Pamela Anderson makes emotional admission as she reveals why she stopped wearing makeup

Despite her recent fresh-faced public appearances, Pamela Anderson didn't always opt for a makeup-free look.

In fact, the 90s icon's threadbare eyebrows, darkly-lined lips, smokey shadow, and shabby-chic eyeliner was previously considered the Playboy star's signature aesthetic.

That all changed at Paris Fashion Week back in September 2023, however, after Pamela revealed that a personal conflict prompted her decision to ditch cosmetics for good...

Pamela previously donned a heavily made-up look (Sonia Moskowitz/Getty Images)

As we say, during the height of her fame, blonde bombshell Pamela could be spotted from a mile away because of her trademark appearance.

She was regularly papped at high-profile events donning an effortlessly glam yet uber-heavy makeup look, which was always paired with a chic messy bun. This look went on to inspire a TikTok trend that millions of women are still recreating to this day.

At this time, while the star was in her twenties and early thirties, Pamela's professional antics, relationship changes, and biggest controversies were ceaselessly splashed across US tabloids. Whether it was her turbulent break-up with rocker ex Tommy Lee or her overly-sexualised stint on Baywatch, it was hard to escape the Pamela craze.

No, having surpassed her mid-fifties back in July, the much-loved model has used her new makeup-free aesthetic as a means of separating herself from the woman she used to be.

Pamela's relationship with Tommy Lee regularly hit headlines (S. Granitz/WireImage)

Speaking to the Sunday Times recently about her decision to bid adieu to cosmetics, she reflected on her younger years - particularly her highly-publicised relationship.

"I created this character to combat or to cover up a lot of my disappointment in things that have happened along the way," the former TV star admitted.

Now, Pamela hopes to remain an example to her two sons, Brandon, 28, and Dylan, 26 - both of whom she shares with former flame Tommy.

"Now I’m playing myself. Now I feel more myself than ever," she added. "[They] probably don’t feel they have to defend their mom anymore.

"My public perception has changed and you don’t realize how much that affects your children.

"I think they feel a lot more comfortable now too, looking at me at this point in my life,” Anderson said. “It has been a journey for all of us, but we’re all in a better place now."

Pamela has ditched cosmetics altogether (Jason Koerner/Getty Images)

The mother-of-two previously spoke to ELLE about another reason she started going bare-faced to red carpet events, attributing the decision to the fact that her friend and makeup artist, Alexis Vogel, passed away from breast cancer in 2019.

"She was the best. And since then, I just felt, without Alexis, it's just better for me not to wear makeup," she said.