Dove’s Latest Film Will Make You Rethink Your Beauty Insecurities

There's no time in a woman's life when she feels more insecure than during her pre-teen and teenage years. Being different was a constant fear, and every time we looked in the mirror there was something we wished we could change to mimic what we saw around us. Maybe we wanted naturally straight hair, maybe we wanted to clear up that acne, or maybe we wanted to change our eye color. Well, we weren't alone. According to research from Dove, girls as young as 10 feel beauty anxiety, and nine out of 10 girls wants to change at least one thing about her physical appearance. Unrealistic expectations of what people "should" look like are embedded into our brains as soon as we're old enough to pick up a magazine or flip on the TV. And while these kinds of insecurities don't necessarily dissipate as we get older, Dove is attempting to nip the issue in the bud with its latest Self-Esteem Project initiative. The brand has created a Pinterest page filled with confidence-boosting messages for women and girls to read and share. "Dove recognizes that women and girls spend a great deal of time on social media. Now when girls need a self-esteem boost, the mothers or role models in their lives can rely upon practical and easy-to-use self-esteem inspiration right on their phones," explains Jennifer Bremner, director of marketing at Dove. "Our new Dove Self-Esteem Pinterest page demonstrates the power and ease of mentorship, and we invite parents, teachers, and any person with a girl in their life to join us in helping the next generation develop a positive relationship with beauty." In addition, Dove has come out with a video titled "Change One Thing," which highlights the pressure girls feel, and is sure to hit home with more than a few ladies. Watch the short film above, and next time you find yourself complaining about your looks, think back to the younger you and the words of encouragement she'd benefit from hearing. Comparison is not only the thief of joy, but also a dangerous rabbit hole to fall into.