Miss England finalists have shared their imperfections showing off acne, blemishes and weight gain as part of a campaign to highlight natural beauty.
British beauty queens bravely shared photos showing off their flaws as part of an ‘Instagram versus Reality’ campaign ahead of this month’s final.
Contestants have shown less than perfect snapshots that show how reality is different than what is often shown on social media.
Organizers say they want to show a more realistic body image and natural appearance by promoting real life experiences that women have to go through.
This comes after the competition banned its controversial swimsuit round entirely for the first time.
Southampton lawyer Alice Cutler, 26, before and after glamming up for Miss England
Alexandria Crystal, from Barnsley, South Yorkshire, is the youngest in the competition at 16 and shared the difficulties she has faced suffering from acne.
She said: ‘There are a lot of things I don’t let define me, acne is one of them. It goes through cycles and sometimes it bothers me.
“I love dressing up and putting on makeup, but there are days when I just can’t be bothered and it’s my prerogative to look the way I want whenever I feel like it.”
Alice Cutler, 26, a lawyer from Southampton, has struggled with her weight and weighed 16 stone at her heaviest.
She said: ‘I have struggled with my weight for as long as I can remember.
‘I have had many traumas throughout my life and ‘eating my feelings’ became a way of coping, or not, with everything.
‘In 2019, I was at my peak weighing almost 16 kilos after comfort overcame the loss of my mother.
‘Over a period of a year and a half, I managed to lose five kilos and felt great again. However, it is important to know that losing weight is not the end point of the journey, it is just the beginning.
Dancer and acrobat Nina Peniasko shows off her imperfections in a snap shared alongside a photo of her rocking a more glamorous look with coral lipstick and a radiant smile.
“Maintaining a healthy weight is a life project and I will always have to be vigilant, especially as someone who loves sweets.”
Mehak Chandel, 23, a special needs teaching assistant from Southall, west London, has also had problems with her skin.
He added: “I’m someone who has struggled with acne for almost 10 years.
‘It used to be a defining factor of my beauty: if I had light skin I was “beautiful” and even the smallest pimple made me feel “ugly.”
‘However, over the years I grew up and accepted that this is just a part of me, like an arm or a leg, and has nothing to do with my beauty or my self-esteem.
‘In one picture here, I appear to have fair skin thanks to the makeup and perfect studio lighting/angles.
‘The other picture shows me just 30 minutes after waking up, no skincare, no makeup, no studio lighting, just my real, bare skin.
‘Although this picture clearly shows my acne scars and pimples, I don’t feel any less beautiful than the other one.
Prison officer Melissa Butcher, 24, from Lancaster, suffered from body dysmorphia and can’t believe she made it to the Miss England final.
‘These two are me, I have learned to embrace myself for who I am and I will constantly strive to empower all young people to see themselves in the same way.
‘Knowing that society cannot dictate what is “perfect” and anything considered a “flaw” is actually just a simple part of you; It’s not entirely you.
“We are all beautiful in all the ways we present ourselves.”
Prison officer Melissa Butcher, 24, from Lancaster, suffered from body dysmorphia from a young age, which affected her mental health so much that she gave up her dancing career.
She added: “Never in a million years would I have imagined being in the Miss England final, but here we are.
“Believe in yourself, I’m looking forward to the sports round and I’ve been training hard to give myself the best chance.”
Other girls shared photos without makeup, without filters, cosmetics or editing.
Miss England organizer Angie Beasley said: “On the day of the final, the 40 finalists will parade free in makeup.”
Mehak Chandel, 23, a special needs teaching assistant from Southall, London, showed the real texture of her slightly mottled skin.
‘We have encouraged the finalists to share their true selves on the Miss England blog on our website and to be more realistic on social media.
‘It is proving a success as the contestants are realizing that they are not alone with their struggles and it shows that their lives are not a bed of roses.
‘Some contestants have shared stories of pain and intimidation during their youth, as well as talking about their reasons for participating.
‘It is very inspiring. “I have seen many contestants joining in and they will probably make friends for life.”
The Miss England final will take place over two days at Grand Station in Wolverhampton on May 16 and 17.