Pamela Anderson has revealed why she first went makeup-free on the red carpet – and it's so endearing
Speaking to Anita Rani at the Soho Summit, the actor and activist shared the spontaneous decision that shifted how the world saw her
Pamela Anderson has previously spoken about finding herself again through nature – a process she describes as “peeling everything back”. It makes Soho Farmhouse, set in the Cotswolds countryside, a fitting backdrop for the actress, activist and author to reflect on that journey.
There for the bi-annual Soho Summit, she sat down with broadcaster Anita Rani to discuss her recent acting roles, the ethos behind her skincare brand Sonsie, as well as her decision to go makeup free.
“I didn't want to sit in a makeup chair for three hours when I could be at the Louvre,” she tells Anita, reflecting on the first time she went bare-faced at Paris Fashion Week in 2023. “Everybody said ‘you can't do that’, but once I heard that, I became a rebel.”
Article continues belowPamela Anderson on her 'rebellious' decision to go makeup free
She admits she didn’t think anyone would notice. “When people started coming up to me and talking about it, I thought, well, this is a great message,” she said in a 2024 appearance on The Drew Barrymore Show.
As much as it was a rebellious move, and one that challenged the status quo, the decision runs deeper. It marked the first step in letting go of the image she had long held of herself, something she has often described as a “cartoon character”. “I found I played characters my whole life,” she said. “It just hit me a couple of years ago…who am I?”
In search of that answer, she returned to her grandmother’s farm in Colorado. “I went back to peel it all away and remember who I was. The trees have known me since birth, so I can't hide away,” she told Anita. Her return to nature also helped shape her beauty brand, Sonsie – a pared-back, cruelty-free and natural skincare collection with a focus on simplicity, ingredient transparency and formulas suited to sensitive skin.
Her favourite product in the range? She can’t be without the Basic Balm; she even applied it mid-interview on an appearance on Watch What Happens Live. Other reported Pamela Anderson skincare staples include the NUXE Very Rose Refreshing Toning Mist.
Anderson has also been clear she’s not interested in 'anti-ageing'. “It’s funny, because I’m not chasing youth,” she tells Anita. Now, she says she’s in a very different place and is happy on her own, with an exciting pipeline of new projects ahead. “This feels like just the beginning.”
