Beauty is everywhere around us in every way shape and form, but is it authentic? Today, being able to access everything online makes it so easy to manipulate what you want people to see and hide the truth. A phenomenon that has been growing with social media’s influence is the craft of Photoshop.
Photoshop allows people to edit their images to fix imperfections to any extent. Over time, this form of correcting pictures has been overpowered as many people have learned the advantages of editing yourself to boost one’s self-confidence.
Think about it — everyone online shows the highlights of their life, not of the downsides. Being able to alternate a feature you are not particularly fond of, especially the way it is in photographs, is easy to fix due to apps such as Facetune. Rather than embracing these “imperfections,” people are getting rid of them.
Celebrity Influence
Manipulating images has always been around, but it wasn’t talked about as much on social media until celebrities started to get caught for it. Alexandra Cooper, the host of the podcast Call Her Daddy, was caught photoshopping an image as her body. It caused an issue beyond just being a victim of using photoshop. Cooper had previously expressed her opinions on her podcast of how wrong photoshop is, despite editing her own photo. After all the backlash, she released an episode called, “I Got Caught Photoshopping.” She explains she edited the photo because she didn’t like the way she looked; nevertheless, she admitted it was wrong and even promised to stop editing her photos.
Cooper has not been the only celebrity to be caught for using photoshop. Tana Mongeau and the Kardashian family, for example, have faced judgment for over-editing their photos. Since they have such big followings, people are being influenced to alternate themselves in photos. Photoshop is alternating more than just people’s photos, but their entire physical identity online.
Embrace Your Beauty
The influence from celebrities is only a small amount of the issue. Now, it is normalized to edit yourself in a photograph — which truly should not be the new norm.
If anything, embracing your natural beauty is what should be influenced by everyone. Being able to feel comfortable in your own skin, regardless of how everyone else looks or is doing on social media, shows the bold and confidence of a person you are. It can be extremely hard to love every piece about your physical appearance, but hating every feature about yourself won’t get you anywhere. The one thing you cannot change is the body you were given, and taking care of it includes being able to show love to yourself as well.
Aerie, has rebranded itself a few years back to not correct any imperfections on any model. The company also made it for all sized models to be included in representing the brand, and the new slogan — #AerieREAL — shows everyone’s true authenticity.
Embracing your natural beauty makes you more unique and empowering in your own way! VALLEY wants to see your beauty. Tag us, @VALLEYmag, on Instagram to show us a picture!
