Claudia Winkleman is instantly recognisable on television, thanks to her heavy dark fringe, smudged black eyeliner and famously bronzed complexion. But what does the British presenter look like without her signature makeup? In June 2025, Winkleman shared a rare makeup-free photograph after undergoing eye surgery, giving followers a glimpse of her natural appearance. It wasn’t her first time appearing bare-faced, either. The Traitors presenter previously participated in an unretouched magazine photoshoot and has spoken openly about the difference between her television appearance and everyday beauty routine. Her comments reveal a surprisingly relaxed attitude towards cosmetics.
Claudia Winkleman No Makeup: The Photo She Shared in 2025
In June 2025, Claudia Winkleman surprised followers by posting a photograph of herself without her familiar heavy eyeliner.
The image appeared on her official Instagram account following an eye operation. She posed alongside her surgeon, Julian Stevens, whom she thanked for helping her eyesight.
Unlike her usual television appearances, the photograph showed Winkleman with a noticeably softer appearance around her eyes. Her trademark dark eyeliner was absent, making the contrast with her established screen image particularly clear.
The presenter explained that Stevens had operated on her eyes before and had performed another procedure. She also revealed that she would have to avoid eyeliner for several weeks and wear protective goggles while sleeping.
In her Instagram caption, Winkleman wrote:
“No eyeliner for weeks and I sleep in goggles (no words) but I’m eternally grateful.” — Claudia Winkleman, June 2025
She also clarified that she had paid for the treatment herself and that her post was not an advertisement.
The photograph received supportive comments from followers and fellow celebrities. Cara Delevingne complimented her appearance, while comedian Sarah Millican sent her good wishes.
Beauty publication EVOKE covered the photograph on 23 June 2025, describing the image as an unusual departure from Winkleman’s established beauty style.
Why Did Claudia Winkleman Stop Wearing Eyeliner?
The temporary change was connected to her recovery from eye surgery rather than a decision to abandon her usual appearance.
Winkleman explained that she needed to avoid eyeliner for several weeks following the procedure.
Her announcement was especially striking because black eye makeup has been part of her television identity for decades. She has often joked about applying generous amounts of eyeliner and preferring a deliberately messy finish.
The 2025 photograph therefore offered a rare view of the presenter without one of her most recognisable features.
Claudia Winkleman’s Earlier Makeup-Free Photoshoot
Winkleman’s 2025 Instagram post was not her first experience of appearing in photographs without makeup.
In 2008, she participated in a Heat magazine photoshoot alongside several other well-known British television personalities, including Davina McCall, Fearne Cotton, Myleene Klass and Tara Palmer-Tomkinson.
The project featured celebrities without their usual makeup and without photographic airbrushing.
Its purpose was to challenge the unrealistic expectations created by heavily edited celebrity photographs.
Winkleman discussed the proposed shoot in a column for The Independent, published on 10 June 2008.
Her account was characteristically humorous, describing conversations with her agent, family and colleagues about whether she should participate.
Although she joked about feeling uncomfortable being photographed, the resulting shoot placed her alongside other presenters who agreed to appear without their usual styling.
The Evening Standard also covered the makeup-free photoshoot, explaining its emphasis on natural appearances rather than retouched images.
This earlier appearance provides an important part of the story. Winkleman was willing to step away from her trademark style long before her June 2025 Instagram photograph.
Does Claudia Winkleman Wear Makeup in Everyday Life?
Despite her dramatic on-screen appearance, Winkleman has explained that her everyday routine is much simpler.
In a 2015 interview with beauty website Really Ree, she described makeup as something she enjoyed rather than an everyday obligation.
She explained that she did not normally wake up thinking about putting on a full face of cosmetics. During an ordinary day, she might wear little more than lip balm.
Television appearances were different. For those occasions, she preferred generous amounts of eyeliner and pale lipstick.
Winkleman has also described herself as much paler away from television. In comments originally written for Stylist and subsequently reproduced in entertainment coverage, she explained that her familiar combination of bronzer, eyeliner and fringe helped separate her working appearance from her ordinary life.
Without her television styling, she said, she was often not recognised.
That distinction explains something important about Claudia Winkleman’s natural look: her heavily made-up appearance is a personal style choice, not necessarily a reflection of how she looks every morning.
The Makeup and Hairstyle Behind Claudia Winkleman’s Signature Look
Winkleman’s appearance is unusually consistent for a television presenter. Rather than regularly experimenting with new makeup trends, she has developed a familiar combination of dark eyes, pale lips, warm-toned skin and a thick fringe.
Her Famous Black Eyeliner
Black eyeliner is arguably the most recognisable element of her beauty routine.
Winkleman prefers a smoky, smudged finish instead of the sharply defined lines commonly associated with glamorous television makeup.
In an interview with Marie Claire UK, she identified Lord & Berry Kajal eyeliner as one of her favourite beauty products.
She also named MAC Fleshpot lipstick among her longstanding favourites.
Her approach to eyeliner is deliberately informal. She has joked about sleeping in her makeup, reflecting the relaxed, slightly dishevelled appearance she enjoys.
These remarks are part of her humorous beauty persona, rather than skincare recommendations.
