In this day and age, it’s hard to determine what’s real and what’s fake. For example, you might ask yourself is that model’s body photo shopped to make her look thinner, or does that blogger I follow on Instagram really have the most flawless skin?

In that same regard, sometimes it’s hard to recognize people who are always dolled up when the glitz and glamor are gone. For instance, do you think you’d be able to spot Beyoncé in street clothes or Lady Gaga or without a face full of makeup? Probably not. It’s similar to how we could barely recognize Christina Aguilera in a recent photo shoot she did that ended up on the cover of Paper magazine, which focuses on fashion, popular culture, nightlife, music, art and film.

The 37-year-old singer’s bare face (as in, not a speck of makeup) takes up the entire cover. There’s no mascara, no eyeliner, no eye shadow, no nothing. She has stray hairs that fall around her face, and her fingers are brushed up to her lips displaying a ring that says “MOM” on her middle finger (after all, she is a mother to a 10-year-old and a 3-year-old).

We see freckles. Pores. Bumps. And yet, she truly looks stunning. Realness looks absolutely amazing on her and we really respect her for putting this shoot out to the world.

When you open the magazine and head to her spread, it’s just as mesmerizing—and just as makeup free. Well, most of the photos anyway. The ones that show Christina sans makeup show her with a few wild and carefree hairstyles, and then the rest have her just some eye makeup on.

“I’m a performer, that’s who I am by nature. But I’m at the place, even musically, where it’s a liberating feeling to be able to strip it all back and appreciate who you are and your raw beauty,” Christina states in the article.

The article itself highlights Christina’s journey through her career, ever since her “Genie in a Bottle” came out almost 20 years ago (can you believe it?). She goes into detail about how her life has transformed and how she’s grown over the years.

She also talks about her time as a judge on the popular show The Voice and why she decided to move on: “I need movement, I need to go explore, be an artist, create and transform,” she explained.

Crossing our fingers that mean a new album soon! She hasn’t come out with a new one in about six years.

Anyway, in terms of makeup, this shoot isn’t to say that Christina is suddenly going to stop wearing makeup forever. “I mean, I’m a girl that likes a beat face, let’s not get it twisted,” she laughs. Alright, we’ll take it just for the time being though. Own it girl. You are beautiful. In every single way. Words can’t bring you down.

Check out the full article and all the lovely photos at Paper magazine’s website. It’s pretty awesome!

Do you wear makeup on a daily basis or do you like go bare every now and then? What do you think of Christina Aguilera’s makeup free magazine spread?