The Marvel Cinematic Universe is full of smart and beautiful female characters, portrayed by some amazing actresses. Due to the roles they play in Marvel’s blockbuster movies, we are used to seeing these actresses as their characters appear in the comics and films. However, let’s not forget that every single one of these women has a career and a life outside of the Marvel universe!
These modern-day super-heroines are loved and admired by people all over the world, and in addition to them portraying extremely strong characters, they tend to alter their appearances entirely to fit the role. But, when they remove the mask and no one’s watching, do they still look as stunning? You’re about to find out!
Karen Gillan, Nebula, Age 31
Scarlett Johansson Without Makeup Is Unrecognizable >>
Fans of the movie, Guardians of the Galaxy definitely remember who Nebula is; the part-cyborg supervillain played by Karen Gillan. Nebula is still a relatively new character in the movie Marvel Universe and she is actually the adopted sister of the previously mentioned Gamora.
Karen definitely knows how to get dolled up, as she often lets her long red hair down and wears bright red lipstick. But when she decides to just go natural she looks much younger and her freckles are present. She wins either way and we approve!
Jennifer Garner, Elektra, Age 47
What’s interesting about Elektra is that she’s the character you love, or maybe love to hate, depending on where you’ve seen her. She’s one of Marvel’s superheroes, but there are also moments when she is one of the villains. We saw Elektra In the 2003 movie Daredevil, and again in 2005 in the movie, Elektra, being played by Jennifer Garner.
Jennifer Garner is one of the most successful actresses on this list and is recognized for her undeniable flair. She definitely knows how to make her features pop when she applies rouge and when she wears none, her wrinkles are evident. But, let’s remember, this star is 47 and still looks gorgeous when au naturel.
Kirsten Dunst, Mary Jane Watson, Age 37
Doesn’t everyone love Spider-Man? The heroic story of Peter Parker being bitten by a radioactive spider has been adapted quite a few times, so it’s important to say which version of Spider-Man we’re talking about. Let’s start chronologically, with the one where Tobey Maguire played our superhero, and Kirsten Dunst played his leading lady, Mary Jane Watson.
Marvel definitely made the right choice casting Kirsten Dunst as the charming love interest. When Kirsten has a full-face look and her usual rich blonde hair color, she reminds us of an elegant actress from the golden age of cinema. When she goes bare-faced her skin is paler in comparison and her features appear smaller.
Krysten Ritter, Jessica Jones, Age 37
Fans of the comic books knew about Jessica Jones long before the character got her own Netflix original show where she is portrayed by the beautiful Krysten Ritter. Jessica has superhuman strength and is an extraordinary detective which makes her an impressive superhero.
Krysten Ritter seems to be attracted to roles where she gets to play tough characters, as she also appeared in the hit drama series Breaking Bad as Jane. Whether Krysten is dressed for an event or not, she’s an edgy woman, but she looks more alluring and like a model when she’s all powdered-up.
Zoe Saldana, Gamora, Age 41
You may not immediately recognize her from the Marvel Universe, as she is fully disguised by makeup when playing the role of Gamora, but Zoe Saldana has always had a love for action movies. After all, we’ve seen her in Star Trek, Avatar and the movie in question here, Guardians of the Galaxy.
The last time she reprised her role of Gamora was for Avengers: Endgame in 2019. However, when she’s not rocking her famous green skin, we’re able to see that her natural one is clearly perfect. Not only has she just passed the 40-year mark, but she also looks breathtaking doing so!
Brie Larson, Captain Marvel, Age 29
While the year 2019 marked the heartbreaking end of Iron-Man and the regress of Captain America, it introduced the extraordinary rise of Captain Marvel, which starred Brie Larson as the powerful heroine. It’s an understatement to say that fans were excited to see this character brought to life.
As it’s clearly visible, Brie doesn’t need cosmetics to look as pretty as she does on-screen. Not only is she a force to be reckoned with but she is also effortlessly beautiful. Her upcoming project after finishing Captain Marvel and Avengers: Endgame is going to be the movie Just Mercy to be released in 2020.
Kate Mara, The Invisible Woman, Age 36
The Fantastic Four truly was an amazing film with some unique superheroes fighting together as one team, but right now we’re placing focus on the character of Sue Storm, also known as The Invisible Woman. This impressive character is presented by the beautiful Kate Mara.
Kate is no stranger to blockbuster movies. She starred in the critically acclaimed thriller, The Martian, where she worked alongside Matt Damon. Even then it was clear to see that Kate is a classic beauty, and she still looks stunning, even without foundation and other beauty products.
