What These YouTube Gamers Look Like Without Makeup

Whenever an entertainer builds a public persona online, fans typically expect them to look their best — which often includes makeup. Many YouTubers are almost unrecognizable without their signature makeup looks, and out of curiosity, some viewers actively seek out their bare faces online. It's worth noting, though, that makeup (or the lack thereof) can sometimes be used to reinforce sexist values on women, and YouTubers aren't immune from this. Neekolul, for example, suffered harassment after posting makeup-less selfies online, and used the situation to speak out against those who seemed shocked by her bare face.

Still, not all face reveals go sour, and many women gamers have shared pictures and videos of their bare faces for various reasons. Some have done so with the intention of showing off their makeup routines. Others have used makeup-less selfies to talk about gender in gaming community more broadly, or to simply show scenes from their daily lives. Gamers are, after all, real people, regardless of whether they stream online or not. Here's a look at the "true" selves of some YouTube gamers. Whether they're wearing makeup or not, these gamers show fans all the different contexts of beauty.

Valkyrae had a great year in 2020, joining forces with 100 Thieves, seeing a huge jump in her YouTube numbers, and making lots of money. She's one of the highest ranked women streamers on YouTube, with over 3 million subscribers, but she's also a normal person with a routine just like anyone else. In the middle of 2020, she filmed a video with fans sharing her daily makeup look. Before beginning her routine, Valkyrae told her audience that she always makes sure to complete her skincare regimen before putting on any makeup. However, Valkyrae didn't profess to be an expert. She said, "I grew up as a tomboy, and I stayed a tomboy for the rest of my life." Though she spoke modestly of her makeup skills, she proceeded to produce a beautiful look, complete with a secret some fans might not have anticipated.

After finishing her foundation and eyeshadow, Valkyrae explained to viewers that she doesn't like to use eyeliner, and instead uses black eyeshadow to create a smokey look. Valkyrae also revealed that she used to have eyelash extensions installed, and kept up the maintenance for almost three years. Now, she uses drugstore mascara. The routine only took 10 minutes and looked lovely. Perfect for a night of streaming.

SSSniperwolf, better known as Lia on her non-gaming channel, experienced a swift rise in popularity on YouTube. That doesn't mean she's afraid to show her authentic self, though. She periodically shares makeup-less selfies of herself performing normal activities, like shopping at Ross. Of course, SSSniperwolf likes to get dressed up sometimes, too, and she often wears elaborate makeup looks on camera. However, during one special video, SSSniperwolf let her boyfriend do all the hard work of talking. In the video, which has over 2 million views, SSSniperwolf let her then-partner, Sausage, narrate each step in her makeup routine. And yikes, did he get a lot of it wrong.

SSSniperwolf clearly had fun with the video, making a silly face without makeup and proceeding without knowing what her boyfriend might be saying. Although he gets a little crass at times, Sausage mostly comments on the strange names makeup often has. There is one part of the video, though, where Sausage makes some inappropriate comments about SSSniperwolf's concealer. They seemed to shake it off for this video, at least. 

Azzyland, who has over 13 million subscribers on YouTube, also joined in on the "boyfriend does my voiceover" challenge back in 2017. Azzy's boyfriend at the time, Jordi, complimented her bare face and said that she's pretty even without makeup. He then proceeded to comment on every item in her makeup bag. When the fake eyelashes came out, Jordi said, "these are scary!" And to be fair, the awe Jordi had for Azzy's makeup routine reflects how a lot of men feel about makeup in general. Fans responded positively to Azzy's face reveal, with one stating, "She actually looks really nice without makeup and she's really good at makeup." Another fan complimented Azzy by saying, "Azzy looks so different without makeup but she's beautiful in both ways!" Some might find it refreshing to see a YouTuber share themselves so openly and get a positive response in return.

Azzy earned her following by curating a massive base of fans through her various entertainment videos. She posts reaction videos, life hacks, and challenges, along with let's play videos full of "Grand Theft Auto," "Among Us," and "Roblox." In a 2016 interview with Based Gamer, Azzy confessed that she previously tried to move from cosplay to YouTube, but found that she felt too awkward on camera. After working for another YouTube channel, she finally worked up the courage to start her own brand. Luckily for her and her fans, it worked out.

