20% to 40% of women are dissatisfied with their bodies – Source.

Many have felt the pressure to look a certain way and fit into current beauty standards ever since the Medieval ages. With ever-changing trends constantly being imposed upon our bodies, the idea of real beauty was not even regarded as something worth discussing for hundreds of years.

Various different body shapes, skin tones and even hair colours have been deemed the ‘most attractive’ during the world’s history. But, much of today’s beauty standards present an image that is oftentimes unachievable, rather than a focus on loving yourself as you are. And that’s why Dove decided to take a stand. 

The #JienaSabihaKifJien campaign by Dove has completely stripped back all the glitz and glam that is usually associated with beauty campaigns and shone a spotlight on Maltese women.

Asking Maltese women to come as they are, there were no guidelines or requirements to be a part of Dove’s real beauty campaign. All the models needed to do was be themselves. 

Coming dressed in clothes that represent them and their unique style, the team at Dove wanted to capture the raw beauty that each and every woman carries inside of her. 

Using #NoDigitalDistortion, anything that the beauty industry would usually try and deem as ‘not pretty’ could not be edited. Highlighting the lumps and bumps that make us human, Dove’s campaign is all about the real and unmodified women of Malta.

Helping Maltese women fall back in love with their bodies and shifting the way society perceives them, for this campaign, Dove chose women who shy away from the standards set by the cosmetic and beauty industry to emphasise that it’s ok to not put on make-up, dye your hair, or try to change the way you look to fit these standards. 

Placing too much pressure on women to look ‘perfect’ sometimes means that tattoos, coloured hair, or even a quirky sense of style would not often make the cut for traditional beauty campaigns. And as a result, what we see in the media isn’t what real women look like. 

Creating products that deliver real care, Dove doesn’t look at the world through rose-tinted glasses. They know that women look different, skin ages, and not everyone needs the same thing to thrive. And as a result, what we see in the media is only representative of a small cohort of women and disregards all other tastes and styles. 

They know that in reality, women look diverse, that’s why when creating their wide range of products the focus is always on what is real. Because how can you battle toxic beauty standards and give the women of society what they truly deserve if you’re viewing the world through a distorted lens? 

Tag someone who’s beautiful as they are!