Christina Aguilera is completely stripped down.

The same singer known for her love of dark black eye liner, contoured cheeks and even a Moulin Rouge-style bold red lip, just reinvented her beauty look. The 37-year-old mother-of-two, who is working on a new album, took off all her makeup, exposing her freckles and fresh-faced complexion in a gorgeous new shoot.

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On the cover of Paper Magazine‘s latest issue, Aguilera, who first debuted a minimalistic makeup look at the American Music Awards in November, poses without a stitch of makeup. The star flaunts her bright blue eyes and freckled skin, a move that she says she finds freeing at this time in her life.

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“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,” she tells 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.”

But the shoot also includes over-the-top eye shadow looks, smudged red lipstick and more — so don’t think for a second that makeup-loving Aguilera has left the building.

“I mean, I’m a girl that likes a beat face, let’s not get it twisted,” she quips.

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Back in the day, she was all about the glamour — from full faces of makeup to elaborate wigs and beyond. And she’s so comfortable in her faux hair that she says she’s borrowed her hairstylists’ wigs to wear in bed.