Elizabeth Olsen, Scarlet Witch, Age 30
There are a few Marvel Universe characters who were a bit of a mystery to some fans until they got the chance to be in a movie. One of those characters is Wanda Maximoff, better known as Scarlet Witch. This sorceress has the ability to alter anyone’s perception of reality and she first appeared in Captain America: The Winter Soldier.
Scarlet Witch is played by the gifted actress, Elizabeth Olsen. While we love to see Elizabeth all glammed up and ready for the red carpet, without the added aesthetics, her flawless pastel skin makes her look delicate yet pretty at the same time. Plus, doesn’t she have the sweetest smile ever? We definitely think so.
Ellen Page, Kitty Pryde, Age 32
The role of Kitty Pryde in the X-Men movies is portrayed by the actress Ellen Page, who first made her debut in X-Men: The Last Stand. She played the character again when she returned in X-Men: Days of Future Past. She is an important part of the team because of her powers that allow her to run through walls, floors, and ceilings.
Before starring in X-Men, Ellen was in the hit indie film, Juno and has won a Best Actress award for her role in the drama The Tracey Fragments. When Ellen decides against beauty products and poses with a tousled hairstyle, I’m sure we can agree she looks like a tom-boy, a very adorable one too.
Anna Paquin, Rogue, Age 36
Rogue is another young mutant who is led by Professor Xavier and is a part of his school for mutants. In the movie X-Men: The Last Stand, she joins the rest of the mutants in the X-Men squad where they battle against the rebels.
Played by Anna Paquin, Rogue’s superpower is that she has the ability to suck the energy out of anything she touches. When she’s rocking lip gloss, blush and eyeliner, Anna looks photo-shoot ready, but without the aesthetics, she’s still a beauty; her eyes, always the center of attention.
Halle Berry, Storm, Age 52
Some superheroes aren’t only good at using their powers for fighting evil, some are also born to be leaders. One of these strong leaders is Storm, played by the beautiful Halle Berry. Her name, Storm, perfectly describes her supernatural talents: she conjures up thunderstorms out of nowhere and is a sassy yet vital part of the X-Men team.
Whether you’ve seen Halle in Gothika where she played Miranda, or in Die Another Day where she was Jinx, you can’t deny that she is drop-dead gorgeous, especially when she goes for a dewy everyday look. Even at age 52, she shows no signs of needing cosmetic surgery.
Evangeline Lilly, The Wasp, Age 39
When we were first introduced to Hope Van Dyne she was played by Evangeline Lilly in the superhero movie Ant-man where she acted alongside Paul Rudd. Hope Van Dyne didn’t turn into the “Wasp” until the 2018 sequel, Ant-Man and the Wasp.
Evangeline is a Canadian born model turned actress. When she’s not wearing rouge, her freckles and rosy cheeks are on display, and her green eyes pop, as there’s no lip product for competition. Her breakout role was in 2004 when she played Kate Austen in the popular sci-fi TV show, Lost.
Jennifer Lawrence, Mystique, Age 28
Mystique, in the older X-Men films, was portrayed by Rebecca Romijn, and even though she was great in the role, when the time came to make new movies with the character’s origin stories, the role had to be recast. The opportunity went to the beloved actress, Jennifer Lawrence.
Jennifer looks royal when she’s flaunting sleek eyebrows and a bold lip color. As Mystique, despite having blue, spotted skin, her pretty face shines through. However, minus the makeover, she looks like a youthful and cute college student. Her most famous role was as Katniss Everdeen in the young adult trilogy The Hunger Games.
Famke Janssen, Jean Grey or Phoenix, Age 54
Jean Grey is one of the strongest mutants to ever grace the pages of the X-Men comics. She has a type of split personality and that’s what makes the difference between Jean Grey and Phoenix. Jean is the tame side of her, the one she can control, and Phoenix is her wild and often very deadly side.
Famke Janssen brought Phoenix and her wrath to life in X - Men: The Last Stand, where she joins forces with Magneto in his war against regular humans. The major change seen when Famke wears makeup is the glow she receives when wearing it. Her eyes glisten and she looks even more pleasant.
Scarlett Johansson, Black Widow, Age 34
Even though most people know this character simply as the Black Widow, her name is actually Natasha Romanoff and she is one of the most important, as well as most interesting characters you can find in the Marvel film series. Her last appearance was in the film Avengers: Endgame.
