What is Pokimane No Makeup?

It is a screenshot of Twitch streamer Pokimane taken from her October 23rd, 2018 stream, during which she broadcast without cosmetics for the first time on camera.

Where did Pokimane No Makeup come from?

The image was captured during Pokimane's October 23rd, 2018 barefaced Twitch stream and spread to Twitter that same day, though the person who first posted the screenshot is not known.

What does Pokimane No Makeup mean?

Critics use it to call Pokimane unattractive or accuse her of tricking viewers with makeup, while supporters share it to argue that policing women's faces on stream is unfair.

How do you use Pokimane No Makeup?

It is typically deployed as a Twitter profile picture, a reaction image, or an exploitable Photoshop base, often with sarcastic captions about attraction.

Is Pokimane No Makeup still popular?

It saw its largest revival in February 2022 when Pokimane herself tweeted the image with the caption "this face makes more money than you'll ever see in your life," gaining over 269,000 likes in a day.

Pokimane No Makeup

2018reaction imageclassic

Published August 11, 2026

Pokimane No Makeup is a screenshot of Twitch streamer Pokimane pulled from her October 2018 barefaced broadcast. The image sparked a wave of ridicule and defense, then stuck around as a reaction picture, exploitable, and profile-swap tool used by both her critics and Pokimane herself.

streamer memes twitch streamer memes body image memes gender discourse memes exploitable templates

Overview

Pokimane No Makeup is a still image of Twitch streamer Imane "Pokimane" Anys taken from her October 23rd, 2018 broadcast, during which she streamed without cosmetics for the first time on camera1. Critics circulated the screenshot to argue she was tricking viewers by looking different off-camera, while supporters used it to call out the double standard placed on women streamers3.

The image later moved into Photoshop edits, exploitable formats, and profile-picture trolling by users who disliked her3. Pokimane herself eventually reclaimed the picture in a 2022 tweet that turned the joke back on her critics3.

Gallery

Origin & Background

Platform

Twitch (source stream) / Twitter (viral spread)

Date

2018

On October 23rd, 2018, Pokimane opened her Twitch stream barefaced and told viewers, "I think it's good to not always just be promoting 'I look like this naturally.' Because girls just don't"1. Kotaku covered the stream that day and noted her prediction of backlash proved correct, with a wave of insults from men and teenage boys flooding her mentions within hours1.

The identity of whoever first captured and posted the viral screenshot is unknown3. A YouTube reupload of clips from the original stream cleared 1.5 million views over the following three years2.

How It Spread

On October 24th, 2018, Pokimane responded with a Twitter thread of no-makeup selfies "from regular/cute angles and with natural lighting," which pulled in over 74,000 likes and 6,000 retweets3. Fellow streamer @sjokz defended her the same week, while YouTuber Twomad posted a joke tweet using an unrelated photo captioned about what Pokimane looks like without makeup3. YouTuber Gloom uploaded a reaction video to the discourse that reached more than 1.4 million views, and Pokimane posted her own YouTube video about the drama on November 16th, 20183.

The screenshot kept circulating for years as a shorthand insult. In May 2020, YouTuber Viditro compared the image to elderly cartoon characters in a video that pulled over 208,000 views3. On January 13th, 2022, streamer JiDion swapped his profile picture to the image during his feud with Pokimane, which ended in a Twitch ban for raiding her stream with hate comments3.

The biggest resurgence came on February 15th, 2022, when Pokimane posted the screenshot herself with the caption "this face makes more money than you'll ever see in your life," a tweet that pulled over 269,000 likes in a day3. DramaAlert host Keemstar rated her "2/10" and streamer The Quartering added mocking commentary, while Valkyrae, JSchlatt, and Tina Kitten voiced public support3.

How to Use This Meme

The image typically shows up in three ways: as a Twitter profile picture swap by users trolling Pokimane or her fans, as a reaction image mocking anyone who defends her, or as a Photoshop base for exploitable edits3. It is often paired with sarcastic captions about attraction or simping. Pokimane herself flipped the format by attaching a self-owning brag about her earnings, which is still one of the most-liked uses of the image3.