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Alicia Keys is an iconic singer and entertainer that is best known for hits like “Empire State of Mind” and “No One.” Her soulful voice and thoughtful lyrics have earned her legions of fans and thousands of rave reviews over the years.

Keys is a strong advocate for women’s rights and frequently speaks out in support of the causes that she believes in. One such cause is the self-love movement, which Keys began visibly supporting in 2016 when she chose to begin going “makeup-free” to red carpet events and awards shows.

Although Keys is now well-known for her minimalist looks, her makeup artist recently revealed that there is more to her bare face than meets the eye.

Who is Alicia Keys?

Many people know Keys best for her ballads and catchy pop songs. However, she is a classically-trained pianist and scored her first record deal before she was sixteen years old.

Keys released albums in the early 2000s and, right off the bat, earned critical recognition for her talents. She is one of the most decorated artists in history, having won a total of fifteen Grammy Awards and 17 NAACP Image Awards.

Keys is dedicated to her community and to activism and regularly works with organizations that support women’s rights and children’s security. In July 2010, she married fellow musician Swizz Beatz, and the two welcomed their oldest son only a few months later. Four years later, the couple had a second child — a boy named Genesis.

Although Keys is a wife and mother now, she remains a vital force in the music industry and is as strong an activist as ever before. 

Alicia Keys likes to go all-natural

Keys was always better known for her talent than for her outrageous makeup looks. Still, in 2016, Keys made a strong statement when she sided with the No Makeup movement and began showing up to red carpets with what looked like a face completely free from makeup.

Keys received a lot of backlash for her choice at the time, both from those who felt as though she was actually wearing makeup and just trying to look like she wasn’t, as well as from those who just disagreed with the movement in general. It can’t be denied that Keys looks stunning with a bare face — but although she generally eschews bold makeup looks, she is definitely a big fan of skincare.

As she revealed in a January 2020 interview, Keys prefers skincare products that help fight breakouts, and she always utilizes a good toner to help prep her skin for moisturizer. Keys is also a big believer in aromatherapy and likes to incorporate essential oils into her everyday routine, as well as into her skincare ritual.

Her makeup artist revealed that the artist does still wear makeup

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Even if Keys won’t be spotted wearing red lipstick or rocking a smoky eye anytime soon, that doesn’t mean that she doesn’t sometimes wear a smidgen of makeup.

Recently, her makeup artist, Romy Soleimani, opened up about how he preps Keys for big events. He revealed that a lot of skincare prep goes into getting Keys ready for a red-carpet event and that he chooses what skincare products to use on Keys based on whether an event is going to be televised. 

Most interesting of all, Soleimani admitted that Keys actually does wear some makeup to certain awards shows — including highlighter, blended with moisturizer for a natural finish, and concealer to mask discoloration or undereye circles. The artist also stated that for anyone who really wants to perfectly emulate Keys’ no-makeup look, staying hydrated and eating a healthy diet will prove to be a game-changer.