Black Widow is famously portrayed by Scarlett Johansson and we could never imagine anyone else in the role. Scarlett is as pretty as a picture and almost looks 10 years younger when she’s not in glam mode, as if she could be her own little sister. It makes us wonder what skin care products she uses in her daily routine.
Cobie Smulders, Maria Hill, Age 37
Maria Hill, played by Cobie Smulders, is the confident high-profile commander in the SHIELD organization when we were first introduced to her in the Avengers films. Later, Maria would go on to become SHIELD’s leading operations director after the death of Nick Fury.
You may also be familiar with Cobie as Robin on the sitcom How I Met Your Mother. Like others on this list, she too looks more youthful when she’s not dolled-up. She almost slightly looks like a different person, as her face appears fuller and her eyes wider, when she’s not contouring or wearing eye shadow.
Jaimie Alexander, Lady Sif, Age 35
How could we talk about strong and powerful women in the Marvel Universe, without mentioning Lady Sif from Thor? This Asgardian warrior, played by Jaimie Alexander is also Thor’s lover whom she often fights next to in battles.
Once in an interview, Jaimie expressed how excited she was to land the role, but we believe Chris Hemsworth was the lucky one because she is indeed a stunner. When she’s more laid back and not red carpet ready she’s a pleasant beauty. When glamorous, she’s so charming it’s almost intimidating.
Zoe Kravitz, Angel Salvadore, Age 30
The first time we’re introduced to Angel Salvadore, played by Zoe Kravitz, is in the movie X-Men: First Class where she’s one of the young new mutant recruits. Zoe has not only appeared in the X-Men franchise but also in the popular young adult movie Divergent where she played Christina, one of the main character’s best friends.
Zoe Kravitz is known for having an impeccable bone structure, making her effortlessly gorgeous. However, she looks much more fierce and daring when her features are outlined by makeup. When they’re not, she seems to have more of a babyface and looks quite young.
January Jones, Emma Frost, Age 41
In the X-Men film series, Emma Frost has similar powers to the ones Professor X does, since she has the ability to read minds. Just like her name would suggest, she has the ability to turn anything to frost. In X-Men: First Class, we see her next to Sebastian Shawn, the villain who has the power to consume energy, where she is his sidekick.
Emma is played by January Jones; the star with million-dollar teeth and piercing ocean blue eyes. Her eyes though, slightly fade into the background when she wears cosmetics and she looks older as well. Otherwise, her skin tone appears much cooler, younger and refined.
Gwyneth Paltrow, Pepper Potts, Age 46
No relationship is easy and everyone knows that it takes effort to make them work. Now imagine what it would be like to be in a relationship with a superhero. Well, that’s what Pepper Potts’ life looks like since she is the girlfriend of Tony Stark, also known as Ironman.
Gwyneth also played Margot in the comedy-drama The Royal Tenenbaums and Rosemary in the romantic comedy Shallow Hal. When she wears rouge she actually looks more fresh-faced; her face is brightened. Without it, we see her soft-hued complexion on full display, along with her naturally reddish cheekbones.
Emma Stone, Gwen Stacy, Age 30
Now that we’ve covered Spider-Man starring Tobey Maguire, it’s time we talked about the version starring Andrew Garfield. However, in this adaptation, Peter Parker isn’t dating Mary Jane Watson, but Gwen Stacy, his girlfriend from earlier editions of the comic books. Here, she is played by the lovely Emma Stone.
When we see Emma, we see a timeless beauty. We can imagine how breathtaking she will look as she gets older. Makeup does enhance Emma’s facial features and allows her green eyes to stand out while looking sharp. When she’s not wearing it, her eyes appear fuller and her cheekbones are not as profound.
Natalie Portman, Jane Foster, Age 38
Let’s revisit the world of Thor and talk about Jane Foster. In the comics, Jane Foster is someone who eventually becomes worthy of wielding Thor’s hammer and became Thor herself in the process. However, in the film adaptation, Jane is just a scientist who helps Thor out and later becomes his girlfriend.
Since her acting debut in the 1994 film, The Professional, Natalie Portman has been known throughout Hollywood for her attractive and youthful looks. When she’s glammed up, her face radiates and has more of a firm look, but when she decides to go simple, sagging skin is still no issue for her.
Hayley Atwell, Peggy Carter, Age 37
Marvel’s Captain America movie had Miss Peggy Carter as the love interest of Captain America. Unfortunately, the two of them had a sad ending when Captain America crashed on a jet plane; the 70-year-old preservation of his body that kept him alive meant that he and Peggy could never have the relationship they deserved.
