Christina Aguilera took off her makeup, and the transformation was powerful.

Mark Shrayber
03.27.18

Most everybody knows what Christina Aguilera looks like.

The singer has never shied away from big looks. (Did you see her on the season 10 premiere of "RuPaul's Drag Race"?)

But there's a side you probably haven't seen of Aguilera no matter how long you've been a fan (and her career has spanned over two decades).

In the March issue of Paper magazine — with the theme of transformations — Aguilera went "Back to Basics" and "Stripped" off her makeup for the cover. No heavy lipstick or eyeliner here. Instead, the singer, who's known for her constant reinvention, opted for a dewy, natural look that's gorgeous but almost unrecognizable.

hi mom @papermagazine #Transformation #xtinaPAPER

A post shared by Christina Aguilera (@xtina) on

Who knew that Christina Aguilera had freckles? Certainly not the internet, which quickly exploded with support for Aguilera's cover.

But don't let the awe Aguilera's photo inspired get in the way of her message.

While the singer doesn't want us to "get it twisted" about her loving a "beat face" — she appears in avant-garde makeup throughout the rest of her Paper photoshoot and makes it clear that makeup/no makeup isn't a debate but a valid, personal choice. She told reporter Marie Lodi that appearing sans her signature dramatic look is liberating for her. Especially at a time in her career where she's poised to reinvent herself once more.

"I've always been someone that obviously loves to experiment, loves theatrics, loves to create a storyline and play a character in a video or through stage," Aguilera told Paper. "I'm a performer, that's who I am by nature. But I'm at the place, even musically, where it's a liberating feeling to be able to strip it all back and appreciate who you are and your raw beauty."

Christina Aguilera for Paper. Photo by Zoey Grossman.

Raw beauty, of course, can be a loaded term.

Makeup is a form of artistic expression and everyone should feel confident doing what feels best for their style and body. But Aguilera's use of the word "liberation" is an allusion to the pressure that's placed on women to look "picture perfect" all the time.

It's a message that's been echoed by many other pop stars. Demi Lovato, for example, first bared herself in 2015, when she posed nude and un-retouched for Vanity Fair to promote body positivity and loving the skin we're in. More recently, in March 2018, Lovato shot a video for Vogue where she removed everything, from her makeup to her extensions, to show exactly what it takes to get her "performance ready."

"I think society tells us we need makeovers, but why can't we embrace the beauty that we naturally have?" Lovato said of her make-under. "I love makeup. I love doing my hair; I have extensions, but there's a time and a place for everything, and natural beauty needs to be celebrated."

Aguilera has no illusions about the entertainment industry and its double standards. "Either women are not sexual enough or we're not fulfilling enough of a fantasy," she told Paper, "but then if we're overtly sexual or feeling empowered in a certain kind of way, then we're shamed for it."

She's optimistic, however, about the future, saying that the criticism she's received for taking risks has allowed others to push the envelope further. "Madonna had to go through it in her day, and she paved the way for my generation to come up," Aguilera said. "And paying it forward, now a younger generation is coming up and I'm loving what I'm seeing. It's so incredible."

Empowering words. And an important reminder that we should always be ourselves. Let Aguilera inspire you to show off your "raw beauty" — whatever its form may be — every day.

Family

Service dogs enjoy a performance of ‘Billy Elliot’ to learn how to behave in a theater

via Stratford Festival / Twitter

Service dogs are invaluable to their owners because they are able to help in so many different ways.

They're trained to retrieve dropped Items, open and close doors, help their owners remove their clothes, transport medications, navigate busy areas such as airports, provide visual assistance, and even give psychological help.

The service dog trainers at K-9 Country Inn Working Service Dogs in Canada want those who require service dogs to live the fullest life possible, so they're training dogs on how to attend a theatrical performance.

The adorable photos of the dogs made their way to social media where they quickly went viral.

On August 15, a dozen dogs from Golden Retrievers to poodles, were treated to a performance of "Billy Elliott" at the Stratford Festival in Ontario, Canada. This was a special "relaxed performance" featuring quieter sound effects and lighting, designed for those with sensory issues.

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"It's important to prepare the dogs for any activity the handler may like to attend," Laura Mackenzie, owner and head trainer at K-9 Country Inn Working Service Dogs, told CBC.

"The theater gives us the opportunity to expose the dogs to different stimuli such as lights, loud noises, and movement of varying degrees," she continued. "The dogs must remain relaxed in tight quarters for an extended period of time."

The dogs got to enjoy the show from their own seats and took a break with everyone else during intermission. They were able to familiarize themselves with the theater experience so they know how to navigate through crowds and fit into tight bathroom stalls.

via Stratford Festival / Twitter


via Stratford Festival / Twitter


via Stratford Festival / Twitter

"About a dozen dogs came to our relaxed performance, and they were all extremely well-behaved," says Stratford Festival spokesperson Ann Swerdfager. "I was in the lobby when they came in, then they took their seats, then got out of their seats at intermission and went back — all of the things we learn as humans when we start going to the theater."

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The dogs' great performance at the trial run means that people who require service animals can have the freedom to enjoy special experiences like going to the theater.

"It's wonderful that going to the theater is considered one of the things that you want to train a service dog for, rather than thinking that theater is out of reach for people who require a service animal, because it isn't," Swerdfager said.

The Stratford Festival runs through Nov. 10 and features productions of "The Merry Wives of Windsor," "The Neverending Story," "Othello," "Billy Elliot," "Little Shop of Horrors," "The Crucible" and more.

service dogs movie theatre
Inclusivity

15 'habits' of people who grew up with an 'emotionally fragile' parent

Having an emotionally fragile parent can leave lasting damage.

via The Mighty

If you grew up with an "emotionally fragile" parent, chances are, you didn't have the typical, idyllic childhood you often see in movies.

Maybe your parent lived with debilitating depression that thrust you into the role of caregiver from a very young age.

Maybe your parent was always teetering on the edge of absolute rage, so you learned to tiptoe around them to avoid an explosion. Or maybe your parent went through a divorce or separation, and leaned on you for more emotional support than was appropriate to expect of a child.

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Need to relax? Try jasmine, which may be as effective as a sedative, study claims

Photo by Artem Beliaikin on Unsplash

Jasmine has been used as a natural treatment for depression, anxiety, and stress for thousands of years. Oil from the plant has also been used to treat insomnia and PMS, and is considered a natural aphrodisiac. It turns out, our ancestor's instincts to slather on the oil when they wanted a little R&R were correct.

A study, published in the Journal of Biological Chemistry, and according to Professor Hanns Hatt of the Ruhr University in Bochum, Germany, revealed that jasmine can calm you down when you're feeling anxious.The results can "be seen as evidence of a scientific basis for aromatherapy."

"Instead of a sleeping pill or a mood enhancer, a nose full of jasmine from Gardenia jasminoides could also help, according to researchers in Germany. They have discovered that the two fragrances Vertacetal-coeur (VC) and the chemical variation (PI24513) have the same molecular mechanism of action and are as strong as the commonly prescribed barbiturates or propofol," says the study.

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Nature