Ariana Grande looks unrecognizable in this makeup-free cover shoot
If you close your eyes and try to visualise Ariana Grande, you'll probably be able to get something pretty accurate. It's because she's totally nailed her signature look – a long and flowy high ponytail, along with dramatically highlighted cheekbones and a cat-eye liner treatment that makes her cartoon-like eyes look even bigger.
She rarely departs from her strong hair and makeup style, which only adds to the singer's prominence in the celebrity world. I mean, she's got 120 million Instagram followers and no, that number was not a typo.
But in a shock move, the 24-year-old has ditched her iconic look and gone sans-makeup to bare all in a photoshoot that includes a close-up on the cover. She's the cover star for British Vogue's latest edition, which was photographed by Craig McDean and styled by Kate Phelan. Her look was completed by hair stylists Chris Appleton and make-up artist Mark Carrasquillo.
Yes, despite Ariana looking like she's bare-faced, it's just thanks to a makeup-free inspired look, which you can see still did involve foundation or powder, as well as a nude lipstick and probably some colour to her brows and cheekbones. Nevertheless, it's a completely different look for Ariana, whose signature thick cat-eye eyeliner, slicked-back pony and bold lips are absent here.
BEHOLD:
Pretty different, huh? Ariana herself posted the cover to her Instagram, thanking the magazine and writing "I don’t even know where to begin to express my love and gratitude".
"You are totally looking different! I can'tttt," someone commented on the post, while another wrote, "I LOVE IT YOU ARE A QUEEN!" Someone else said, "the last two slides don’t even look like her".
"You looks so beautiful with those freckles," another added. "All grown up," someone else wrote, and you've got to admit – the starlet does look older (in a good way!) than she usually does in her signature cutesy look.
And it's not just fans who've shared the love for Ariana's cover pic. Zendaya left a bunch of heart-face and sparkle emojis on her post, while Katy Perry wrote "LOVE", adding "omg I've never seen you like this". Bella Hadid simply stated "omg hi", and you can bet that Ariana's new love interest Pete Davidson left her an adorable comment too.
"Ummmmmm hiiiiiiiiiii. i'm the luckiest contest winner ever," he wrote. Ariana replied as if mock-stumbling for words by saying "sksjsjsjjajsjaa nahhhh i am".
Can these guys stop being so damn cute already?!
Credit: Instagram / @arianagrande
The story about Ariana is titled "The year that changed everything", and it's fitting considering the traumatic events that unfolded last year, during her Manchester show on May 22nd. A suicide bomber detonated an explosive device while she was performing, leaving 22 people dead.
In the interview, she revealed that she suffers from PTSD following the incident."It's hard to talk about because so many people have suffered such severe, tremendous loss," she said. "But, yeah, it's a real thing."
"I know those families and my fans, and everyone there experienced a tremendous amount of it as well. Time is the biggest thing. I feel like I shouldn't even be talking about my own experience - like I shouldn't even say anything."
To honour the one-year anniversary of the attack, the singer revealed that she got a tattoo of a bee as a tribute to the victims. The worker bee is an emblem for Manchester due to its industrial history.
Ariana's raw honesty about the incident, as well as her stunning makeup-free cover photo show a new side to the pop star.