As a teenager, it can be incredibly difficult to navigate the pressures of society’s beauty standards and develop a positive body image and self-love. For many teens, negative thoughts and insecurities about their appearance can be overwhelming and can impact their mental and emotional well-being.
Acne is a common skin condition that affects many teenagers, but for some, it can have a significant impact on their mental health. For 17-year-old Jane, struggling with acne has been a constant battle that has affected her self-esteem and overall well-being.
“I’ve had acne since I was in middle school, and it’s been a constant source of insecurity for me,” Jane says. “I feel like I’m always being judged by my skin, and it’s hard to feel confident when I’m constantly self-conscious about my face.”
Jane’s acne has not only affected her self-esteem but also her mental health. She often avoids social events and activities due to feeling self-conscious about her skin. “I try to avoid going out in public if I can help it,” she says. “I don’t want to be judged or stared at because of my acne.” Jane’s struggles with acne have also led to feelings of depression and anxiety. “I’ve been struggling with depression for a few years now, and I know that my acne plays a big role in it,”she says. “I just wish I could feel more confident and happy in my own skin.”
Due to Jane’s sensitive skin condition, she struggles to find makeup products that will not cause irritations. Acne or other appearance related complexions are not just a physical condition, it can also have a psychological impact on an individual, particularly teenagers who are already struggling with self-esteem and body image. Studies have shown that individuals with acne are more likely to experience depression and anxiety, and have a lower quality of life.
One teenager, 16-year-old Sarah, has struggled with appearance positivity and self-love for as long as she can remember. “I’ve always been self-conscious about my face, but it’s gotten worse as I’ve gotten older,” she says. “I see all these pictures of girls on Instagram who are so thin with perfect skin,, and I just feel like I’ll never measure up.”
Sarah’s insecurities have led to a negative cycle of comparing herself to others and constantly seeking validation from others. “I’ll spend hours scrolling through social media, comparing myself to other girls and feeling bad about myself,” she says. “I’ll even ask my friends if I look okay or if I’m ugly, just so I can get some reassurance.” Sarah’s struggles with self-love have also impacted her mental health. “I’ve been struggling with depression and anxiety for a while now, and I know that a lot of it is tied to how I feel about my appearance,” she says. “I just wish I could feel more confident and happy in my own skin.”
Unfortunately, Sarah’s story is not unique. Many teenagers, especially girls, struggle with their looks and seek unhealthy methods to achieve their desired looks. To understand this in a professional’s perspective, we interviewed Flora, a youth mental health professional.
Flora has expressed her concerns, “ I have seen firsthand the impact that societal beauty standards can have on teenagers and their mental health. Many teenagers struggle with body image and self-esteem, and these struggles can manifest in a variety of ways, from low self-confidence to depression and anxiety.”
One of the biggest challenges facing teenagers today is the pressure to conform to societal beauty standards. With the rise of social media, teenagers are constantly bombarded with images of “perfect” bodies and faces, and it can be difficult for them to separate these unrealistic standards from reality.
This pressure can lead to a negative cycle of self-criticism and self-doubt, causing teenagers to feel insecure and unhappy with their appearance. Many resort to drastic measures to change their appearance such as crash dieting, excessive exercise and even surgery.
Flora stressed that these insecurities can also lead to mental health issues such as anxiety and depression, such as seen on Jane. Individuals who are unhappy with their appearance are more likely to experience symptoms of depression and anxiety. Furthermore, this can also lead to eating disorders and body dysmorphia, which can have severe long-term effects on an individual’s physical and mental health.
As a mental health professional, Flora has said that we must work to help teenagers understand that beauty comes in many forms, and it’s important to focus on being healthy and happy, rather than trying to conform to unrealistic beauty standards. We must also work to empower them to love and accept themselves as they are, and to understand that true beauty comes from within. This is where the makeup industry comes in. Many brands are responsible for allowing these vulnerable teenage girls to feel as though they are not good enough, especially through their campaigns that show images of photoshopped versions of models with perfect skin, body, and face. It is not necessarily putting the blame entirely on the makeup industry, but partially they must take responsibility.
This is why, In today’s society, body positivity and self-love campaigns are more important than ever. It is important for more campaigns that aim to promote self-acceptance and self-care, encouraging individuals to love and embrace their uniqueness. Beauty brand Glossier has taken a strong stance on these issues, and has recently announced its new campaign that aims to spread awareness about self acceptance.
Glossier’s approach to beauty aligns perfectly with the message of the launching campaign. The brand’s mission is to make beauty feel more personal and accessible to everyone. Rather than promoting a one-size-fits-all approach to beauty, Glossier encourages its customers to enhance their natural features and to celebrate their unique characteristics. This is reflected in the brand’s focus on skincare, and its emphasis on using customer feedback in product development, which promotes self-care and self-love.
The campaign will feature influencers that many young teenage girls look up to nowadays. We interviewed Alix Earle, a TikToker with over 5 million followers on her platform to give us a statement as to why they are participating in this campaign. She has said that the brand’s mission is to make beauty feel more personal and accessible to everyone, and it encourages its customers to enhance their natural features and to celebrate their unique characteristics, which is why they want to participate in this campaign to spread positivity.
In addition, Glossier’s new campaign and its approach to beauty is a step forward in breaking traditional beauty standards and promoting a more diverse representation of beauty. This is important as it helps to create a more inclusive culture that promotes self-acceptance and self- care for everyone.
In conclusion, Glossier’s new campaign and approach to beauty is a step forward in promoting self-love and body positivity. It encourages people to embrace their natural beauty and to celebrate their unique characteristics. This, in turn, helps to create a more inclusive and empowering environment for individuals of all shapes and sizes, and sets an example for other brands to follow. In this case, Jane and Sarah’s stories prove that the makeup industry and the society in general still has a long way to go in terms of creating a safer and less toxic environment for the future young generation. If interested for more information, check out www.glossier.com for their newest campaign.