Hallmark Stars Who Are Unrecognizable Without Makeup

From Lacey Chabert to Alison Sweeney, the veterans of Hallmark sure know how to embody their made-for-TV movie characters. In addition to taking on whatever drama or quirky shenanigans the script may call for, the actors are able to completely transform their looks with wardrobe, hair, and, of course, makeup. And some of the transformations can be pretty wild.

Of course, Hallmark stars aren't the only actors who know a thing or two about looking totally different when they're in full hair and makeup on a set versus a makeup-free day of running errands. In 2014, the Hallmark Channel shared behind-the-scenes footage of how Eden Sher, who is not a Hallmark star, would go from her bare face to Sue Heck's signature look in "The Middle." The whole process included a plain palette of neutral and beige colors, removable braces, and wigs. Evidently, the transformation was so significant that she was able to fly under the radar out in public when the show was on the air. "I don't ever get recognized by anyone," Sher told Telegram & Gazette in 2013. "I don't get offended by it. I take it as a compliment." 

While some of your favorite Hallmark actors may not always slap on fake braces for a role, they do wear makeup — and makeup really can change a person's look. So much so, that some of you might not recognize some of your favorite Hallmark actors when their faces are totally bare. If there's one thing that's for certain, they're stunning no matter what.

Stephanie Bennett is considered a Hallmark standby, having starred in several movies and television series on the channel, including "Wedding Season," "The Nine Kittens of Christmas," and "Love On Your Doorstep." Her on-screen look on Hallmark doesn't tend to shift too far from her lovely, yet simple style, which usually features long curly blonde hair and subtle makeup that emphasizes her sweetness and reliability. However, Bennett's day-to-day look isn't exactly like her Hallmark aesethic. In 2021, the star shared an unfiltered photo of her on Instagram, showing off her freckles and pin straight hair. 

In the caption, Bennett shared that she felt insecure about her appearance sometimes, despite looking fabulous in hit shows like "Supernatural" and "Descendants." "I often struggle with comparing myself to other women on social media. But this is a friendly reminder that what you see is often filtered and NOT REALITY," she wrote. While the actor appreciates the hair extensions and makeup that transform her into her various characters, she reminded her fans that it's important to give natural looks some love, too. "Just remember that acne spots, hyperpigmentation, dark circles, and cellulite Is all normal and beautiful," the star wrote. "Anyway here's a raw unfiltered photo with no makeup, hair extensions, filters or editing... because I'm learning to love all that."

The "Mean Girls" star Lacey Chabert celebrated her 40th Hallmark movie in 2024 with the release of "A Christmas Quest." In the movie, she wears big loose curls as she usually does on-screen, but in real life, Chabert's tresses have an entirely different look. "My hair is very straight normally," she told Allure in 2014. The former child star also noted that she typically wears makeup even when she's off the clock. "I try to do as little as possible when I'm not working...but let's be honest: I'm from the South, and I was raised that you don't go out of the house without your face on," she said. 

However, in 2012, the star shared an unfiltered photo of herself after learning that young fans had been comparing themselves to her polished look on-screen. "I'm FAR from perfect and I too look very different without makeup and hair extensions etc," she wrote on her Tumblr blog. The former child star also noted that makeup and filters can warp our idea of what a person should look like, and she recognized that her industry can contribute to unrealistic beauty standards. "As I've gotten older I've become much more concerned with health and happiness than physical beauty but I still have my own insecurities," she shared. 

Over a decade later, Chabert showed she still will embrace a makeup-free look from time to time. In 2023, she shared a bare face selfie she snapped while waiting to pick up her kid from school. 

Hallmark fans may remember Bethany Joy Lenz as Lucy in "Five Star Christmas" or Abbey in "Bottled With Love." The "One Tree Hill" alum's credits also include "Dexter," "Grey's Anatomy," and "Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D." She always looks stunning on the screen, but behind the scenes, the star battles with self-image and doubt. "Every morning i wake up and see myself in the mirror and i have to fight off the flood of negative thoughts that sweep through my mind about the way I look," she wrote on Facebook in 2018, sharing the "flaws" of her skin that bear witness to life. "This is my face...I've had terrible luck growing out those ever-popular boyfriend eyebrows, I've been through enough to give me wrinkles, but most of my wrinkles are from smiling and laughing," she continued.

The actor went on to note her dry skin, acne, and circles under her eyes, all of which she has learned to accept. What's more, she is proud to share her real face instead of another unrealistic version of herself. "I want you to know that #realisbeautiful and YOU are beautiful," she wrote.

