What The Leading Ladies From Friends Look Like Going Makeup Free

We may receive a commission on purchases made from links.

The leading ladies of "Friends" were always fully made up when starring on the hugely popular sitcom. Robin Siegel, who served as the department head of makeup for nine seasons, was all about matte skin (which was so hot in the '90s), brown and red lipsticks, and healthy-looking blush. Siegel even shared with Cosmopolitan a few of the products she used (or items similar to the ones she used) to get Courteney Cox into character as Monica Geller, Jennifer Aniston as Rachel Green, and Lisa Kudrow as Phoebe Buffay. Amongst them, Laura Mercier's Translucent Loose Setting Powder, Kevyn Aucoin's The Volume Mascara, and Urban Decay's 24/7 Glide-On Waterproof Eyeliner Pencil in Smog.

But just because we got used to seeing these characters all gussied up doesn't mean the sitcom's female cast members have the same approach to cosmetics. In fact, Kudrow would often be au naturel on the "Friends" set when the cameras weren't rolling. "I rehearsed without makeup most of the week," she said on "Watch What Happens Live" (via Entertainment Tonight). Aniston's comfort level with being bare-faced developed more over time, though. "Back in the day, people would say I looked better without makeup. It took me a while to feel comfortable enough to remove that armor, but I eventually realized they were right," Aniston, who's seriously influenced the beauty world, told Cosmopolitan in 2017. Cox had a similarly evolving makeup mantra, telling ReallyRee, "... As we get older, it's kind of better to wear less makeup." Lucky for us, Kudrow, Aniston, and Cox have all put their money where their mouths are and have proudly shown us via social media what they look like underneath cosmetics. And they're all stunning.

Courteney Cox is gorgeous without makeup, even though it's tough for her to go totally makeup-free — she told British Vogue that she got blue eyeliner tattooed on her lids (but regretted it). In 2025, though, Cox — who's admitted to a few cosmetic procedures — shared an Instagram selfie showing off her glowing skin and a healthy-looking, hydrated shine without concealer or foundation. Cox had a little redness around her eyes and a red mark on her nose, which made her even more relatable. "The most real person ever," one person commented.

Jennifer Aniston ditched the cosmetics while spending time with her long-time hair stylist, Chris McMillan, in 2013. McMillan posted an adorable snap with the "Marley & Me" actor on Instagram, writing, "Best #friends #no makeup #girl-time." Courteney Cox's real-life bestie had flawless skin without a dry patch or dark spot in sight, which may be partly down to the Tatcha The Serum Stick (which her facialist, Joanna Czech, told InStyle she's a fan of). Aniston also had a natural, healthy flush to her cheeks and freckles across her nose.

In 2021, Phoebe Buffay actor Lisa Kudrow looked beautiful going makeup-free in an Instagram video. The star hilariously recreated a scene from "Friends" in which Phoebe misheard Elton John lyrics, but we were more distracted by her immaculate skin. She wasn't showing any signs of hyperpigmentation or redness, but we could relate to the slight dark circles under her eyes without concealer and thinner brows sans brow pencil. Like us, fans couldn't get enough of her natural vibe, with one follower commenting, "She['s] still beautiful."