Bare: A photo essay by Kimberly Dovi sharing beauty without the makeup.

A portrait series inspired by a spread in Darling Magazine and the beauty that every woman holds. Every woman in this series came together to share their personality as they are, bare, without makeup.

A raw idea of photographing women without makeup on turned into the beginning of something special no more than 24 hours later.

My dad always told me growing up, “people who wear a lot of makeup have a lot to hide” and meant it in the way of advising me that, yes, I am beautiful with it, but more importantly I’m beautiful without it. Kamrin Baker, a woman featured in this first set, explained BARE’s goal is “not to make a statement about makeup but to claim our space in a world where our expectation is perfection.” That is my hope. That is the purpose. Makeup has its time and place and has so many incredible reasons to be utilized and played with (and is truly an art form), but underneath it all is what we always have to work with - our bare, beautiful, and brilliant ever-evolving canvas.

Living and letting our true beauty shine, without coverup or touch up, can be normal. And if for no other purpose, these images are for THE WOMEN to have as a reminder today, tomorrow, or 5, 15, 20 years from now what they looked like in a brief moment in time, but in a complete state of natural being.

Thank you to these incredible nine women for showing up, for showing up with no makeup on, and for truly showing up in your bare and most beautiful state.

It’s hard sometimes being comfortable in our own skin - heck - it’s hard for ME to be comfortable and confident in MY OWN skin sometimes. but it’s me, it’s natural, and it’s beautiful. it’s YOU, it’s natural, and YOU ARE BEAUTIFUL.

Kimberly Dovi is a lifestyle, editorial and portrait photographer based in Omaha, NE.

Read more of her stories.