Two years later, Lenz took to Instagram to share her skin routine with her followers. Her regimen, which includes serums and sunblock, is relatively short — and clearly, that's worked for the actor. "I keep it pretty simple, including my makeup routine, which is on average, 5 min," she wrote. 

Alison Sweeney got her start as a child actor and has stayed in show business ever since. Before becoming a fixture of the Hallmark Channel — she celebrated her 30th Hallmark movie in 2024 — Sweeney starred as Sami in "Days of Our Lives." Over the years, she's developed a sizable following. In 2019, she used her platform to encourage fans to get their skin checked for cancer. Alongside an unfiltered, makeup-free Instagram selfie, she wrote, "Turns out I need to have a small bump removed from my nose that came up positive for skin cancer." She urged her fans not to ignore any noticeable changes, always seek medical attention, and always take care of themselves. "Even if it seems like nothing, let an expert decide," she continued.

While her natural look is very different from the looks we've seen on Hallmark, Sweeney was glowing in the picture. It should come as no surprise that she has a few tricks when it comes to taking care of her skin. "The most important ones are the simplest," she told Allure in 2014. "My mother always taught me to use sunscreen every day. Another is to take care of my smile. I think it's one of the first things people notice about you." She also noted that there's one tool in particular that's a key piece of her routine. "I don't travel without my eyelash curler. Mandatory," she dished.

When she was just 5 years old, Holly Robinson Peete joined her father, Matt Robinson, on an episode of "Sesame Street." Her career only took off from there. After racking up a number of credits in TV and movies, she joined the Hallmark family in 2015. Less than a decade later, she signed a multi-picture deal with Crown Media Family Networks. She's spent the bulk of her life in front of the camera, and she's all too familiar with the pressure women in the industry face to look "ageless." 

In 2024, ahead of her 60th birthday, Peete shared an Instagram video about anti-aging products — and yes, she appeared totally sans makeup. "I'm pushing back on aging. That's right, I'm doing it," the actor said. "For me, the neck was the first to go." She shared that she's a fan of products from Dr. Kay Durairaj's line, including a glycolic acid cleanser and a vitamin C serum. "You know, this aging thing, there's nothing wrong with it. It's totally natural...but there's also nothing wrong with putting up a little fight," she said.

In 2023, the actor revealed that her skincare routine also included lemon and essential oils. "I'm also really into steaming my face," Peete shared with New Beauty. "Once a month, I also treat myself to an anti-aging facial at Brook Willaims." And so far, her skin has been very "cooperative." "My skin is hanging in there!"

Tamera Mowry-Housley has been a beauty icon since the '90s when she rose to fame starring alongside her twin sister in "Sister, Sister," and her look usually includes a full face of makeup. When she's not working, however, she keeps it fresh. Mowry-Housley, who officially joined Hallmark in 2020, often posts videos and pictures on Instagram without her makeup on. It should come as little surprise, but she's gorgeous without makeup, too. 

"People say I still look young, and I'm aging backward," Mowry-Housley told Rolling Out. She dished that Supergoop! sunscreen has been a fixture of her routine for years. "I think wearing sunscreen is what's helped me," she said, while also stressing that drinking a lot of water is important for the skin.

In 2019, the star posted a YouTube video about her skincare routine. "I can wear a lot of makeup," the star said, and most of the products she used were to take the heavy makeup off effectively. To fully remove the residue from her eye makeup, Mowry-Housley's secret weapon is coconut oil. She also used iS Clinical Pro-Heal Serum Advance+, which was her favorite at the time. "I am in love, like this thing is my boyfriend...it helps your skin get that extra glow, and at the same time, they help get rid of fine lines and wrinkles," she said. 

The "Wonder Years" star Danica McKellar was in a number of Hallmark Christmas and romance movies between 2015 and 2021, including "You, Me & the Christmas Tree," "Matchmaker Mysteries: A Fatal Romance," and "Very, Very, Valentine." She left Hallmark and signed a muti-picture deal with Great American Family Channel in 2021. Her charming demeanor and versatile look makes her a chameleon on-screen, being able to rock a wide range of roles. Off-screen, Danica McKellar has a natural glow that would be a shame to be hidden away by makeup. To celebrate her 47th birthday in 2022, the star shared a photo of her taken fresh after showering on Instagram. "If there's any secret I've found to youth, it's in the attitude," the star shared in the caption. She has been keeping her vibe high. "Our minds and bodies are inextricably connected. I've found when I eat well and get enough rest and exercise, I have so much more access to that inner joy that makes life fun!"

In 2025, the star shared an updated free-makeup look on Instagram with her resting in bed on her 50th birthday. In the snap, her fresh face is beaming. "Woke up feeling so blessed on this next trip around the sun. So grateful to God for healthy family & friends, for a career I love, and for all of you!!" she wrote in the caption alongside the hashtag #nofilter.

