A quick scroll through Ciara’s Instagram proves that she’s all about the glam. But the singer recently surprised her fans by sharing a rare, makeup- and hair extension-free selfie and encouraging them to embrace themselves as they are. (Find out how Ciara finds “me” time in the midst of chaos.)
“No makeup. No extensions. Vulnerable,” the former Shape cover girl wrote alongside a photo of her fresh, glowing face. “My Beauty Marks and all. The real me…and I love it.”
“Beauty Marks” refers to both Ciara’s upcoming album—which drops on May 10—and her record label and entertainment company, Beauty Marks Entertainment. The latter project is something she’s been working toward for years as a way to inspire and empower women.
“I had dreamt of making my own label for a while,” the singer recently told ET. “In this stage in my career, you’ve worked so hard so you really want to fully benefit from the work of your labor. So that’s what this moment is about for me. It’s about ownership, it’s about self-empowerment also, it’s not only myself but also young girls and people around the world.”
Ciara’s makeup-free selfie celebrates this achievement, as the performer feels like she can “finally” embrace her true self. “It feels good,” she wrote.
At the end of her post, Ciara asked her fans to share their “rawest selfies” on her website, saying: “Don’t be afraid to let YOUR Beauty Marks show!” If you submit a selfie of your own, it may be featured in a “special project for my Beauty Marks album release,” according to the singer’s website.
Ciara’s post has garnered more than 730,000 likes over the past day, and several fans have commented about how refreshing it is to see this side of the talented singer.
“No makeup needed,” one person wrote. “I think women pressure other women into thinking they need makeup.”
“Thank you for sharing your vulnerability with us,” wrote another. “In a world, where a certain look, body type, or filters are deemed favorable it is always refreshing to remind ourselves that we are created differently and beautifully without the enhancements.”
Here’s to hoping there are more candid moments of Ciara embracing her natural beauty as she gears up to debut her new album.
