Melisa Raouf is a British model and former King’s College London politics student who, in 2022, became the first contestant in Miss England’s 94-year history to compete without makeup. She was 20 at the time, reached the Miss England 2022 final and used the attention to argue that wearing makeup should be a choice, not an expectation.
Plenty of “wiki” pages about her repeat details that no reliable outlet has ever reported, from parents’ names to exact measurements. This profile keeps to what was covered in news reports of the pageant, explains where facts are genuinely unknown, and gives you a clear timeline of how her campaign unfolded.
Melisa Raouf Quick Facts
| Fact | Details |
|---|---|
| Full name | Melisa Raouf |
| Known for | First Miss England contestant to compete makeup-free (2022) |
| Age in 2022 | 20 (as reported during the competition) |
| Nationality | British |
| Education | Politics student at King’s College London (as reported in 2022) |
| Pageant award | Bare Face Top Model round winner, 2022 |
| Miss England 2022 result | Finalist; the crown went to Jessica Gagen |
| Stated career goal | Diplomat |
| Cause | Natural beauty and confidence without makeup |
| Exact birth date | Not confirmed by a reliable source |
Who Is Melisa Raouf?
Before the 2022 pageant, Melisa Raouf was a university student rather than a public figure. News reports described her as a 20-year-old politics student at King’s College London. In her Miss England contestant profile, she said global politics was a keen personal interest and that she hoped to become a diplomat. She also said she wanted to help get more women into politics, a field she described as still heavily male-dominated.
That background matters for understanding her campaign. She did not enter the pageant as an influencer building a beauty brand; she entered as a student with a point to make about pressure and self-image. Within days of the August 2022 semi-finals, her story had been picked up by outlets in the UK, the United States and beyond, including Fox News, NPR and Gulf News.
Melisa Raouf Timeline
The order of events is often muddled online, so here is the sequence as it was reported:
- July 2019: Miss England launches its Bare Face Top Model round, encouraging contestants to wear less makeup.
- 2022 (preliminary stage): Raouf wins the Bare Face Top Model award, which fast-tracks her further into the competition.
- August 22, 2022: She competes in the London semi-final with no makeup at all, among roughly 40 contestants, and is selected for the national final.
- Late August 2022: International media coverage of her makeup-free appearance spreads quickly.
- October 17, 2022: The Miss England final takes place at the Holiday Inn Birmingham NEC; Jessica Gagen wins the title.
Age and Birth Date: What Is Actually Known
Coverage of the Miss England 2022 competition consistently gave her age as 20, which places her birth around 2001 or 2002. Beyond that, online profiles disagree. Some list November 28, 2001, others November 29, 2001, and they name different birthplaces. Because no authoritative source confirms either version, this article does not state an exact birth date or birthplace.
The same caution applies to height, weight and body measurements that appear on celebrity fact sites. None of these figures were published by Miss England or reported by mainstream outlets, so treat them as unverified. A useful rule when reading any wiki-style profile: if a number appears without a source and differs from site to site, it was probably copied rather than checked.
The Miss England 2022 Makeup-Free Campaign
What the Bare Face Top Model Round Is
Miss England introduced its Bare Face Top Model round in July 2019. Pageant director Angie Beasley said at the time that the aim was to encourage contestants to wear less makeup after seeing many entrants with heavy coverage. Contestants submit a headshot and a full-length photo with no makeup, and the winner is fast-tracked further into the competition.
Raouf’s Semi-Final
Raouf won the Bare Face Top Model award and then went a step further than earlier contestants: she competed in the semi-final itself with no makeup at all. The semi-finals took place on Monday, August 22, 2022, in London. She was one of the women selected for the national final, and organizers said she was the first contestant in the pageant’s 94-year history to walk the stage completely makeup-free.
Why She Did It
In interviews, Raouf explained that the decision was personal. She said she had never felt she met beauty standards and had only recently accepted that she was beautiful in her own skin. She said the choice mattered because many girls of different ages wear makeup because they feel pressured to, and she wanted to use the Miss England platform to empower natural beauty. She added that women had contacted her to say her stance made them feel more confident.
The Miss England 2022 Final
Raouf said she would also compete in the final bare-faced. The final was held on October 17, 2022, at the Holiday Inn Birmingham NEC. The title went to Jessica Gagen, who represented Lancashire and became the first redheaded woman to win the pageant. Gagen later represented England at Miss World, held in Mumbai in March 2024, where she finished in the top 8 and was named Miss World Europe.
