How many times have we bought makeup advertised as “a fix”? They show flawless, glass skin in their campaigns and claim their makeup provides this level of smoothness. Meanwhile, the campaigns are edited beyond recognition, beyond human skin, or generally with one particular skin type: blemish-free. These sorts of ads are not only damaging to self-image but also perpetuate the idea that, to wear makeup, your skin needs to look and feel a particular way. And if your skin doesn’t look like in the ad, the makeup won’t apply the same way either.
More and more brands over the past several years have started to lean toward transparency. As consumers, we have become more aware of ingredients, advertising, and intention. Whether it’s through a TikTok passing your fyp teaching you how to really understand what’s on the label, a Netflix documentary that breaks down every con you can find, or your favorite influencer promoting a brand they “truly believe in”, we are constantly fueled with information. False advertisements can not only be extremely damaging to your skin but also your mental health in general. Even though this has been a practice in commercials since the beginning of time, that doesn’t mean we have to be complicit with how companies choose to sell to us. We buy, we decide.
One Swedish brand in particular, IsaDora, has been taking on the ‘traditional’ beauty campaigns and changing the formula. From their choice in models to their ad campaign images, this beauty brand is changing the narrative.
For starters, their models are not only displaying real diversity in age, gender, and race, but also in skin. IsaDora’s images promise 100% retouch and filter-free images to show their makeup on real skin. This way, we see models with authentic skin, including real age marks, blemishes, scars, and anything our skin actually experiences and looks like in real life. Additionally, their models are also their users. People who love and experience the makeup, and therefore legitimately stand for it.
IsaDora’s makeup promotes usage on your skin with or without additional coverage through a smooth application, natural feel, and pigmented colors. Their whole motto is “true beauty is retouch-free,” and we agree. IsaDora also pushes to change these standards with other brands by supporting organizations like Tjejzonen that support young girls and women who need assistance. On IsaDora’s official website, you can sign a petition with Tjejzonen “to enact a law that regulates retouching photographs of models.” Changing beauty ads is not just for honest promotion of a product, but also for the mental and physical well-being of young women. This is what IsaDora believes in and heavily promotes in their campaigns.
The beauty industry is overloaded with products and brands showing wrinkle-free, smooth, glass skin. Though there is no issue with improving your skin health, this type of promotion makes many users feel as though the current state of their skin is not normal or beautiful the way it is, like there is always something wrong that you should be fixing. Remember to give yourself and your skin grace. Because what you see online (including Instagram, TikTok, or any other social media platform that tries to sell you things) is not real. Your skin is real. Your skin is true. And everyone has real skin.
