The Rare Times We've Seen Mariah Carey Without Makeup
As the diva of all divas, Mariah Carey doesn't usually let cameras catch her slipping with no makeup, so her makeup-free photos are not only rare, but super buzzworthy, too. Why? Well, Carey has become as famous for obsessing over her "good side" as she has for her impeccable range, so top-to-bottom glam is pretty much a given for her. Whether she's accepting an award or performing in front of thousands of adoring fans, we've come to expect the Grammy Award-winning songstress to deliver fans a subtle beat and a smile. That said, Carey has proven that going makeup-free (or nearly makeup-free) is just as easy for her as sporting all-out glam — even if she obviously prefers the latter.
For example, Carey took to Instagram in July 2022 to show fans a softer version of her usual beat. In what she described in the caption as "a quiet moment," the singer posed confidently in a pair of purple cheetah-print pajamas as she bared her nearly-makeup-free face to the world. While it's clear that she took a moment to throw on some shimmery pink lip gloss, blush, and possibly some BB cream, the toned-down look was miles away from the full face she usually wears at her various events. Unsurprisingly, Carey also made sure to fluff out her signature hair, which, that day, was styled into loose, voluminous waves that framed her famous visage. Gorgeous either way, we'd say!
But wait, she's also gone completely makeup-free — and Carey's stunning transformation is definitely a sight to behold.
Mariah Carey stripped back the glam on Instagram
Just as Mariah Carey can strip back her powerful voice for acoustic performances, she can do the same with her beauty routine — at least whenever she feels like it. In March 2013, Carey took to Instagram to share a makeup-free photo of herself holding a stuffed baby lamb. In the photo, she wore zero makeup, showcasing her natural beauty and glow. While it's clear that she definitely had her brows waxed ahead of time, it appears there was no product on her face, leaving only her naturally rosy cheeks to provide a bit of warmth to her look. For her hair, she opted to pull it back off her face, probably in a bid to emphasize her natural beauty. (If so, then mission definitely accomplished.)
Speaking of Carey's beauty routine, it's not nearly as intricate as you may expect. In fact, even if Carey looks different without makeup compared to when she's professionally done up, she actually doesn't overdo it in the makeup department. "I hate mascara. I never wear it," Carey previously said about her makeup don'ts (via Vogue). "Whenever a makeup artist tries to put it on me, I throw a fit," she added. As for why Carey prefers to keep things simple: "If you're not wearing a lot of makeup, you don't have to take a lot of it off. So, my goal is to wear the least amount of makeup possible so I don't have to steam my face and take it all off." Solid logic there, we must say!