When you are a preternaturally gorgeous and genetically blessed celeb, you can go without makeup every once in a while. Like, say, on Instagram, when running errands, or when off the clock. Unless you are Alicia Keys, who gave up wearing makeup entirely earlier this year. The "Empire State of Mind" singer and mother of two stopped wearing product regardless of the occasion and that includes major red carpet and career events. She has steadfastly stuck to her anti-product vow, appearing at the 2016 VMAs with a beautiful, bare face. With her hair swept off her face in a bun that sat atop her head, Keys was a vision and she encourages other women to embrace their natural beauty, as well. She is a true source of inspo and reminds us that we, as women, do not have to strive to attain beauty ideals unfairly placed upon us.
When Keys revealed she was breaking up with makeup, she wrote, via Lena Dunham's The Lenny Letter, that "I don't want to cover up anymore. Not my face, not my mind, not my soul, not my thoughts, not my dreams, not my struggles, not my emotional growth. Nothing."
She has not wavered in her commitment.
Who needs makeup when you have a smile that lights up not only your face, but the entire room?
Keys' black and red dress didn't show any skin. But she didn't need to. Her complexion was all the skin we needed to see.
Keys' fresh-faced VMAs look was unforgettable. Yes, she is stunning and doesn't need makeup. But the fact that she has stuck with her vow is also inspiring.
