"Happiness and confidence are the prettiest things you can wear." - Taylor Swift
This is week I thought I would talk about something a little different. I feel very passionate towards self-confidence so I decided to create a post purely towards it. This is going to be a long one.
In society, there is a vast misconception that teenage girls and women have to wear makeup to be feminine. In reality, the majority of females feel they need to wear makeup to cover insecurities; to make themselves feel better; to 'fit in'.
Firstly, many social pressures are derived from the internet; a tool which has manipulated females into thinking celebrities are the definition of 'perfection', encouraging young girls to feel the need to photoshop and digitally enhance themselves. Rather offensively, brands are brazenly open about digitally shrinking women’s waists, sliming down their upper arms and enhancing inner thighs creating the much desired 'thigh gap'. Whilst it’s ridiculous that companies even feel the need to transform already beautiful female bodies, the images are having a detrimental effect on young girls.
Zoë Sugg (Zoella) is one young woman who is going some way to help young girls overcome their insecurities. Her online video blogs include: makeup looks and tips; her routine and day to day life; pitching to her viewers that not everyone has a 'perfect' moment every day of their life. By taking some time, you can make yourself more confident, making the internet work for you rather than you working for it.
Social media has exploded over the last decade but with this has come even more exposure of how we should look. Adding to that is the fear of judgement from people we don't even know. Social media has further exposed us to photoshop, and unrealistic expectations. Take the example of Jennifer Lawrence who has become famous not just for her acting but also her refusal to lose weight from her already healthy body. Following her photoshoot for Dior's new handbag campaign this year, she said: "That doesn't look like me at all... of course it's Photoshop, people don't look like that." From a beautiful woman this is a powerful message that it is okay to eat, it is okay to not be 'perfect', it is okay to just be you!
One of the worrying associated problems with this pressure is the rising number of mental-health problems among young girls linked to the representation of women in the media. UK mental-health charity 'Mind' support people of all ages with eating disorders, depression and anxiety. They educate young people on the causes, symptoms and consequences on their problems - bolding stating: "We won't give up until everyone experiencing a mental health problem gets both support and respect." Such support is necessary if these issues are going to be addressed with 1 in 4 people in the UK will experience a mental health problem each year and 4.7 in 100 people with anxiety/depression.
Personally, I have learned to love my skin. I use makeup for a fun and imaginative outlet to enhance features that I already have; to use it to experiment and a means of expression to show my creativity, not to hide myself. However, you should feel comfortable and content with your skin underneath. There can be spots, dry patches, redness, acne, pores, oiliness, imperfections and flaws: your skin is a canvas but you are the portrait.
Don't apologise for your skin, feel proud that this is YOU!
I leave you with this message: remember that nobody is perfect and that insecurities are shared. It's easy to forget in a modern society with the ability to nip, tuck and enhance at the click of a button, that nobody is pristine or perfect; everyone is different and that's the magic!
Remember, YOU are beautiful!
Define yourself, don't let others define you.
