Real Beauty Isn't What You Think

By Samantha Larson

Sometimes, it isn't easy to love yourself.

Many women experience a form of self hate at some point in their lives. It could be as little as wishing you could lose a few pounds, or something far more severe, like wishing you were a completely different gender.

The media portrays women as thin, flawless, with flowing straight hair, and a perfect complexion. We see this portrayal everyday, in magazines, Youtube ads, on sides of buses and displayed grandly on billboards.

Yes, these women are beautiful. But they aren't realistic.

There is a significant difference between the media’s portrayal of beauty and real beauty.

Real beauty is those little imperfections we see in ourselves. In reality, these imperfections are what make our bodies unique. Real beauty is that birthmark you cover up with foundation every morning. Real beauty is the silvery stretch marks you received from having your third child. Real beauty is the freckles that splash your cheeks and shoulders.
Real beauty just isn't flawless skin and thin torsos.

Loving each of your body’s quirks is a important step to loving yourself as a whole. Yes, you may have scars from when you were a teenager. Yes, your mother may say that your birthmark is ‘unsightly’. Yes, your skin may be as pale as Snow White’s.

And yes, despite all of this, you are still beautiful.

It’s hard to look at the women you see staring back at you from the page of the magazine and then look yourself in the mirror. It seems like they always have the perfectly white teeth, glossy hair, clear skin, and are perfectly thin. But you must keep in mind, that these photos are edited. Sure, the women are pretty in real life, but they're also human. They still have their typical bad hair days and the occasional acne break out.

What’s important, is to acknowledge your own beauty, and disregard anyone who says otherwise. We are humans, and all humans are different in their appearance and mannerisms.

Real beauty is in everyone.