Why the Skin Positivity Movement Matters

Trends / Realness
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Rachel Brinton Matthews
Mar 28, 2019

As Justin Bieber writes it, it must be so. Pimples are in and the world is listening.

Having spent my entire adolescence (and some of my adult years) in a constant battle with acne, I am overjoyed to see such a high‑profile ambassador for pimple prone skin.

And Bieber isn’t the only celebrity to place a spotlight on skin positivity: Lorde, Cara Delevingne and Kendall Jenner have all had their part to play in reducing the stigma around acne and have inspired brands such as Teen Vogue to celebrate the existence of the most common skin condition in the world.

The skin positivity movement is wiping away layers of unattainable skin standards across social media and advertising, as well as celebrating visuals that embrace the wide variety of visible skin conditions.

This visual trend follows recent concerted efforts by beauty and fashion brands to celebrate a wider variety of skin types and conditions – from vitiligo to stretch marks. A combination of un‑retouched images and active social media allies has helped raise awareness around previously hidden conditions and challenged perceptions on aging and changing skin.

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