Raouf did not take the crown, but her campaign was arguably the most widely reported story of that year’s competition, and it remains the main reason people search for her today.
Makeup-Free Campaign vs. Traditional Pageant Expectations
| Aspect | Traditional pageant approach | Raouf’s approach in 2022 |
|---|---|---|
| Stage appearance | Full glam makeup and styling | No makeup in the semi-final, with the stated intention to repeat it in the final |
| Message | Polished, standardized presentation | Makeup as a personal choice, not an obligation |
| Audience reaction sought | Judges’ approval of presentation | Confidence for young women who feel pressure to cover up |
| Platform used for | Charity work and title duties | Charity work plus a public conversation about beauty standards |
Why Her Story Resonated
Beauty pageants have long been criticized for promoting narrow, heavily styled standards of appearance. Raouf’s appearance answered that criticism from inside the competition, which is why it attracted far more attention than an outside protest would have. It also fit a broader shift toward natural beauty on social media, where she encouraged others to share makeup-free photos and where “bare face” posts were already gaining ground.
Her message was not that makeup is bad, but that it should be a choice rather than an obligation. For readers interested in the practical side of a minimal routine, our guides to tips for healthy skin and natural body care products cover the basics of caring for your skin without relying on heavy coverage.
Lessons Readers Took From Her Campaign
- Confidence can be built gradually; Raouf herself said she only recently accepted her appearance.
- Skin texture, blemishes and uneven tone are normal, even on a national stage.
- Choosing to go without makeup on some days does not mean giving it up entirely.
- Speaking openly about insecurity can encourage others who feel the same pressure.
Social Media Presence
Raouf shares modeling photos and makeup-free content on Instagram, where her following grew substantially after the 2022 coverage. Follower counts change constantly, so check her verified accounts directly rather than relying on figures quoted on fact sites, which are often months or years out of date.
Personal Life and Family
Raouf has kept her private life largely out of the press. Her parents, relationships and family background have not been the subject of reliable reporting, and stories online that name her parents or describe their careers are not supported by any credible source. This profile does not repeat them. What she has chosen to share publicly centers on her studies, her ambition to work in diplomacy and her views on beauty standards.
Melisa Raouf Net Worth
Net worth figures attached to her name online are guesswork. She is not known to have a major entertainment career or business, so any precise dollar figure should be treated with skepticism. If you enjoy profiles of people who became known through a single public moment, you may also like our article on Stephanie Moseley.
How to Spot Unreliable Celebrity Wiki Details
- Check whether the same birth date and birthplace appear across major news outlets, not just fact sites.
- Be wary of exact net worth figures for people without a known business or entertainment career.
- Look for named sources for family details; anonymous claims about parents are frequently invented.
- Compare dates of events with official announcements, such as pageant organizers’ statements.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Melisa Raouf?
Melisa Raouf is a British model and former King’s College London politics student. In 2022 she became the first Miss England contestant in the pageant’s 94-year history to compete without makeup.
How old was Melisa Raouf at Miss England?
She was 20 years old during the Miss England 2022 competition. Her exact birth date is reported inconsistently online and has not been confirmed by a reliable source.
Did Melisa Raouf win Miss England?
No. She reached the final and won the Bare Face Top Model award, but Miss England 2022 was won by Jessica Gagen on October 17, 2022.
Why did Melisa Raouf compete without makeup?
She said many girls wear makeup because they feel pressured to. She wanted to use her platform to empower natural beauty and help others feel comfortable in their own skin.
What does Melisa Raouf want to do as a career?
In 2022 she said she hoped to become a diplomat. She also said she wanted to help get more women into politics.
What is the Bare Face Top Model round?
It is a Miss England round introduced in July 2019 in which contestants submit makeup-free headshots and full-length photos. The winner is fast-tracked further into the competition.
Bottom Line on Melisa Raouf
Melisa Raouf is known for one clear, well-documented act: competing in Miss England 2022 without makeup and explaining why. The verified facts are her age at the time (20), her politics studies, her Bare Face Top Model win and her place in the final. Anything beyond that, from birth dates to net worth, should be read with caution until she or a reliable outlet confirms it.
