Here's What Chelsea Clinton Looks Like Without Makeup
Much like Sasha and Malia Obama, Chelsea Clinton is a former first daughter who grew up with her looks routinely dissected by the general public. Only 12 when her dad, Bill Clinton, was voted POTUS, Chelsea's appearance and wardrobe — from her strawberry blond curls to tomboyish pullovers — made quite a splash in the '90s for bucking the conventions of chic. In 1993, a "Saturday Night Live" sketch even caught flack from Hillary Clinton herself for a seemingly unflattering portrayal of her daughter. Played by Julia Sweeney, "Chelsea" was featured sporting braces and voluminously frizzy hair.
Chelsea's commitment to authentic beauty and fashion choices paid off in the long run. In 2016, Slate hailed her as the "original millennial style icon," as she naturally morphed from schoolgirl-in-ringlets into a 20-something sophisticated political powerhouse. In the mid-aughts, the "She Persisted" author began trading in oversized sweaters for tailored blazers and high-waisted mom jeans for sleek pencil skirts. In addition to her wardrobe glow-up, Chelsea dramatically transformed her hair and makeup over the years, with her golden curls relaxing into soft waves during her mid-20s (sans the help of straighteners). From her affinity for peachy blushes to pairing nude lips with smokey eyes, the grown-up Chelsea also found and stuck to a signature makeup palette for her public appearances.
While Chelsea versatilely bounces around the spectrum of looks from casual-chic to posh, here's what the mother of three looks like when she is feeling free to go au naturel.
Chelsea Clinton has naturally radiant skin
Nothing looks (and feels) as good as a mid-workout glow! Running her second consecutive New York City Marathon on November 6, 2022, Chelsea Clinton kept it sporty and simple amid a sea of fellow celeb marathoners. Not wearing a hint of mascara or foundation, Clinton only donned a big smile throughout the event, with her bare cheeks flushed aglow and unlined lips revealed to be a natural rosy pink. 42 years old at the time, the humanitarian pulled her untamed mane back into a ponytail, tucking it underneath a black baseball cap. Even with the hat's brim shadowing her face, Clinton's baby-blue eyes still managed to sparkle as she finished the world-famous marathon at 4:20:34.
Running to raise funds for City Harvest, a New York-based food rescue charity, Chelsea brought her mom, Hillary Clinton, along for moral support. With a polished visage likely being the last thing on her mind, she later tweeted of the experience, "So proud to have finished my 2nd @nycmarathon yesterday! Grateful for the opportunity to run with @CityHarvest again this year and support their vital mission."
When she's not sweating it out for charity, Chelsea also often strolls her neighborhood streets of New York City sans cosmetic assistance. On the day after Halloween in 2018, the then-mother of two was spotted, once again clad in athleisure-wear, a baseball cap and running shoes, with her hair tied back and naturally dewy skin on full display.
Chelsea Clinton's early-'00s transformation sparked plastic surgery rumors
Everyone in 2004 seemed to be buzzing about Chelsea Clinton — and her stunning, seemingly sudden beauty transformation. Previously famous for wearing her hair in tight, dirty-blonde ringlets and a dark merlot lip hue (a staple of the '90s), the former first daughter began popping up at public appearances in 2004 glowing like a brand-new person. With some wondering if Clinton had undergone cosmetic surgery, the New York Post interviewed a group of aestheticians for their takes in June 2004. Having analyzed her honey-blonde highlights, light glossy lips, and artfully plucked arches, they collectively agreed Clinton was still all-natural.
"I don't think she's had any surgery," Dr. Z. Paul Lorenc, a Manhattan-based plastic surgeon, told the Post. "The proportions of her face are the same." Lorenc chalked Clinton's dramatic transformation up to just "an example of good aging, good skin care." Thanks to Clinton's face-framing haircut and more subdued makeup choices, her glam team simply accentuated her naturally "strong cheekbones, beautiful eyes, and ... overwhelming smile." Additionally, according to brow-shaper-to-the-stars Remy Gafni, Clinton's more "sophisticated, arched tweeze" instantly made her appear more "like a woman."
Meanwhile, makeup artist Robin Narvaez attributed Clinton's seemingly sharper chin and nose to a cosmetics trompe l'oeil – the usage of highlighter under one's foundation. Narvaez also praised Clinton's debut of a lighter lip palette, explaining, "Light peach tones for Chelsea's lips... kept the whole area of the lower face looking brighter and sharper."