Beauty Portraits

Beauty is a journey, and in our Beauty Portraits, we explore how our relationship with beauty develops throughout life, and the pressures we overcome along the way.

For this series, we're collecting bold, unique perspectives and real, inspirational stories from women globally, asking: what does beauty mean to you?

Key Takeaways

Beauty is diverse and deeply personal: Women find beauty in unique experiences, from overcoming hair loss to embracing intersex identity.
Defying conventional beauty standards fosters true confidence: Rejecting unrealistic ideals leads to self-acceptance and empowerment.
Self-love and body acceptance evolve with age and experience: Confidence grows as women learn to appreciate their bodies for what they are.
Inner strength and empathy redefine external perceptions: Personal challenges can lead to a deeper understanding of beauty and connection with others.
Maternal wisdom and community support build lasting self-esteem: Affirmations from loved ones and shared experiences empower women to be themselves.

"I lost my hair at age seven. I wore a wig every day - I was hiding myself - and when I stopped I could finally see that there is more than one kind of beauty. I had been uncomfortable in my body for so many years. I'm a better photographer for my experience which has given me a great sense of empathy and connection with people. This empathy and my ability to easily relate helps me capture something unique and beautiful about the person in that moment between us." - Christa, 42

I’m a punk musician and I think that by experiencing this world, I’ve seen so many different portrayals of beauty and have come to realise that I don’t want or need to conform to just one. It's taught me that it’s really lame to look like everyone else, unlike what I saw in beauty ads and magazines growing up...which just isn’t realistic. - Afua, 22

XY chromosomes don’t define me. I define me. I embrace my femininity in line with being intersex. I used to spend a long time wondering if I was 'woman enough' and what I've realised is there is no such thing. - Susannah, 24

Beauty is what you make of it. I'm a mum of six. I've lived and I've loved. I've been teased for my height and my short hair and finally at 52 I've realised I don't have to give myself a hard time anymore. When I look at myself now I feel that I see somebody confident in herself; I stand up straight. Why beat yourself up and punish yourself? Beauty can be anything. - Bella, 52

The more I experience, the more I realise that I’m happy as I am now. I’ve been beautiful since the moment I was born, but you know, I had a dip in confidence, and that’s when I thought I’d lost my beauty, but I hadn’t. It never went anywhere… I’m beautiful and always have been. I’m healthy, and more importantly, I’m not scared of what other people think anymore. - Sehee, 22

I’m baby faced and petite, but don’t let that fool you. As a diplomat working in places such as Libya and Iraq I overcame people’s expectations of me based on how I look. I’m tough, and I’m big hearted and yes, you can be both. - Monica

When it’s just me and the mirror and I only see myself, sometimes I’m like, “damn I look good.” Most of the time though, it’s just as I am…and I’m happy with it. Being a figurative sculptor and using my own body as a subject has helped me learn to celebrate the body for what it really is, and to put less emphasis on the individual bits. - Lilly, 23

When I was younger, I spent so much time doing everything I could in order to fit unachievable beauty standards; straightening my hair, tweezing my eyebrows, putting on make-up. I remember how gutted my mum was the first time I straightened my hair. She used to tell me I was beautiful every single day just the way I was, and that’s given me so much confidence to be who I am today - Marlyee, 28

I didn't grow up looking like anyone else. I'm half Jamaican, half English and the Disney princesses I played weren't like me. I'd waste hours trying to change how I looked thinking I'd fit in more somehow. It's strange to think that the moment I accepted who I was, that's when I realised there's too much pressure to fit one form of beauty. When you're happy, when you smile, it doesn't matter what you're wearing, that to me is beautiful. - Shakia, 28

The more I learnt about feminism the more it resonated with me. It’s given me so much confidence to be me and to stop being scared of this notion that I might not be beautiful ‘enough’. I dress how I want as a mini-form of activism; it’s my contribution to the spectrum of what it means to be a beautiful woman. So yes, now I love myself and why shouldn’t I! - Sarah, 24

I got Bell's palsy, then within weeks Chronic Fatigue Syndrome...so I felt like my life was tanking. But now what was once my 'brokenness' is my beauty. I've learnt to accept my 'imbalanced face' and that I'm not going to feel good everyday, and that's ok. And this experience has made me like to give compliments, it surprises people and you never know the effect you'll have on their day. - Wendy, 52

Embrace Your Unique Beauty Journey

Our inspiring Beauty Portraits reveal that beauty is a deeply personal journey, constantly evolving through life's experiences. These powerful stories from real women highlight the importance of self-acceptance and the profound confidence that comes from embracing your true self. Dove champions this journey, encouraging every woman to find happiness and liberation in her own unique expression of beauty.

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