Ricki-Lee Coulter: Star Stripped Bare

When WHO asked three of Australia's most loved stars to pose like they never had before - sans makeup - they didn't hesitate.

But the task called for a little Dutch courage from the celebrities, singer and broadcaster Ricki-Lee Coulter, TV host Johanna Griggs and actress Lisa McCune.

"I was a little nervous because the public are used to seeing you in a certain light - very glamorous - and you're always wearing makeup and dressed up and styled," says Coulter, 24, who is now happy to expose her freckles after years of "caking on makeup" to cover them up.

In the end, rather than feeling vulnerable, Coulter felt empowered. "It was liberating because I love wearing no makeup and I'm very comfortable in my own skin," says the Nova 969 Sydney breakfast host whose single "Can't Touch It" features on the Sex and the City 2 soundtrack. "It was really nice being able to just sit in front of the camera and feel natural and beautiful and not have a million people fussing over you."

Not having the usual hour or two of grooming was a welcome change. "It was definitely the most relaxed shoot I've ever done and probably the quickest," says Coulter, with a laugh. "It was actually really nice not to worry about hair and makeup and sitting in the chair for a couple of hours being done up."

Mother of three McCune, who has sensitive skin, isn't as concerned as she used to be when it flares up. "I'm too busy and find that having kids and being busy with work I don't notice and look as much any more," says the Sea Patrol star, 39. "I just get on with it and I think that that's actually better."

Former professional swimmer Griggs, 36, is concerned about the years she spent in the sun. "I notice pigment damage and I've found skin cancers on my arms so I go for regular check ups every 12 months," says the Better Homes and Gardens host and Seven Sydney's Weekend News presenter.

For the photos of a make-up free Coulter, Griggs and McCune - and Heidi Klum, Diane Kruger, Ashley Greene and more - plus their other skin secrets, see this week's issue of WHO, on sale now.

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Photograph by Chris Colls