Is it just me or is Kim scoring major points this season? After her letter to Armenian Genocide deniers hits a full-page ad in The New York Times, she exhibits another selfless act of humanity: going to the Balenciaga show without any makeup.
Sure, she’s not the first one to do it. Alicia Keys has been championing the movement at red carpet events and photo shoots. Nor is it also the first time she has gone without her signature contour, Instagram brows, and sharply-defined lips (Remember her cover for Vogue Espana?) It’s one thing though to be photographed without your usual war paint: photographs can be angled and lighted to your favor (and there’s always Photoshop). And the impact isn’t just quite the same when you’re out in public for people to see with their very own eyes, blemishes and all. Though Vogue.com does note that there’s something masterful about how Kim still had flawless skin with just a hint of redness under her eyes. “Maybe she’s born with it—maybe it’s BB cream,” they say. Mario Dedivanovic, Kim’s makeup artist even pokes fun at it with a photo of Kim and a caption Moisturized #ByMario.
As always, there’s scrutiny of whether Kim’s skin does indeed look that nice without a mask of her favorite Giorgio Armani foundation and if her lashes are really that long. (thank you, good Armenian genes, perhaps?) Harper’s Bazaar even says that Kim going nude isn’t a new thing with all her naked selfies. But as The Cut writes about this (non)makeup moment for Kim, it’s a strong message to women out there: “Kim’s decision to go nude-faced reiterates that the biggest message of modern beauty is the power of choice — and the freedom to pick and choose what works best for you.”
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