#NoRetouch: Keri Hilson Bares All in New Photoshoot

Keri Hilson showed off her bare-faced, bare-hair, bare-body in a photoshoot posted on her social media yesterday. With one photo captioned, “No weave, no retouch, just me on 35mm film,” Hilson’s fans went crazy with heart-eyed emojis and “WCE” in her Instagram comments. Hilson can officially be lumped in with celebs like Alicia Keys and Zendaya who have advocated for no photo retouching.

The singer-turned-actress is known for her undeniable beauty, so this step in vulnerability is nothing new for Hilson. Previously, Hilson has posted makeup-less selfies and post-workout pics in the past, but none compare to yesterday’s sultry photos taken by photographer DeWayne Rogers.

Last year, Alicia Keys performed at the Democratic National Convention without a drop of makeup – then again at… well every other performance for the rest of the year, it seemed. After her initial nude-face appearance, Keys released a statement disclosing her years of discomfort with her skin and that she could finally live a happy life without a stitch of makeup. Keys’ openness about skin struggles and new beauty trademark started a hashtag and a trend that is still rocked on runways and magazine covers today. #NoMakeup!

Keys’ impact is not the only thing worth applauding. In 2015, another singer-actress called out a magazine for publishing images of her retouched body without permission. That girl was Zendaya, who was 19 at the time… an age when most girls edit through photoshop apps before posting a single snapshot. After the magazine, Modeliste, released their manipulated photos, Zendaya posted the original image and wrote to her fans and the mag:

“Had a new shoot come out today and was shocked when I found my 19-year-old hips and torso quite manipulated,” she wrote. “These are the things that make women self-conscious, that create the unrealistic ideals of beauty that we have. Anyone who knows who I am knows I stand for honest and pure self love. So I took it upon myself to release the real pic (right side) and I love it. Thank you @modelistemagazine for pulling down the images and fixing this retouch issue.” (@Zendaya)

For decades, women have caked on foundation and lipstick, stuffed their bras, and filter-flooded their faces to hide their natural beauty. Celebrities like these women and many more are counteracting that by posting their authentic selves.