Pamela Anderson has once again proved that she doesn't need a full face of makeup to command attention on the red carpet.
The actress appeared at the Venice Film Festival to promote her new film Place to Be, wearing two very different looks — but keeping one thing the same: her minimal, natural makeup.
For the film's photocall, Pamela wore a pale blue Monse dress decorated with lemons, before changing into a stunning lemon-yellow Carolina Herrera gown for the premiere.
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But while the outfits were glamorous, it was Pamela's bare-faced look that really stood out.
The 59-year-old has become one of the most recognisable faces in Hollywood, having spent decades being presented as the ultimate blonde bombshell.
From her Baywatch days to magazine covers, modelling campaigns and some of the biggest red carpets in the world, Pamela has long been associated with a very particular kind of Hollywood glamour.
That's what makes her decision to step onto major red carpets without traditional makeup so striking.
Pamela Anderson. Photo credit: Frederic Legrand COMEO, Shutterstock
Pamela first began making headlines for going completely makeup-free at Paris Fashion Week in 2023, later explaining that she simply didn't want to spend hours sitting in a makeup chair. Her decision quickly became something much bigger than a personal beauty choice.
Since then, she has repeatedly appeared at major events with little or no visible makeup, helping to challenge the expectation that female celebrities need to be perfectly made-up whenever they step in front of cameras.
Pamela Anderson. Photo credit: Lauredana Sangiuliano, Shutterstock
Her approach has been particularly powerful because of who Pamela is.
For years, she was celebrated as a symbol of sex appeal and beauty, with her appearance becoming a huge part of her public image. Now, she is turning up to some of the world's most glamorous events and allowing people to see her face without hiding the things makeup is often used to cover.
And somehow, the glamour hasn't disappeared.
If anything, the contrast makes it more striking.
At Venice, Pamela paired her fresh-faced look with elaborate designer gowns, proving that going without makeup doesn't mean giving up glamour.
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She has previously said that she is not against makeup, but that going bare-faced became a way of embracing herself rather than following expectations.
British Vogue has described her transformation as a move towards “make-up-free beauty”, while Pamela has spoken about wanting to remind women that they are good enough without having to follow beauty trends.
So while Hollywood red carpets are usually associated with hours of hair, makeup and styling, Pamela Anderson is increasingly showing that sometimes the most powerful statement is simply turning up as yourself.