The Heavy Fringe
Winkleman’s dark fringe is almost as famous as her eyeliner.
The hairstyle sits low across her forehead and frames her eyes, helping create the distinctive appearance familiar to viewers of Strictly Come Dancing and The Traitors.
In a January 2025 interview with British Vogue, she explained that her fringe is cut from far back on her head, giving it considerable weight.
She also identified Lucy as her makeup artist and Sarah as her hairstylist on The Traitors.
Although the fringe has become her trademark, earlier photographs show Winkleman experimenting with softer, side-parted hairstyles.
Consequently, photographs of Claudia Winkleman without her fringe can appear almost as different as those showing her without eyeliner.
Her Bronzed Complexion and Pale Lips
The third element of Winkleman’s signature appearance is her preference for a warm, heavily bronzed complexion paired with understated lips.
She regularly makes jokes about her enthusiasm for fake tan.
In her 2025 Vogue interview, she described the appearance she wanted for The Traitors as a combination of a substantial fringe, deliberately worn-in eyeliner and orange-toned skin.
The contrast between dark eye makeup and pale lipstick is another defining feature.
Rather than following seasonal beauty trends, Winkleman has kept these elements remarkably consistent.
Her Beauty Style Even Inspired a Makeup Collection
Winkleman’s recognisable appearance became the basis of a cosmetics collaboration with Marks & Spencer in 2015.
The collection included products inspired by her preferred makeup and haircare routine, including dark eyeliner, pale lip products and hair conditioner.
An interview with Get the Gloss described her involvement in developing products that reflected her personal preferences.
She favoured uncomplicated products and emphasised that makeup should be enjoyable rather than time-consuming.
The collaboration showed how closely her appearance had become associated with her professional identity. Her signature style was recognisable enough to inspire an entire beauty range.
What Claudia Winkleman’s Natural Appearance Tells Us
Comparing Winkleman’s television appearance with her makeup-free photographs reveals how strongly particular styling choices can influence someone’s familiar image.
Her dark eyeliner creates emphasis around her eyes, while her bronzer changes the overall colour balance of her complexion. The thick fringe also affects how her face is framed.
When these elements are reduced or removed, the result naturally looks different.
However, photographs without obvious eyeliner do not automatically prove that someone is wearing no cosmetic products whatsoever. Lighting, photography and subtle makeup can all influence an image.
In Winkleman’s case, the clearest examples are photographs explicitly associated with makeup-free appearances, including the 2008 magazine shoot and her June 2025 post.
What makes her story distinctive is that she has never presented her television makeup as an essential part of everyday life. She treats it as a familiar, enjoyable element of her work.
Where Can You See Claudia Winkleman Without Makeup?
The most direct place to see her June 2025 appearance is the photograph published on Claudia Winkleman’s Instagram.
Coverage from EVOKE and other entertainment publications also includes the photograph and explains the circumstances surrounding it.
For an earlier example, the 2008 Heat photoshoot offers a comparison with her appearance before she became closely associated with hosting The Traitors.
It is also useful to distinguish genuinely makeup-free photographs from older images showing Winkleman with lighter makeup, a different hairstyle or a less pronounced tan. Those images may look noticeably different without necessarily being completely bare-faced.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. What does Claudia Winkleman look like without makeup?
Without her usual dark eyeliner and strong bronzer, Claudia Winkleman has a softer appearance around her eyes and a less heavily bronzed complexion. Her June 2025 Instagram photograph offers a clear example of her appearance without her customary eye makeup.
2. Has Claudia Winkleman ever appeared completely makeup-free?
Yes. Winkleman participated in an unretouched, makeup-free Heat magazine photoshoot in 2008. She also shared a photograph widely described as makeup-free following eye surgery in June 2025.
3. Why did Claudia Winkleman have to stop wearing eyeliner?
She temporarily stopped wearing eyeliner after undergoing eye surgery in June 2025. She explained that she needed to avoid the product for several weeks while recovering.
4. Does Claudia Winkleman wear eyeliner every day?
No. Winkleman has explained in interviews that her everyday beauty routine is much simpler than her television appearance. She has described going without makeup during ordinary daily activities, sometimes wearing only lip balm.
5. What eyeliner does Claudia Winkleman use?
In a Marie Claire UK interview, Winkleman named Lord & Berry Kajal eyeliner as one of her favourite makeup products. Her preferred finish is dark, smoky and deliberately smudged.
6. Is Claudia Winkleman’s tan natural?
Winkleman has openly discussed her enthusiasm for fake tan and bronzing products. Her familiar television complexion is therefore partly the result of cosmetic styling rather than simply her natural skin tone.
Conclusion
Claudia Winkleman’s no-makeup photographs reveal a different side of one of British television’s most recognisable presenters. Her 2008 magazine shoot and June 2025 Instagram post show her without the styling that audiences associate with her screen appearances.
Her own interviews make the distinction clear: heavy eyeliner, bronzer and a dramatic fringe are elements of a look she enjoys, while everyday life often calls for far less makeup. Whether bare-faced or wearing her trademark smoky eyes, Winkleman’s approach to beauty remains refreshingly personal.
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