As much as we try to keep our beauty outlook full of positive affirmation, even the most self-confident among us can have critical moments when we look in the mirror and don't like what we see. Decades of social conditioning and promotion of one stereotypical ideal of beauty can do that to a girl. But those so-called flaws we think we have are not what the rest of the world sees when they look at us.
Need proof? Dove just released a new video that sets out to prove that we are really our worst critics. The brand commissioned a forensic sketch artist to draw portraits of women based on their descriptions of themselves, and then again based on other people's descriptions of them. You can probably guess where this is going: The participants were overly critical of their own faces, pointing out supposed flaws that weren't actually noticeable, while the descriptions from other people led to flattering, stunning images of beautiful and confident women.
Not to give the plot away, but let's just say that the participants had a lot of feelings while looking at the portraits side by side. After we finish weeping at our desks, we're going to go find a mirror and think long and hard about the usually hypercritical thoughts that run through our heads upon gazing at our reflections. You should, too.
Photo: Via Dove