Thank you Dove for sponsoring this post. How do you define #RealBeauty?

Plus Size Beauty

It took me years to get comfortable in my body, and I’m not even 100% there yet. It’s something I have to work on each and every day, and it’s also something that I’m happy to put time into. As the mom of two boys, one with special needs, I can tell you that just a few months ago I had gotten completely lost in a very deep rut. I faced myself in the mirror and didn’t like what I saw. I wasn’t putting any effort in my appearance each day, and I wasn’t making time for the things that made me happy. I got lost in my beautiful family, but completely forgot about what makes me feel beautiful.

Plus Size Beauty

Beauty to me is not perfection, it’s embracing the mess. So even though I was wearing sweats and had my hair in a messy bun for that season of my life, it helped bring me to where I am now. It helped me realize what it is that I need to feel beautiful. Now, I’m still messy, still not perfectly put together, but I’ve reached a happy medium.

I recently watched the second film from Dove Real Beauty Productions that features a gal named Kylee. In the film she tells her story about what beauty is to her. She talked about her dream to cut her hair short, and how she felt once she finally did. She now has her own barber shop where she cuts hair each day and helps to bring out the beauty in others. Kylee’s story really resonated with me, and I loved watching how she took something that was troubling her and transformed that into something that helps others shine.

I’m sure you’ve been there before – where you don’t feel good about yourself and make a change like getting a hair cut or a new outfit. Something about putting in the time for that self care can really flip your attitude right around. I love that Dove is helping bring the stories of real women and their definition of beauty to the public with the help of the talented Shonda Rhimes and an all-female crew.

Plus Size Beauty

Plus Size Beauty

Real beauty isn’t all about looks, it’s found in how you treat others, how you treat yourself, and doing the things that make your heart happy. Real beauty radiates out from the inside, and the inside is where you need to start.

Did you Know:

  • 69% of women say they don’t see themselves reflected in advertisements, movies, and television?
  • The definition of beauty is evolving faster than the industry can keep up with.
  • 74% of women believe more needs to be done to redefine the current definition of beauty to be more inclusive.

Reading over those facts makes me sad, it makes me realize how much still needs to be changed in both our online world and advertising. All different types of beauty and people should be embraced. Gay, straight, plus size, petite, it’s all beautiful.ย Can you imagine how boring the world would be if everyone looked exactly the same? Instead of picking out differences, we should be celebrating them!

Plus Size Beauty

If you have a few minutes, I’d really love it if you watched Kylee’s story. It’s only a few minutes and it’s wonderfully told. I don’t “know” her, but she inspires me. She inspires me because I see myself in her – I see the “before” Kendall who didn’t feel like her best self – and being stuck in a space like that is really difficult. But since I’ve invested time in me, my world has changed – and I love sharing that with you.

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And in case you don’t already know – YOU ARE BEAUTIFUL.

What does real beauty mean to you?

Don’t forget to check out “Meet Kylie” the second film from Dove Real Beauty Productions.

 

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I was selected for this opportunity as a member of CLEVER and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.