What Dakota Johnson Really Looks Like Without Makeup
As the A-list star of high-profile movies like "Daddio" and "Madame Web," we're used to seeing Dakota Johnson all made up. However, despite having some iconic makeup looks (including Johnson's neutral yet memorable "Fifty Shades of Grey" lip color), she actually likes to keep her glam simpler. "I prefer to do my own makeup. I think it's important to feel myself in my own skin and feel my own face with my own hand," the actor told Vogue in 2017, sharing she watched YouTube videos to educate herself. "It's like a no-makeup makeup look," she added of her go-to style.
Sometimes though Johnson skips cosmetics altogether, even telling Glamour in 2017, "I don't really wear makeup if I don't have to." But what does she look like without it? Well, her bare face photos prove why she's so comfortable stepping out au naturel because she's totally gorgeous and has flawless skin even without a slick of lipgloss or a dab of concealer.
Dakota Johnson posed makeup-free alongside her sister
Natural beauty clearly runs in Dakota Johnson's family. On Christmas Day 2017, Johnson's mom Melanie Griffiths posted a stunning Polaroid photo on Instagram of Johnson and her half-sister Stella Banderas posing in heels by the fire. "The Social Network" star showed off the beauty mark by her mouth and held onto a microphone with her dark hair up. The snap proved her brows are full without a pencil or pomade, her skin is glowing sans foundation, and her eyes don't need liner and faux lashes to be piercing. Griffiths' followers couldn't get enough of their stunning looks. "Both of you look great," one fan commented. "They are beautiful!" another Instagram user wrote.
Despite not being made up, Johnson was still dressed up. She proved she doesn't need cosmetics to bring the fabulosity, as she paired her fresh face with a textured black, jacket, triple striped pants, and shiny, red pumps.
Dakota Johnson didn't wear a drop of makeup for a family photo
When Dakota Johnson enjoyed some family time in 2015, she was confident enough not to get all made up. Melanie Griffiths posted a beautiful kitchen Instagram shot with Johnson, Stella Banderas, and their half-brother Alexander Bauer. Johnson smiled with her lips together and wore her messy, brunette tresses up and kept things casual in a light pink button-down with no makeup. She had a gorgeous natural flush on her cheeks that made her look happy and healthy, and there wasn't a single blemish visible on her plump, youthful skin. She also proudly showed her fluffy, natural brows.
Cleary, the actor's understated skincare routine is working. "I wash my face in the morning and at night, then moisturize; during the day I add sunscreen," she told Glamour two years after the snap. Of course, Johnson's sunscreen needs to be SPF 30 or higher to be truly effective.
Her glowing, natural complexion was on show during a sweet moment with her dad
In another adorable no-makeup photo Melanie Griffiths shared on Instagram, Dakota Johnson spent quality time with her famous father Don Johnson. The 2016 upload showed the duo sharing a hug while sitting in the same chair. The "Am I OK?" star rested her head on her dad's shoulder and put her hand to her mouth while dressed down in a white sweater and blue jeans. The beauty's enviable complexion glowed and her hydrated lips were a gorgeous, subtle pink without lipstick or liner.
Like many of us, Johnson had a little puffiness below her peepers that could easily be aided by our fast eye de-puffing tips. Georgie Eisdell, Johnson's makeup artist, told Vogue in 2024 that the actor had tried the CurrentBody Skin LED Light Therapy Face Mask to aid her skin's firmness.
She attended the opening night of a play au naturel
When a blond Dakota Johnson attended the opening night of "No Way Around But Through" in 2012, she let her unaided beauty shine. Johnson posed alongside Alexander Bauer seemingly without a drop of foundation, concealer, or blush. Her fair skin had a healthy shine as she proudly showed the freckles on her cheeks and nose. Johnson's understated lashes were flattering without several coats of mascara and ditching eyeshadow and liner allowed the natural definition of her eyes to show. The only thing the star appeared to be wearing on her face was a little lip balm, as her hydrated mouth glistened in the paparazzi flashes.
One of the big secrets to getting skin like Johnson's? Plenty of sleep. "If I'm not working, if I have a day off on a Monday, then I will sleep as long as I can. Sleep is my number one priority in life," she told The Wall Street Journal in 2023, admitting she likes to get 10 hours a night.
Dakota Johnson let her skin breathe at the airport
Paparazzi spotted Dakota Johnson having a makeup-free moment a la Olivia Culpo in 2017, as she ditched the likes of foundation and lipgloss at LAX airport. The beauty took off her sunglasses to make her way through security with a friend, revealing her lit-from-within glow with subtle dark circles under her eyes. Johnson kept her travel look casual, and her undone, wavy locks matched the understated black coat over her grey long-sleeve top.
It's rarely a bad idea to avoid cosmetics while traveling — especially while flying. Plane journeys can dry out our skin, and some people may find they're more susceptible to breakouts following a flight. But Johnson's ever-flawless complexion proves she knows how to treat her skin even on the busiest days.