Thankyou AnnaLynne McCord.

When I was little I always asked why Rachel from Friends looked so perfect all the time and why didn't I look like that. My mum explained over and over again that there was a hair and makeup artist on set to fix her appearance every time so much as a hair fell out of place and that how people looked on TV 'wasn't realistic'. It took me a long, long time to realise that the images we see in the media are truly an illusion and even now I find myself sometimes feeling depressed as I flick through glossy magazines or am sat in my PJs watching an episode of The Kardashians, at the fact everyone looks goddamn picture-perfect-all-the-time.

People will have their own opinions on the 'CELEBS WITHOUT MAKEUP' features in magazines but, personally, I love them. I think us girls need to know that almost everyone can look terrible first thing in the morning, or has bad hair or skin days. The majority of the 'no makeup' features in magazines always consist of the celebrity in question having perfectlly blowdried hair, concealer, loose powder, clear mascara etc - so it's still providing us normal girls with a warped sense of 'natural'. At least these features are a step in the right direction, the ridiculous trend of celebrities to post photos of themselves 'omg no makeup lol!' when clearly covered in the stuff is laughable and doesn't fool me - but it may well have fooled fourteen year old me and merely fuelled my low self esteem and thoughts of how all these wonderful famous people looked so pretty all the time and I never did.

This is why I am so unbelievably impressed and grateful to AnnaLynne McCord for tweeting this completely natural photo showing that she suffers from blemishes. I hope that all the teenage girls (and boys!) struggling with acne or low self esteem in any way, shape, or form out there take some comfort in the knowledge that it happens to anyone and everyone and it can be covered up and treated. These celebrities seem to live airbrushed lives and it's creating a completely warped view of how we all should look. This is exactly why I feel honesty regarding plastic surgery is so important - lying about it, or claiming your wrinkles vanished thanks to Ponds cream (coughKYLIEcough) is insulting and damaging to other women. I have nothing against wearing makeup, having extensions, whitening your teeth or enlarging your breats but damnit, be honest about it. Please.

Below is one of my favourite YouTube videos of another girl, Cass, who is brave enough to show her skin without makeup. I'm fully aware some people won't understand why Cass and AnnaLynne should be considered 'brave' but if you have ever, ever felt that crippling insecurity and self conscioussness with regards to your skin, the hopelessness because nothing you do will make it go away and the judgement from 
other people and, most of all, yourself then you will understand how difficult this was for her. I'm sure if you have never suffered with your skin then you may feel I am being dramatic but it truly is a horrible battle to fight especially as, for most of us, it occurs when we really have absolutely no clue about skincare or makeup. It's a really great video showing that you can cover up the most severe acne and this is one of the reasons that I think YouTube and Blogs can be so beneficial as I wish I has access to thousands and thousands of tips and tricks videos to help me cover and treat my acne when I was younger and to see hundreds of other girls going through the same thing.