LDShadowlady, or Lizzie, rose to YouTube fame by playing games like "Minecraft" with her husband. With her brightly dyed hair and rosy cheeks, Lizzie usually wears makeup on camera, but that doesn't mean she's afraid to show her bare face. Lizzie sometimes posts no-makeup selfies on her various social accounts, including Instagram. More importantly, Lizzie sometimes discusses how the world perceives women with makeup. In a 2014 tweet, Lizzie posted, "Walked into class without makeup on today. 'You look tired.' Oh." Lizzie aptly pointed out that when women don't take the extra time to get ready in the morning, people assume something is wrong.

In a fun twist on the "boyfriend does my makeup" challenge, Lizzie did her then-boyfriend, now-husband's makeup. The entire exchange felt remarkably cute, with Joel asking Lizzie if his makeup would look "as fabulous" as Lizzie's own. True love does exist. The finished look seemed like a bit of a joke, with Joel sporting a unibrow and lots of pink blush, but fans reacted positively. One fan even suggested that Lizzie should do Joel's makeup everyday.

GamingWithJen has over 5 million subscribers on YouTube, and chances are many of them have seen her without makeup. Back in 2015, Jen and her then-husband Pat participated in the "boyfriend does my makeup" challenge, and Jen began the video, of course, without makeup. Jen expressed some nervousness about Pat's makeup skills, commenting that she planned to wear the same makeup look for Pat's 6 million subscriber celebration video later that day. Ultimately, the look turned out to be frightening, with eyeliner leaking down Jen's cheeks, lipstick all over her mouth, and lots of bright pink blush. Jen jokingly said she had found her new Halloween look.

More recent comments on the makeup video reference Pat and Jen's breakup a few years later, and some fans have expressed that they watch old videos to relive the best parts of the former couple's relationship. While nothing lasts forever, the internet always remembers. Jen hasn't uploaded a new video in a few years, but fans seem more than comforted by the fact that they still get to revisit her old videos any time they want.

YouTuber Yammy regularly posts videos of indie games, "The Sims," and various vlogs, but she also participates in some fun community challenges. In 2018, Yammy took part in a "Sims"-themed makeup challenge where she attempted to do complete a randomized "Sims" look on herself. The results were truly wild.

Yammy tried a few different approaches, including her final look, which required her to put dark eyeshadow and eyeliner all around her eyes to almost cartoonish proportions. The last look also included dark blue contouring and gold lipstick, which Yammy pulled off well despite her shocked expression. Fans responded enthusiastically. One said, "beauty gurus are shaking," while another mused, "you look pretty with no makeup!" Yammy has posted elsewhere about enjoying the "makeup free life" while on holiday, laughing that Snapchat filters help mask any imperfections.

Dodger, who has also gone by dexbonus and PressHeartToContinue, had a makeup free chat with her fans during a special holiday vlog in 2018. In the video, Dodger talked about the time she spent with her sisters and milestones in her daughter's life. In the video, Dodger seemed warm and inviting, which highlighted one of the reasons fans love her: her charismatic personality.

But the video wasn't all fun and chat. Dodger had a very specific purpose for the video, and quickly set to work attempting to give herself thick, full brows with the help of several makeup products. Even though she bemoaned the fact that her brows weren't even, she said the journey was fun. Her cats, for their part, seemed to enjoy hanging out and watching the show. While Dodger gained a following through "Let's Play"-style videos, she then branched out into vlog territory, doing more informal chats like her makeup tutorial. 

Meloniemac earned over 200,000 subscribers on YouTube through the gaming videos on her main YouTube channel, as well as through sharing some of the more personal moments in her life. Though Meloniemac frequently wears makeup in her videos, complete with sharp winged eyeliner, she's also posted pictures of herself without makeup on Instagram. In one picture, Meloniemac included the caption, "RAWR! Here's a #nomakeup selfie since it's been a while and you guys request it a lot." Meloniemac looked happy in the picture, with messy braids and a smile on her face. Though some so-called "fans" responded by calling her ugly, most praised Meloniemac's natural good looks, calling her beautiful.

