There are celebs who look a little different without their makeup, and then there’s Chappell Roan, who is totally unrecognizable without her glam. Of course, this has nothing to do with her natural beauty — it’s just that her stage persona requires elaborate, over-the-top makeup. If you’ve been keeping up, then you know she usually starts with a base of white face paint and bright, colorful eyeshadow and builds from there. Roan, who’s been open about her sexuality, revealed the inspiration behind her unique look. “People in my hometown call gay people clowns,” shared the singer during a performance. “That’s why I actually wear my white face. … Like, b**ch, I’ll show you a clown.”

Although it’s clear that Roan, whose real name is Kayleigh Rose Amstutz, looks very different when she’s donning her stage makeup, hiding isn’t her intention. “I do not believe makeup hides anything about someone,” she told Elle in February 2025. “It’s kind of like someone making art and then saying, ‘Just kidding, I’m actually hiding.’ I don’t think you can hide yourself with makeup.” In her opinion, makeup is a tool to express yourself, “whether that is full coverage, extreme contour, or wearing nothing.” She continued, “I think it’s all an expression of yourself, even if it is to alter how you look to the world.”

When she’s not onstage, Roan often goes without makeup.

In January 2025, Chappell Roan took to Instagram to chat with her followers about her pre-Grammys jitters. “Good morning booboos. It’s Grammy week. I am very emo,” she started her caption. “My heart feels warm and fuzzy with all the support I have been given this past year. I hope you can understand that this has been incredible and scary and spiritual and confusing.” She also expressed gratitude for the people who’d streamed her music and gone to her shows throughout the year. The heartfelt plea garnered her a wave of genuine responses, but her makeup-free selfie was the real star of the post.

Roan showed fans a different side to her beauty by uploading a makeup-free selfie. Instead of immediately noticing her bold makeup, the singer gave fans a chance to bask in her natural glow. As you can see, Roan obviously chooses to cover her natural features in thick makeup because she’s just as beautiful with zero products. Amazingly, the singer’s skin hasn’t suffered from years of wearing heavy makeup, as she didn’t appear to be battling any breakouts or other skin issues, at least in this photo. Of course, Roan was still rocking her signature red curls — the one component of her look that exists on and offstage.

By the way, Roan had nothing to worry about as she took home her first-ever Grammy award for best new artist just a few days later.