame by playing cop Judy Hoffs in "21 Jump Street" and is now gracing the Hallmark Channel with holiday joys such as "A Family Christmas Gift" and "Holiday Heritage." The actor showed off her flawless makeup-free skin with an Instagram video of herself lip-syncing to Pastor Kisha Johnson's preaching about how women do it all.

In a June 2023 interview with New Beauty, Robinson Peete shared how she keeps her skin looking young despite being nearly 60 years old. "My skin is hanging in there! I'm about to be 59, and what I always thought about 59-year-old skin when I was younger was that I would be covered in wrinkles. You think 59 is so old when you're in your twenties. But what I have found is that my skin has been really cooperative," she stated. The "Hangin' with Mr. Cooper" star revealed that she likes to steam her face using hot water with lemon and essential oils. "It's really simple, and I find it works really well for me. I also exfoliate, exfoliate, exfoliate," Robinson Peete added.

As a longtime actor, you'll rarely see Lacey Chabert without full glam. However, the "Winter in Vail" shared a snapshot of herself without any makeup when she penned a lengthy blog post on Tumblr about feeling disheartened about women feeling insecure about their looks. She acknowledged her own self-doubt regarding her features and admitted that she feels scared looking at unedited pictures of herself. "Will we never be able to look at a normal picture of ourselves again and think it's acceptable?! I think it's a dangerous spiral," Chabert stated. She added, "Because here's the truth. I'm FAR from perfect and I too look very different without makeup and hair extensions etc. It's taken me years to get to this place, but I'm finally okay with that!"

Back in 2014, Chabert told Allure that because she's from the south, she was brought up to never leave the house with a bare face. "I always go out with some makeup on. I love Stila products — they make a purple eye palette that's my absolute favorite — and I just discovered Jouer. Their tinted moisturizer is awesome," she raved, adding that her hair and skin are top priorities.

Tamera Mowry Housley is not afraid to show off her makeup-free face from time to time, and it's no wonder with her glowing, flawless skin. For those who want in on her secret, she shared her tips on how she looks so youthful in her 40s on her YouTube channel. "It's very important to know what kind of skin you actually have, and it could be tricky for women because sometimes it changes throughout the years," she began. Her secret weapon is a gentle cleanser that takes off any product on her face. "As you know, I do movies and also in the daytime talk show "The Real" so I can wear a lot of makeup," the "Christmas Comes Twice" star shared, expressing how important it is to clean her face at the end of the day.

It doesn't hurt that Mowry Housley's makeup artist also helps remove her makeup on set. "I have a great makeup artist that gives me a mini facial after she takes it off. It doesn't hurt that my makeup artist is also a licensed aesthetician!" she told New Beauty. And when she's not working, she steers clear of any products. "My fav days are #makeupfree days," she declared on Facebook.

Usually, people dread turning older, but Danica McKellar celebrates each year around the sun with a selfie showing off her makeup-free face. On January 3, 2023, the "Christmas at Dollywood" star shared a 49th birthday pic on Instagram, writing, "No makeup, no filter, just standing in front of a window taking a birthday selfie for you... and getting the best 'interruption' ever," referring to a surprise kiss from her son Draco. The year before, she shared a post-shower pic on her birthday and told fans, "If there's any secret I've found to youth, it's in the attitude... and a healthy, clean lifestyle, of course. Our minds and bodies are inextricably connected. I've found when I eat well and get enough rest and exercise, I have so much more access to that inner joy that makes life fun!"

When it comes to skincare, McKellar is simple and told Today she only uses facial soap and a moisturizer. And while she doesn't rely on workouts to keep her skin looking tight, she does facial exercises and relies on a healthy diet. "I hardly ever drink alcohol. I don't drink coffee. I don't drink soda. I'm really strict about having anything artificial. In terms of food, I stay away from dairy and gluten," she dished.