Bare-faced beauties! Miss England hopefuls share makeup-free selfies for round promoting natural beauty - after organisers became concerned over the amount of Botox and fillers

Selection of 34 Miss England contestants ditched cosmetics for a photoshoot
Women who have progressed through virtual regional heats posed bare faced
Organisers will see how aspiring beauty queens look without make-up or filters
Images include reigning Miss England, working NHS doctor Bhasha Mukherjee

By MONICA GREEP FOR MAILONLINE

PUBLISHED: 11:48 GMT, 5 March 2021 | UPDATED: 12:32 GMT, 5 March 2021

Miss England contestants have posed without any make-up or filters in a round of the competition that promotes natural beauty.

This year's 34 regional finalists - including reigning Miss England and NHS doctor Dr Bhasha Mukherjee - have uploaded make-up free selfies to social media which the public can now vote on.

The no make-up round was first introduced by the pageant two years ago as a way to promote a more realistic body image, but contestant say the initiative is all the more fitting this year as it highlights the reality of lockdown.

Miss England organiser, Angie Beasley, said the round was introduced after she became shocked at the amount of young contestants undergoing lip filler treatments and Botox.

Footballer and Miss Worcester Erin Smith, 18, says the bare face round is an opportunity for everyone to 'glow in their most natural forms'

The no make-up round was first introduced by the pageant two years ago as a way to promote a more realistic body image. Pictured, Miss Durham, Olivia Bulmer with (right) and without makeup

The winner of the Bare Face No Make Up round will be fast-tracked into the top 10 for the final this summer and win £500 worth of gifts.

NHS doctor Bhasha, 24, from Derby, has been Miss England for the past two years and returned from India to the UK to answer the government's call for retired and junior doctors back in April.

She has since worked tirelessly throughout the pandemic treating patients at Boston Pilgrim Hospital in Lincolnshire and Derby Royal Hospital.

The doctor told how lockdown has helped people appreciate true beauty rather than the 'shallow and superficial', and that it's 'all too easy to get dolled up' to feel glamorous.

contestant say the initiative is all the more fitting this year as it highlights the reality of lockdown. Pictured L-R Constance Iloghu, from South London

Pictured, Natasha Chittoo, an Imperial College medical student without makeup (left) and in her competition finery (right)

Reigning Miss England Dr Bhasha also took part in the challenge, sharing her selfie (left)

'Women and men, frontliners, including myself, have had to hide behind layers of PPE', she said.

'Across the world, everyone has had to don a face covering so make up has gone out of the window. It's been a year of appreciating the deep and meaningful rather than the shallow and superficial.

'The no makeup round, first established by Miss England in 2019 the year I won was a novel round and a concept much ahead of its time. It's all too easy to get dolled up.

'In this round the Miss England competition empowers young women to face the judges in their own naked, unadulterated skin and own up to their exterior flaws.

'The real question still remains, if we took all the pretty glamorous layers away, or, at a time like now would you still be beautiful?'

Footballer and Miss Worcester Erin Smith, 18, says the bare face round is an opportunity for everyone to 'glow in their most natural forms'.

The round was introduced after the Miss England became shocked at the amount of young contestants undergoing lip filler treatments and even Botox. Pictued, Keflyn Sachar from Middlesex

Pictured left, Miss Cornwall, Megan Blamey. Pictured right, contestant Rheanna Cartier from the Cotswolds

The winner of the Bare Face No Make Up round will be fast-tracked into the top 10 for the final this summer and win £500 worth of gifts. Pictured, Miss Liverpool, Poppy Gerrard

'Over the last 16 months, I have learnt to love every single imperfection. I feel beautiful with or without makeup and to me, that is an amazing thing.'

Isabelle Wheatley, 22, who works for cosmetic retailer Lush, said: 'It gives finalists a great opportunity to get everyone used to seeing all the real, unfiltered and Bare faced beauties we have in Miss England.'

Miss York and Politics and Modern History student Elizabeth Martin, 21, added: 'The make-up free round of the Miss England competition is really important. It shows young people today that beauty isn't a straight-forward concept.

'Young people need to be raised in a society where their beauty comes from their imperfections, their joy and what they give back to the world and those around them.'

Miss Northamptonshire and motorsport test technician Ellie Pacey, 21, said she loved taking part in the round because it showed who she 'truly is everyday'.

'With no mask of makeup to hide behind people get to see me and I think it should be seen as perfect to go without makeup.

'If you don't feel you want to wear it you definitely don't need it, what matters shows, no matter what you're wearing or what you look like.

'We need to inspire more to change the tradition and go to work makeup free. Let's change the beauty standard for women in work.'

Miss England is one the world's most famous beauty pageants and dates back to 1923.

The winners go on to compete in Miss World and Stephanie Hill achieved the best-ever result as the second runner-up in 2017.

Miss England is one the world's most famous beauty pageants and dates back to 1923. Pictured, opera singer Karishma Patel

Miss Northamptonshire and motorsport test technician Ellie Pacey, 21, said she loved taking part in the round because it showed who she 'truly is everyday'

This year's pandemic saw a virtual competition guarantee saw finalist of the Year awarded to army cadet Alina Green, 22, from Bracknell, Berkshire, who will go into the top ten of the 2021 Miss England finals.

Organiser Angie added of the new round: 'The month of March is where we now celebrate women's achievements so it is ideal to promote confidence in the bare face no makeup round'

'It encourages contestants to show us who they really are without the need to hide behind makeup and filters on social media.

'The contestants are at home in lockdown like all of us and this requires little effort and can all be done virtually.

'Already many are excited to take part in what they are calling an empowering round.'

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