Drew Barrymore has been widely praised for appearing on television without makeup or hair extensions.
On her daytime talk show, The Drew Barrymore Show, the actress and host frequently welcomes celebrity guests for candid conversations. This week, she was joined by Pamela Anderson, who has also embraced a more natural appearance in recent months.
Anderson first made headlines for going makeup-free at Paris Fashion Week 2023 and has since explained her decision to step away from cosmetics like foundation and mascara.
“That was the beginning of me letting go of the image I had always had of myself,” Anderson revealed to Better Homes & Gardens earlier this year. Known for her glamorous look during her Baywatch days, Anderson has now become a beauty icon for her more natural aesthetic. She reflected, “What is this cartoon character that I’d created? OK, that was fun. But I’m not that person anymore.”
Inspired by Anderson, Barrymore decided to embrace a similar no-makeup look on the October 22 episode of her show.
Guests Gillian Anderson, Gayle King, and Valerie Bertinelli also joined her in going makeup-free. In addition to skipping makeup, Barrymore removed her hair extensions and opened up about experiencing perimenopause and hair loss.
During the episode, Barrymore admitted feeling slightly self-conscious while watching herself on the monitor. “I was adjusting how I looked more than usual,” she confessed as she asked Gillian Anderson how she felt about appearing barefaced. The X-Files star responded, “I am hiding behind my glasses a little bit. I often don’t wear makeup when I’m doing my TikTok posts and stuff, but what I am very aware of is the lighting [in the studio].”
Gayle King also shared her thoughts, saying, “I don’t have hang-ups about taking pictures of myself without makeup, but it is different when you’re on national TV.”
The decision of all four women to appear without makeup on the show was met with praise. Fans on social media celebrated the move, with one Instagram user commenting, “I think it’s cool that they’re starting to normalize women’s natural beauty.” Another fan gushed, “They all look just absolutely beautiful! More of this please!” Others echoed the sentiment, with one person writing, “You all and all other women are naturally beautiful without makeup. Your great and natural characters make you even prettier on the outside.”
One fan summed it up best: “I love that she is encouraging her guests to do this.”
