Miley Cyrus has been under a microscope since she was basically a child. Honestly, growing up as Hannah Montana meant she didn't just have to deal with normal puberty; she had to do it in high definition. We’ve seen her transition from the girl-next-door with glittery lip gloss to the rock-and-roll icon with bleached eyebrows at the 2025 Oscars. But the conversation around Miley Cyrus with and without makeup is often less about the products she's wearing and more about a woman trying to find her own skin in a world that wants to airbrush every pore.
Why Miley Cyrus with and without makeup is a constant debate
People love a transformation. There's something almost addictive about seeing a celebrity stripped down to nothing but a bare face. It humanizes them. For Miley, this hasn't just been a "get ready with me" trend; it’s been a survival tactic.
Back in 2009, she was already venting about her "terrible skin." She was sixteen. Can you imagine being the most famous teenager on the planet and feeling like every single person is just staring at your zits? She admitted to Hindustan Times that she’d get in a "bad mood" whenever she broke out because she was convinced the cameras were only picking up her imperfections.
The shift to "less is more"
Fast forward to the 2020s, and the vibe has totally shifted. You’ve probably noticed she isn't chasing the heavy-contoured "Instagram face" anymore. She’s leaning into what she calls "minimal and essential."
In a 2023 interview with Harper’s Bazaar, she dropped a bit of wisdom that actually sticks: "More isn't always better, it's only more." She’s spent years cleaning out her bathroom cabinet. She realized her skin cleared up the more she stopped messin' with it. It turns out that piling on twenty different products to hide a breakout usually just makes the breakout angry.
The 2025 "New Smile" and Face Evolution
If you saw her at the 2025 Oscars, you might have done a double-take. It wasn't just the baby bangs or the bleached eyebrows that had people talking. By late 2025, the internet was basically a 24/7 investigation into her new smile.
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Fans noticed her teeth looked... different. Softer. More "reborn." For a long time, Miley had what people call the "Hollywood veneer" look—very white, very straight, and a little bit bulky. But recently, she seems to have swapped them for a slimmer, more natural set. It’s part of this broader move she’s making toward looking like herself again, rather than a polished-to-death version of a pop star.
Expert takes on the changes
Of course, the "did she or didn't she" crowd never sleeps. Plastic surgeons like Dr. Sam Fuller have pointed out things that makeup can't explain. We're talking:
- Buccal fat removal: Her cheeks look way more hollowed out than they used to, accentuating that razor-sharp jawline.
- The "Bullhorn" lip lift: Some experts think her upper lip has been physically lifted to give her that permanent pout, rather than just relying on filler.
- Nose refinements: If you look at photos from 2013 versus 2025, her nose looks sharper. Cartilage doesn't usually get smaller as you age—it usually does the opposite.
But here’s the thing: Miley is 33. Faces change. Faces mature. And when you’re as rich as she is, you have access to the kind of "maintenance" that most of us can only dream of.
The Power of the No-Makeup Selfie
Every time Miley posts a bare-faced photo on Instagram, it goes viral. Why? Because she actually looks like a human. She’s posted shots with her rescue beagle, Barbie, where you can see her real texture. No ring lights. No filters. Just a woman in a white tank top.
She told ELLE that her beauty routine is basically a "check-in" with herself. It’s not about fixing what’s "wrong." It’s about taking ten minutes to acknowledge she exists. She’s even been spotted hiking in the mountains with a backwards baseball cap and zero foundation, proving she’s grown out of that teenage insecurity where she felt she had to hide from the world if she had a blemish.
Why she won't launch a makeup brand
In a world where every celeb from Rihanna to Selena Gomez has a beauty line, Miley is a weird outlier. She recently explained on Reddit and in various interviews that she just isn't "passionate" about it.
"I feel that way about motherhood. It's just never been something that I've been overly passionate about."
That’s a bold thing to say in 2026. She’s not interested in selling you a $40 eyeshadow palette just because she can. Instead, she’s been a Creative Advisor for Hims & Hers, focusing on prescription skincare that actually treats issues like acne and aging. It feels more "her"—practical, a bit gritty, and focused on the stuff that happens under the surface.
How to get the Miley "Authentic" Look
If you’re looking to channel her current "natural-but-edgy" vibe, it’s less about what you buy and more about what you stop doing.
- Ditch the heavy foundation. Miley often uses a shiny lip pencil to distract from skin issues rather than caking on concealer. It’s a classic "misdirection" trick.
- Simplify the routine. She swears by hydration and "cleaning out" products. If you're using ten steps, try three.
- Focus on the eyes. Even when she's "no-makeup," she often has a bit of a sultry, lived-in liner or a bold brow. It gives the face structure without looking like a mask.
- Accept the "Ugly Week." She once told Star that she has an "ugly week" every month where she feels fat and has pimples. Her solution? Drink a ton of water and wait it out.
The real takeaway from looking at Miley Cyrus with and without makeup is that she’s finally stopped trying to win the "beauty battle." She’s said that beauty is the enemy because it’s a race you can’t win. By 2026, she’s seemingly reached a place where she can rock bleached eyebrows on a red carpet one day and a totally bare, "imperfect" face the next—and she looks equally confident in both.
Next Steps for Your Own Routine
- Audit your vanity: Look for "filler" products that aren't actually doing anything for your skin health.
- Try the "Distraction" Method: Next time you have a breakout, instead of more concealer, try a bold lip or a sharp winged liner to draw the eye elsewhere.
- Hydrate from the inside: It's a cliché for a reason. Miley swapped alcohol for high water intake, and the "reborn" glow is hard to argue with.