From Freckles To Vitiligo, Harper’s Bazaar Arabia Celebrates Natural Beauty In All Its Forms
Harper’s Bazaar Arabia asked a wide swath of women to pose for us as they truly are – barefaced and breathtaking. Each one embracing their individual beauty, claiming their unique place in the world
Halima, 20
“I realised that true beauty lies not in the layers of make-up or the latest fashion trends but in embracing who we are, both inside and out. I hope that my experience inspires others to embrace their true selves, to feel confident and beautiful, regardless of societal expectations”
Rianne, 31
“I loved the idea of no retouching. I think it’s the way forward”
Simone, 26
“Being photographed barefaced feels incredibly empowering considering I wouldn’t leave the house without a full face of make-up not too long ago. Seeing my birthmark up close and personal on the camera brings me so much joy now; I love seeing all her detail in HD”
Judah, 24
“I loved being photographed with no make-up because I feel the most ME in my own skin… my freckles and my beauty marks are what make me unique and being able to highlight those as a model makes me feel so much more confident in my differences”
Jasmin, 24
“It felt very refreshing to be free of any make-up and just showing my real features as they are, showing my true self. I respect these kind of shoots a lot, because as a society we are so used to seeing retouched, partly unrealistic photos. The results will probably be very relatable for anyone that sees them, as they’re very real and very raw”
Emmanuelle, 53
“My whole identity and style revolve around my bright-red lips, it gives me confidence and therefore being photographed without them made me feel somewhat vulnerable. I however enjoyed getting out of my comfort zone and fully trusted the vision”
Malaysia, 19
“To be honest it was very new to me to be photographed without make-up but also very refreshing to find beauty in a purely natural, not-retouched image”
Sasha, 25
“Initially I started to fixate a little about small imperfections on my face. I’m quite confident about being barefaced in regular life, it was just the daunting idea of having a camera capture that. But I felt more comfortable while shooting, I loved seeing the truest version of myself on set for the first time, I think it’s super beautiful”
Phyllida, 30
“It was a joy to be able to have my real skin shown off and celebrated! It’s sometimes a little nerve-racking to think that everyone will be able to see every mark and blemish, but if it helps to celebrate real beauty and uniqueness, then I’m honoured to play a part in that”
Photography & Creative Direction: Annsy
Skin & Hair: Billie Pingault
From Harper’s Bazaar Arabia’s June 2023 Issue