They say beauty is in the eye of the beholder. It’s subjective and usually based off of societal standards, created and perpetuated by the media. These are what that help define our personal ideas of beauty and in turn, become the standards we inflict on ourselves almost every time we look into the mirror. But what happens when you can’t visually perceive your own beauty or the beauty of others? How would you describe beauty then?
In a new Dove ad from Sweden, three visually impaired women were asked these questions. And as it turns out, as soon as you remove beauty’s visual element, your ideas of beauty and what you consider to be beautiful become a lot less superficial. Instead of describing what it looks like, these three woman offer their ideas by sharing what beauty feels like to them.
“I feel beautiful on days when I feel like life is fun,” said Anna Bergholtz, one of the participants. “I feel beautiful when I’m energetic, when I’m feeling good, when I’m feeling strong,” added another, Ida Ostlund. “When it feels as if I’m in the right place, doing the right things; meaningful things, I automatically feel beautiful.”
When it comes to perceiving others, these women shared how sincere and thoughtful actions are great indicators of a beautiful pereson. “As I’m approaching 40, I pay more attention to all of the beautiful people around me,” said Naomi Allback. “It comes from within. If you radiate warmth, humility and love, then you’re beautiful to me.”
In true Dove style, this ad is poignant, powerful and refreshing. While we all may be harsh critics of our personal appearances, this is a thoughtful reminder that real beauty starts from within, then shines through on the outside.
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