Hayley Atwell was fairly new to the acting scene when she was cast to play Peggy. However, after her appearance in Captain America, the gorgeous starlet skyrocketed into fame. When she gets fancy, she looks more mature. Otherwise, she looks very young, making you wonder what her skin care regimen looks like, having such spotless skin.
Emily VanCamp, Sharon Carter, Age 33
We’ve mentioned Peggy Carter, whose relationship with Captain America had to be cut short due to the fact that he was frozen for 70 years. However, when he woke up after all that time, still as young and handsome as ever, he caught the eye of Sharon Carter, Peggy Carter’s grand-niece.
Sharon, played by Emily VanCamp, joined SHIELD and was an agent just like her great-aunt Peggy. She didn’t go full-glam in the movie, making her look like a very pretty young woman, but Emily looks much older when she wears face contouring makeup. Not that it's a bad thing; it does accentuate her eyes and her high cheekbone structure.
Olivia Munn, Psylocke, Age 39
Another Marvel character is Psylocke, a mutant villain also known as one of The Four Horsemen. As for her superpowers, she has telekinetic powers as well as the ability to create psionic weapons in the form of swords. And don’t doubt that she’s a master at what she does.
Psylocke is portrayed by the beautiful Olivia Munn. Whoever her makeup artist is, she does her justice, because her eyes, lips and cheeks are emphasized in a delightful way. Her freckles are also hidden completely and her lips are nude and appear smaller in size when she’s bare-faced. Nonetheless, Olivia is a bombshell.
Rachael Taylor, Trish Walker, Age 35
Marvel fans know Trish Walker from the Netflix original series Jessica Jones, where the character is played by Rachael Taylor. Life wasn’t always easy for Trish, as she had a difficult childhood and a tumultuous upbringing. Another one of Rachael’s most popular roles was as Dr. Lucy Fields on the hit medical drama TV show Grey’s Anatomy.
Rachael doesn’t even have to try hard to capture our attention. On-screen she is absolutely regal and sophisticated. When she tones it down, she shows off her spotless sun-kissed skin. In 2017, she shared with Beauty Crew that she avoids using too many products in her face care routine.
Danai Gurira, Okoye, Age 41
Okoye is one of the leading women in the movie Black Panther, played by Danai Gurira. This character is the head of Intel and armed forces in the Wakandan empire, as well as the general of the female bodyguard group, the Dora Milaje.
Danai rose to fame after playing Michonne in The Walking Dead. This beauty seems to age backwards. Apart from her obviously tight workout schedule that keeps her body fit, for skincare, she says her secret is a gentle cleanser and moisturizer. Her go-to statement products are simple; eyeliner, eye shadow and lip gloss.
Letitia Wright, Shuri, Age 25
We are in the presence of Black Panther royalty here, as Shuri is the Princess of Wakanda. Played by Letitia Wright, Shuri is also the leader of the Wakandan Design Group through which she has been able to lead her country into the world of modern technology. Basically, a genius.
Letitia was born in Guyana but later moved to Britain and began acting in 2011. Being so photogenic must have helped her nab some of those acting roles. She surely knows how to spruce up and shift from her innate youthful appearance. After all, she is known for setting fashion and beauty trends.
Jessica Chastain, Vuk, Age 42
One of the newly introduced characters in the Marvel Universe is Vuk, played by Jessica Chastain. Vuk made her debut in the 2019 Marvel blockbuster, Dark Phoenix. Jessica had quite a successful career even before playing the role of Vuk, making her film debut in the movie Jolene, and having participated in other movies such as Zero Dark Thirty.
Jessica shared some of her beauty essentials with Harper’s Bazaar in 2017, and she noted that she tends to focus on wearing a bold lip color, as well as drawing attention to her eyes, using lash extensions and mascara rather than fake eyelashes.
Milana Vayntrub, Squirrel Girl, Age 32
Milana Vayntrub landed the role of Squirrel Girl, also known as Doreen Green in the upcoming TV series, Marvel’s New Warriors. As her name suggests, Squirrel Girl has the ability to communicate with squirrels and use it to her advantage to defeat villains.
As Marvel Studios welcomes this talented actress, we see her continuing to grow in the industry, not just for her talent but also her pretty image. Milana tends to go for neutral colors, with concealer and light blush, but that’s enough to hide her freckled face, which actually has a natural autumn shade.