The real life Britney on the right.
The digitally altered Britney on the left.
These photographs are now being used as part of a government backed lesson plan to teach school children about body image and self-esteem. I am aware of the problems young people face in terms of body image and I’m really pleased new resources are available to help teachers address these problems. Let's face it, it isn't just young people who have issues with aspiring to false images of perfection.
What these images also draw attention to is how it has somehow become taboo to have imperfections. As someone who spends a lot of time writing about makeup I sometimes worry that I am sending out the wrong message; the message that women need makeup or that appearance is the most important thing. This is not the case and I hope that it comes across in my blog that I write about makeup because I like makeup and I like to write and that I wear makeup for myself and nobody else.
I do wear makeup to help feel more confident and good about myself but it is only a small factor in feeling good. I also like to think that I am somebody who is happy and comfortable in my skin, not because it is perfect but because I accept my imperfections. In my opinion one of the easiest ways of feeling happy about yourself is to stop comparing yourself to other people or images of other people because you will never look like them. You only have one body so you need to accept it, embrace it and learn to love anything that may be deemed an imperfection. Imperfections are what make us unique and being unique is what makes us beautiful.
