In this article, I invite you to explore why embracing one’s true self, without filters or makeup, is the path to happiness for women and mothers stressed by society’s imposed standards. Yes, ladies, it is infinitely healthier to show ourselves as we truly are rather than constantly trying to hide or improve parts of our bodies! It’s proven!
Embrace Your Natural Face
In recent years, a powerful trend has emerged among moms, women, and anyone seeking a more authentic sense of self: going makeup-free. For a long time, society and social media have told us that flawless, airbrushed skin is the standard for beauty. But now, more and more women are choosing to shed the layers of foundation, contour, and filters, choosing instead to embrace their natural faces. This movement is about more than just a beauty choice—it’s a mental wellness journey that’s helping moms everywhere reclaim a healthier self-image.
Living In A Lie…
The rise of social media and virtual “makeup” apps has undoubtedly given us ways to enhance and polish our appearance in photos, creating a version of ourselves that seems perfect. But fake! While this can be fun and creative, it often leads to unrealistic expectations. Every time we swipe through filtered selfies or use skin-smoothing apps, we’re reinforcing an idea that our natural appearance isn’t enough. For mothers in particular, juggling the pressures of parenting, relationships, and daily life, this pressure to “look perfect” adds yet another layer of stress. It’s hard to embrace self-confidence when faced with an idealized, unattainable image of ourselves. This trend is linked to another behavior: sharing our achievements, our appearance, and anything that signals social or aesthetic success. This pursuit is already problematic, as it triggers comparison and causes distress for many authentic individuals who feel overlooked or less fortunate than their friends. This trend is linked to another behavior: sharing our achievements, our appearance, and anything that signals social or aesthetic success. This pursuit is already problematic, as it triggers comparison and causes distress for many authentic individuals who feel overlooked or less fortunate than their friends. Furthermore, this mental stance, reflected in the photos they share, is also problematic because it implies: “I know everything is fake and that I’m living in a lie, but I couldn’t care less. I’ll keep lying to my friends, acquaintances, and loved ones.” The more women who use these apps persist, the more they actually come across as odd and antisocial!
Social Media Photos Completely Distorted by Falsehood
As a true friend to my close girlfriends and as a therapist, I started to speak out about the dangers of artificial beauty-enhancing practices almost nine years ago, when I was on bed rest during my second pregnancy. With all that time on my hands, I admittedly spent a lot of it browsing social media. It was then that I witnessed the downfall of one of my best friends, a woman I’d known for nearly 20 years. She had always been someone who worried a lot about her appearance. Coming from a country where the women tend to have naturally dark hair and olive skin, she’d always dreamed of looking like a Nordic doll—blonde with blue eyes. She wore light blue Freshlook lenses, which gave her a strange, unnatural look. Then she began adding filters to all her photos; soon, we didn’t see any unaltered pictures of her at all.
Between the Idealized Image and Reality: An Abyssal Gap!
Now, as she nears fifty, her photos bear no resemblance to her real self. She edits her long nose to look upturned, changes her eyes to blue, and enhances her lips and chest in photos, despite having undergone numerous cosmetic surgeries. Unfortunately, the image we see in her pictures has almost nothing to do with reality. How does she cope, facing the mirror every morning, realizing that her upturned nose is gone and her natural brown eyes are back? It’s harsh. There’s no longer any connection between her fantasy self-image and the reality. This has even led to the loss of several friends who now consider her “out of touch.” But she’s become so immersed in her virtual transformation, where she presents herself with a flawless body and the face of a Nordic doll, that she seems to isolate herself more and more. The woman also starts to hate real Nordic blondes and anyone who is naturally beautiful! She adopts a very degrading attitude toward “natural” girls… It’s the world turned upside down!
Here I am this afternoon, with absolutely nothing on my face except a bit of carrot oil. I didn’t even brush my eyebrows. People who knew me in high school would recognize me instantly: I still have the same silhouette and style as back then—golden blond hair left in a ‘carefully’ messy way and my big dark eyes, although now, at 49, they droop a bit. That’s life! My expression lines on my forehead are deeper, and my smile lines more pronounced. But I prefer this over producing altered, boastful photos that reflect neither who I am physically now, nor who I am internally, mentally!
Distancing From Filters and Makeup : A Real Liberation!
What can we say? What can we do? To avoid the crash provoked by the mirror each morning and to stay true to myself, I choose, at 49, to wear less and less makeup. In the same way, two years ago, I decided to stop painting my nails, leaving them short and natural, which saves me both time and money. The same goes for my eyebrows, which had gaps that I filled in with makeup every day for 10 years. I eventually plucked the areas above the gaps, returning to thin brows that I no longer need to fill in. It’s been a real liberation, truly!
No More Need To Be Validated By Others…
As a therapist, and the more I work on these mental distortions and deformations we can develop regarding our physical bodies, it seems to me there is an immense, enormous canyon between our idealized self-image and reality. What fills this canyon? Probably emptiness—a vertiginous emptiness, despair, and a need to feel ‘validated’ by others! That program has never appealed to me! I’d rather be hated for who I truly am than loved for what I am not! What else?
But the truth is, these filtered images don’t reflect who we truly are, and they can create a disconnect between our online presence and our real selves. Studies have shown that comparing our unfiltered reality to perfected social media images is linked to increased anxiety, self-criticism, and feelings of inadequacy. When we remove the makeup and filters, we start to see our unique beauty in a new light, and we allow others to see us for who we truly are. And as moms, showing up authentically gives our children a powerful lesson about self-acceptance and valuing oneself without external validation.
Toward Self-Acceptance!
Pamela Anderson, once an icon of glamorous, high-gloss beauty, has recently redefined herself, sparking a powerful movement toward natural authenticity. Known for her bold makeup and meticulously styled looks in the 90s and 2000s, Anderson has surprised the world by stepping into the spotlight without makeup, embracing her natural beauty and imperfections with confidence. This transformation has resonated with women everywhere, encouraging a shift away from perfectionism and toward self-acceptance.
Anderson’s decision to show herself as she truly is—free from the heavy makeup and filters that have defined beauty standards for decades—is not just a personal choice but a statement. In a world where many women feel pressured to present an idealized version of themselves, her openness has sparked a wave of self-acceptance, especially among women who, like her, have spent years in the public eye or under the weight of societal expectations. Her courage to appear bare-faced has inspired women to question the need for beauty enhancements and embrace a new narrative that values authenticity over perfection.
In doing so, Pamela Anderson has redefined what it means to age gracefully and has proven that beauty shines brighter when it’s real. Her influence has empowered countless women to step back from beauty standards, to feel comfortable and proud in their natural skin, and to celebrate the beauty in aging without hiding behind a mask. This powerful shift towards showing up as we are—wrinkles, freckles, and all—has become a liberating trend, proving that authenticity is the new ideal.
For many women, taking a step back from makeup and filters isn’t about rejecting beauty but about redefining it. It’s about finding a balance that respects our mental health. By embracing our natural selves, we’re not only reconnecting with who we truly are but also setting a healthier example for our families. We’re proving to ourselves and to the world that we are enough, just as we are.
So, to all the mothers, homemakers, and women out there, let’s make space for authenticity. Going makeup-free might just be the most empowering decision you make this year. It’s not only a step toward mental wellness but also a powerful way to celebrate the beauty of parenthood, womanhood, and the journey to becoming our best selves.
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