Meloniemac also posted a meme suggesting that men can't handle women without makeup, no matter how much they think they can. Meloniemac elaborated by writing, "All these 'shocking' makeup vs no makeup pics are just normal and just as beautiful either way. It's baffling to me how many boys on the internet don't know what women look like without makeup." Mostly, she said, it's tiring to hear men say she looks different from picture to picture. No matter what Meloniemac chooses to wear or not wear, her fans love her either way.

Tiffany Herrera, better known as iHasCupquake on YouTube, produces a variety of gaming and geek-related content across several platforms. She even has an entire channel dedicated to lifestyle vlogs and DIY content, as well as a channel for her gaming. In one video that combined both gaming and makeup, iHasCupquake also participated in a "The Sims"-themed makeup challenge, recreating iconic makeup looks from the game. iHasCupquake began her makeup journey with a fresh face, then proceeded to walk viewers through each step in the glamification process. At one point in the video, iHasCupquake even commented on "the makeup face," an open-mouthed expression many people make when applying makeup. "It's not a makeup video if you don't make the makeup face," she explained.

Aside from her video content, iHasCupquake has an online store where she sells merchandise related to her videos. The site describes iHasCupquake as being totally dedicated to the gaming community and seeking to grow geek culture through her ideas and products.

LaurenzSide, or Lauren, earned followers on YouTube for "The Sims" and "Minecraft" content, as well as collaborations with other YouTubers, but that doesn't mean she's stuck to strictly gaming content. In 2019, Lauren posted a video in which she tried out Troom Troom makeup tips, showing the audience her bare face before attempting some truly horrible "hacks." Troom Troom, an eerie Ukranian YouTube channel, often dispenses bad DIY tutorials and makeup hacks. Needless to say, things didn't go well for LaurenzSide.

Even when she's being silly, Lauren takes time to remind her fans and herself that beauty isn't something others can take away. Lauren often tweets a message of encouragement to fans who may feel like they don't measure up to others. "I don't ever want to come across as seeming 'perfect'. I hope I never have," read one such message. "Don't ever compare yourself to me or anyone else. I love you all because you're wonderfully weird & imperfect like me. Don't ever forget that. " Lauren's dedication to her fans makes her content special, and her willingness to participate in silly beauty challenges shows that she's not afraid to show her own imperfections.

Gloom has been around on YouTube for years, first appearing as CloudyApples back in 2011, then later creating a new channel to better reflect her personality. She's a staple in the YouTube community, and even collaborated with pop star Shakira to look back at the Columbian singer's career. Gloom's internet celebrity also offered her the unique position of discussing gender norms, including makeup, with her millions of subscribers.

Back when Gloom went by CloudyApples, she uploaded a video discussing how the media and men in general discuss women who wear makeup or choose to go bare faced. She stated that sometimes people congratulate her for choosing not to wear makeup, calling the decision a way people think she's "more real." Gloom went on to say that makeup isn't necessary, and she sees it similarly to putting on a fancy suit for special occasions. Later, once Gloom transitioned to her next channel, she posted a newer video in response to Pokimane's makeup-less selfie that once set the internet afire. Gloom took on the persona of a 13-year-old boy to examine the ways in which people commented on Pokimane's makeup. Ultimately, Gloom concluded that it was strange for people to expect women to look flawless 24/7. Gloom retired from YouTube in 2022, but her fans still come back to her old videos to enjoy her insight.

In 2019, purveyor of cute games Aphmau participated in a makeup challenge similar to the "boyfriend does my makeup," except her guest artist was way more special. Aphmau's daughter helped her apply makeup with hilarious results. Though Aphmau began the video with a bare face, she ended it with a much wilder look — after a healthy amount of laughing and playing with her daughter, of course. At the beginning of the video, Aphmau explained that she's showing what she looks like without makeup, then proceeded to explain to her daughter what various makeup items did. Aphmau's daughter loved all of the sparkles in her mom's makeup kit, and proceeded to apply them to places most makeup artists wouldn't consider, like Aphmau's eyebrows.

