It's a breath of fresh air when someone comes into the spotlight and proves that "beautiful" doesn't necessarily refer to tanned, long-legged ladies with perfectly symmetrical faces and high cheekbones. People are unique and unusual, with their own quirks and physical characteristics that should be celebrated, rather than covered up.
Thanks to the internet, there are now so many influential men and women telling their own stories and giving us a more realistic idea of the different kinds of "beautiful" that exist. As such, we're no longer solely exposed to the generic beauty ideals that society has, for so long, perpetuated. Here are 9 such people, who prove that they are gorgeous, in their own individual way.
1. Lauren Elyse
Lauren's got a rare skin condition called Vitiligo, which causes skin and hair to lose its pigmentation. The Chicago-based blogger embraced the white patches around her eyes and flaunts them in her looks rather than covering them up.
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2. Francesca Tanmizi
Growing up in Indonesia, Francesca always hated her "monolids", despite the fact they were nothing out of the ordinary among people of East Asian and Southeast Asian descent. But rather than getting double eyelid surgery as many Asians do, Francesca stopped comparing herself to mainstream beauty ideals and decided to embrace her lids and start doing specific beauty looks to show them off.
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3. Nikkie Tutorials
Nikkie's huge amount of followers is thanks to her flawless makeup looks, and last year, she shook things up by starting an online movement to stand up against makeup shaming. She focuses on the "power of makeup" and the fun of applying different looks, proving that it's never something to feel ashamed of.
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4. Evita Patcey Delmundo
Evita has struggled with accepting her moles for years, and even considered removing them in the past. But after learning of the risks involved, she took a new perspective and decided to fully embrace them. This year she even auditioned for Miss Universe Malaysia. "Beauty is who you are as a person and how you love yourself. It's never about perfection," she told Elle Malaysia.
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5. Khoudia Diop
Subjected to bullying for her dark skin tone, Khoudia has stuck it to her haters with her glowing personality and recently launched a modelling career. She told the Daily Mail that she hopes to "inspire other young women of colour and empower them".
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6. The Glow Getter
Ailish Lucas is making waves as she's all about what you put onto your body, as well as what goes into it. She's one of the most influential voices in natural makeup brands and is helping people who are trying to be more eco-conscious by giving advice on how to go green with skin care, make-up, hair care and wellness products.
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7. Morgan Mikenas
This fitness blogger doesn't shave anymore because it makes her feel her "most natural and human self", as she explained in a YouTube video. She went against the society's gender expectations and decided to do what made her the most comfortable.
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8. Aiden's Empire
He's one of many male beauty influencers challenging the idea that makeup is only for women. The self-described "Bearded Lady" always brings out banging new looks, with makeup applied around his perfectly groomed beard.
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9. Beck Jackson
Beck is a fitness blogger who doesn't mind getting real about breakouts. Especially since we're always confronted with pictures of blemish-free models who get the Photoshop treatment, it's nice to hear someone saying "I just want to let you all know that you are beautiful EVEN if you have acne, or bacne, or cellulite, or your thighs touch or you've got stretch marks."
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The stories from each of these bloggers prove that there's no singular definition of "beauty", and that it really does come from the inside. Do what makes you feel comfortable, and stand for what you believe in.
Go get 'em, girls, we're all here for this.
