Local model Charlene Louise has taken to social media to reveal a hidden birthmark. Charlene, who lives in Ross-on-Wye has previously modelled for Nuts Magazine and various other publications.
Charlene posted on Facebook.
“This is me… no make up… this is what hides behind the make up… my birthmark.
“I’ve been wanting to post for a while especially with how fake social media has become.
“I’ve always got judged for the way I looked with a face full of makeup and having done modelling. People assuming, I was stuck up, loved myself, thought I was above everyone else. A lot of people that claim they know me that really don’t still think that. Hilarious!! No wonder I hate judgemental people and got no time for a lot these days.”
My birthmark:
“I used to hate my birthmark more than anything. I used to think it was everything that was wrong with me. But in fact, it was everything that was right with me. It taught me so much at such a young age about love and beauty. Growing up in a society that is so focused on beauty and the pressure of how we are supposed to look is hard for all women let alone any having a facial disfigurement.
“Thank you to my birthmark for threatening my ego every day, keeping me grounded. Learning to love myself truly and most of all for making me who I am. Forever grateful. I love you.”
Charlene told Matt from Your Herefordshire.
“I remember the stares and questions. Adults would be no better than children either. I’ve worn make up to cover it since my early teens now and the difference I noticed when I started to cover it was crazy. It was nice to get stares for different reasons. People noticing me in other ways, people would see and comment on the rest of my face or notice and comment on my long legs or my figure. People saw past the birthmark because they simply couldn’t see it anymore. Started to get attention from boys which never had before. Crazy isn’t it. I was very lucky at school to only ever of had one comment from a boy, (he was in fact younger than me which probably made it easier) he ran past saying ‘don’t mess with fire’ and laughed. There are some mean people out there, but it says more about them.”
Charlene added.
“Of course it took a while to build myself up to take pictures of myself make up free, but it had been something I had wanted to do for a while. I witness so many people feeling low or depressed about themselves. Social media being so fake, people posting only the good, their best self all the time. We are all guilty of it. Not to mention all the filters, editing apps, tricks of how to pose your body to look skinnier. I remember going through a phase of using snapchat filters all the time that when I didn’t it made me feel horrendous. Things are getting worse with social media. It’s only this week I have come across a video editing app where people can now post videos reels and edit how they look – in a video. That’s crazy. People really need to remember to take social media with a pinch of salt.”