Aphmau frequently uploads videos where she explores the worlds of "Minecraft" and "Roblox," even engaging in fun roleplay opportunities, like her fan-favorite Baby Ninja series. As a mom and a gamer, Aphmau depicts what it looks like for parents to juggle their gaming lives along with family.

Leah Ashe typically posts colorful "Roblox" and "Dress To Impress" videos, but she also participates in challenges and vlogs on her channels. In one challenge, Leah got her then-boyfriend Garrett to do her makeup, and the results were interesting. Leah Ashe began the video by expressing her nervousness at having Garrett do her makeup. She asked if Garrett remembered her doing his makeup for the reversal of the same challenge, to which he responded that he didn't. From there, Garrett did a questionable job of applying the makeup, smearing lipstick all over Leah's face and smudging her eyeliner out to huge proportions. 

In her own life, Leah Ashe is quite good at makeup, and even created her own makeup line. While the official Instagram page for her cosmetics line has not been updated in a while, Ashe's chipper personality and colorful persona show that she's a fashion icon with or without makeup.

InquisitorMaster has over 8 million subscribers on YouTube, and mostly makes content about "Roblox" and "Dress To Impress." She also does a lot of roleplay content in games online, which gives her content a different tenor than many other creators. In a 2018 video, InquisitorMaster, who goes by Alex in her personal life, let her boyfriend Zach do her makeup. One fan commented that Alex should get to do Zach's makeup as a sort of revenge, but Zach did a great job putting makeup on himself, testing out some products before putting them on Alex's face. Alex began the video without her usual makeup, but ended it with a recreation of a Halloween look from "Roblox."

Being a popular content creator isn't all fun and games, though. Some fans were outraged when InquisitorMaster and her boyfriend were announced as hosts of a "Roblox" event, arguing that Alex and Zach might inadvertently promote online dating to an audience much too young to date. 

Clare Siobhan, who largely created content based on "The Sims" before taking a hiatus from YouTube, has always been incredibly open and honest about her makeup and skincare routine. Siobhan has also posted makeup related videos and vlogs to her channel from time to time. In one video, she walked viewers through some low effort makeup looks that save time on what could be a very complicated beauty routine. Most memorably, Siobhan began the video by accidentally smacking herself in the face, then commenting on her red nose. Siobhan shared an easy makeup routine that anyone could do at home, explaining each step carefully.

Siobhan also participated in a "Sims" makeup challenge where she recreated a look from the video game. Siobhan's final look was particularly interesting, with dots covering her face and red undereye shadow. Siobhan just laughed off the look, using angles and effects to emphasize some of the creepiness of the design. In 2020, Siobhan made a video describing her struggle with trichotillomania, an impulse disorder that causes individuals to pick at their skin or hair. The aim of the video was to help normalize mental health differences and encourage viewers to practice radical self acceptance.

Another "Sims" content creator, Deligracy, doesn't always wear heavy makeup, but in one video, she went completely bare-faced for her viewers. In the video, she let James Turner, her then-friend and now boyfriend, do her makeup. Turner explained at the beginning of the video that he'd never applied makeup to anyone else or himself, which set the tone for the rest of the look. Surprisingly, and with a little coaching from Deligracy, Turner did a pretty solid job. He even managed to apply lipstick.

Deligracy has not only shown her face to the world and encouraged others to love themselves. She's also discussed her experiences with anxiety, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic that began in 2020. Deligracy attempted to provide some comfort to fans experiencing heightened anxiety during the pandemic, and offered tips based around what has helped her in the past. While Deligracy isn't a mental health professional, and admitted as much, just knowing someone else experienced the same things can be helpful.

TamashiiHiroka, who now goes by Tama Hero on most of her platforms, has been a staple in the online Pokemon community for years. However, she recently lost much of her fanbase and explained the trajectory of her channel in a thorough video on her channel. She's had a YouTube account since the early days of the platform, all the way back in 2006. 

