'Real Beauty' is real refreshing!

One look at Jessica Alba, Angelina Jolie, or Heidi Klum and any girl would question her reflection in the mirror. Impossible standards of beauty have taken over society and really changed the way women (and probably men too) perceive themselves. Is my nose too big, are my eyes too small, am I too dark, too light? Plastic surgery and a plethora of cosmetic products have made changing the way we look a real possibility. But is this normal, and moreover is this healthy? What are we doing to our own self-images by comparing ourselves to these largely skewed and unattainable media standards of beauty? We are screwing ourselves over, that's what we are doing!

And that is why I applaud Dove's campaign for 'Real Beauty'. The campaign features real women of many ages, shapes, sizes, and colors. By featuring real women instead of models, Dove hopes to help break stereotypes about conventional beauty and help promote a healthier image of beauty. For example, they took a woman and did her makeup, hair, and then photographed her. Then photoshopped her image. The end result looked nothing like the woman herself. What we see on the TV screen, in magazines, and in pictures is not reality. Women, including myself, should begin to embrace our bodies and our imperfections. I hope more companies follow suit, until then kudos to Dove!!!