Before dazzling everyone with graceful wavy grey hair and a black dress on the red carpet of the 76th Cannes Film Festival in 2023, rom-com icon Andie MacDowell was spotted out and about rocking a casual, cozy-looking outfit and a beige purse while being makeup-free. The then 64-year-old star wasn't shy about showing off her natural beauty. In a 2023 interview with People, the star opened up about self-love and turning 65. "There is this time period between 40 and 60 that I think women in the business can struggle because they don't know what to do," she stated, noting she too had a hard time with aging. "I was struggling, and I'm much more comfortable with where I am right now," she said.

MacDowell decided to borrow the attitude men have toward aging, despite the expectations society has long placed on women with regards to physical appearance. "Men are seen as really sexy when they start to get wrinkles," she told the outlet. "[Women] don't allow ourselves to feel good about ourselves and we even perceive [older men] as sexy, because we've been taught this." As for her truth, it's simple. "I love being an older woman. I really enjoy it. And it doesn't feel less sexy," she said. 

2023 also marked the year MacDowell returned to Hallmark. She played Del Landry in "The Way Home," which called for her to play a younger version of the role. The star used wigs, certain body language, and a totally different voice to help get into character. 

Candace Cameron Bure, who first became a household name thanks to the beloved sitcom "Full House," ruled the Hallmark Channel for 13 years. She not only appeared in 10 Christmas movies, but took on the titular role in 18 "Aurora Teagarden Mysteries" films. Given her line of work, she's no stranger to spending time in a makeup chair and looking oh-so glam. However, when she's relaxing at home, she is not opposed to rocking a more understated vibe. 

Bure has shared a number of videos and photos on social media where she's wearing little to no makeup. Occasionally, she uses her makeup-free face to promote products. In 2018, for example, the star shared a Facebook video she filmed first thing in the morning. "You are seeing me fresh-faced, I have no makeup on, I have nothing on my skin right now" she began. The star then went on to talk about Dr. Lance's "The Method," which consists of an anti-aging moisturizer, a foaming cleanser, and an exfoliating skin polish. "I've been seeing my dermatologist Dr. Lancer for 10 years and this is the base of my skincare regimen," she stated. The TV star told New Beauty that when she doesn't want to wear makeup, Lancer Dani Glowing Skin Protector is what she uses.

Since Autumn Reeser made her Hallmark debut in the 2012 film "Love at the Thanksgiving Parade," she has been a staple of the channel. Her latest Hallmark film, "Junebug," saw the actor putting on a book editor's hat while on a journey to reconnect with her younger self. "I love to act because I love trying on other people's skin," the actor told Seventeen. 

Growing up in Southern California, Reeser is deeply connected to nature. The mother of two is big on leading an authentic life. She has had no issues sharing photos of her natural face on social media over the years. In 2019, the star took to Instagram to share a selfie she snapped at Moro Canyon and wrote, "No: makeup, filter, bad vibes. Yes: golden lighting from the setting sun + delighting in all the beauty on our planet." 

In a 2019 interview with Green Child Magazine, she shared that when she was already years into her career, she turned her focus inward. "So much of the life I was living at 30 didn't feel authentic to who I am or what I value," she said. However, remembering to stay true to herself has been a total game changer. "The point of the whole game is to remember who you are... and who you've always been," she wrote in another makeup-free post in 2024.

Kimberly Williams-Paisley, who got her big break in the "Father of the Bride" franchise, has starred in and produced several Hallmark projects. Perhaps most notably, she played witty screenwriter Eleanor in the 2017 Hallmark Hall of Fame movie "The Christmas Train." In real life, Williams-Paisley has no problem showing off her natural look. In 2024, the star shared a makeup-free selfie she took while sitting in a hospital bed after undergoing a laryngoplasty to repair her vocal cord. "Almost two years ago I lost my voice on stage at my Alzheimer's event in Nashville. It was embarrassing & scary & it never quite came back," she wrote. 

The star completed her look with leopard-print glasses, which can be spotted in her other makeup-free photos on Instagram. A proud all-natural star, the "A Nashville Christmas Carol" star told New You that she didn't believe in cosmetic surgery. "I'm a filler virgin," she said. "We're few and far between — especially actors." She told the outlet that she was proud of the natural lines in her face and other signs of age. "Your face is a reflection on the life you have lived. ... I think it might be more that I'm afraid of putting chemicals and fillers into my forehead," she said, noting that she prefers using tinted moisturizer, sunscreen, and mascara. "I love my mascara. I look more awake and fresh," she said. Clearly, she prefers to keep her daily glam a simple affair.