Why Alicia Keys Hasn't Worn Makeup In Two Years
She's bare-faced and glowing.
Getty If her soul-crushing anthems of love and heartbreak and powerful voice aren't enough reasons for you to love Alicia Keys, let me offer you one more: she's all about loving yourself.
In 2016, the R&B singer announced that she was going to stop wearing makeup altogether. It may sound crazy because she was literally glowing at the 2018 Grammys.
But, believe it or not, Keys wasn't wearing makeup that night!
Since May 2016, Keys has led her own personal makeup-free campaign as a token to her journey of self-empowerment and love.
"I don't want to cover up anymore," she wrote in a 2016 article. "Not my face, not my mind, not my soul, not my thoughts, not my dreams not my struggles, not my emotional growth. Nothing."
And the 15-time Grammy Award-winning singer and songwriter has kept true to that mindset. For big events like the 2018 Grammy Awards, she's been walking the red carpet without a single drop of makeup.
During the 2018 awards show, she posed for photos with her husband, Swizz Beatz, and presented an award during the show. The 39-year-old's hair was pulled back by braids, which were held together by zip ties.
Because she's Alicia Keys, and she can literally make anything look cool.
The (no-) makeup artist for the popular songstress revealed a few secrets in late 2016 about what exactly gives her that glow.
"Alicia gets regular facials, does acupuncture, and she eats healthy and exercises," makeup artist Dotti said in the interview. "She knows you have to invest internally for your skin to look great externally."
"It's also about how you process your energy," she continued. "She comes from a very strong place and she comes from a very kind place. That in itself is super important. But it's about the choices she's making and the products she's using. It's the work of a good team."
In addition to positive thinking, good energy and being healthy, Keys' skin is also prepped for the red carpet with a combination of an ice-cold jade roller, cucumber pulp, natural oils and, occasionally, a face mask.
Keys has clarified in the past that being "makeup-free" doesn't necessarily mean being "product-free."
"Every time I left the house, I would be worried if I didn't put on makeup: What if someone wanted a picture??" Keys wrote. "What if they POSTED it??? These were the insecure, superficial, but honest thoughts I was thinking. And all of it, one way or another, was based too much on what other people thought of me."
And now, even in 2020, Keys continues to still rock her gorgeous, makeup-free look!
Emily Blackwood is a freelance writer, editor and journalist who covers small business, pop culture, travel, health and wellness.
Editor's Note: This article was originally posted on January 29, 2018 and was updated with the latest information.