Way back in 2015, Tama posted a makeup-less selfie to her Twitter account, one hand sheepishly posed behind her head. Tama commented "dem eyebags tho," noting her disheveled appearance. Her fans and friends were quick to comment on the post, with some saying that they didn't recognize her at first. At the time, Tama joked that she'd cast an illusion on her audience. Tama's comment indicated that makeup helps her maintain an "illusion," and that her true self is what she looks like without makeup. Either way, Tama seems comfortable in her own skin and willing to discuss makeup with her fans.

Emiru is a supreme streamer who's built up an audience by being her authentic self while hanging out with her friends. Whether she's playing games, putting together a new cosplay, or just talking with her bustling chat, Emiru always makes her viewers feel welcome. That's probably why they felt comfortable enough to ask her where all the makeup went when she decided to change up her look during a few streams.

Emiru has a distinctive hair and makeup look, and her signature winged eyeliner typically stands out. That's why fans noticed right away when Emiru showed up on stream looking different in the summer of 2023. She explained that her hair had changed for a pretty tragic reason: She'd been so stressed while traveling to an anime expo that some of it fell out, so she was giving herself some time to recuperate. Her new makeup look, however, had a more casual reason behind it. "I changed my lighting," Emiru said on the stream. "I don't know if that looks good. I also didn't feel like wearing eyeliner, so sorry." She didn't need to apologize, and her fans were incredibly supportive of Emiru showing up on stream without the makeup style they'd come to expect.

Like many of her peers, Emiru knows that some people will give her a hard time about going live without makeup, but that hasn't dimmed her shine or her wit. Once, while Emiru was walking viewers through her makeup process during a stream, she took the opportunity to poke fun at her haters: "Emiru no makeup, so disgusting," she said before making a funny face and adding, "here's your screenshot." 

ExtraEmily always embraces her own sense of style, and a big part of that is experimenting with makeup. Emily almost always wears some makeup when she's on stream, but for a while she was playing around with an "emo" look that went heavier on dark eyeshadow and distinctive black and blue lipsticks. Not everyone was a fan of the look, though. When Emily called her dad on stream, he compared the makeup to "The Addams Family" and said, "Your makeup looks horrible." Don't worry about Emily, though, as the comment was all in good humor. Her parents are actually very supportive of her look, and the day after Emily had that conversation with her dad, she called her mom on stream to joke about giving her an emo makeover of her own.

Emily's makeup tends to be a bit more understated these days, but there have also been a handful of times where she's gone live with no makeup whatsoever. Emily's fans tend to remember those moments best, and they've even celebrated her makeup-free look on Reddit.

As a professional event host, content creator, and streamer, QTCinderella really knows how to put on a show. When she wants to, she can get dressed to the nines and can put together a killer makeup look. That said, QTCinderella isn't someone who's going through all that effort on a daily basis, so she's gotten pretty comfortable with being on camera sans makeup.

QTCinderella's used that comfort to her advantage and has made playing around with makeup part of her content creation strategy. In some of her streams, QTCinderella and her viewers hunt down different hair and makeup tutorials for her to try out. She's always willing to go with the flow and try something new, and she doesn't even have to be the one holding the brush. In one hilarious video, QTCinderella bravely let Ludwig try his hand at being her makeup artist. To the delight of the viewers, Ludwig struggled his way through the process, but QTCinderella cared more about having a good time with their fans than coming out with a runway-ready look.

Kelsie, or KayPea on YouTube, rose to gaming fame by posting videos of "League of Legends" and "Overwatch." While Kelsie dominates in the arena, she can also slay a makeup look — but that doesn't mean she always has to. Kelsie posted a makeup-less selfie to her Twitter account in 2016, and commented, "Super empty flight today at 5:30am this morning so excuse the no make up." One fan commented to thank Kelsie for normally wearing makeup, but noted that she didn't need to excuse herself for its absence. Still others commented that Kelsie looked better without makeup, and shouldn't feel pressured to wear it. 

In other tweets, Kelsie insinuated that she doesn't consider herself an expert makeup artist. In response to a photo where she sported a sleek makeup look, Kelsie commented, "someone else did my makeup ... can you tell?" Most of the time, Kelsie chooses to focus on gaming, rather than lifestyle-oriented content.