When we think of celebrities, we think of perfection. Flowing, shiny hair, slender figures, and blemish-free, radiant complexions. Or so we think.
But in reality, famous people are just like us. While they may have the luxury of professional makeup artists and skilled photo editors, they are still human. That means many have struggles just like the rest of us – including acne or other skin problems.
As we’re surrounded by a constant influx of edited and perfectly-curated social media posts and advertising, it’s vital to remind ourselves that sometimes, even the most flawless or privileged celebrities suffer with monthly hormonal breakouts or in some cases, cystic acne.
Thankfully, some of the nation’s most loved celebrities have begun opening up about their skin struggles. And I’ve got the utmost respect for every one of them. They’re helping to normalize a skin issue which was previously stigmatized, and more importantly, they’re comforting thousands of young people – their fans – who are struggling with their skin and self-esteem on a daily basis.
So let’s take a look at some of the celebrities who have opened up about their struggles with acne:
Georgia Toffolo
Made in Chelsea star ‘Toff’, has spoken honestly about her struggle with skin since taking the crown on ITV show ‘I’m A Celebrity.’ She described how her lowest point with her skin was the night before she was due to enter the jungle. Looking at her skin in the mirror, she cried. She couldn’t bear to be seen on national TV without makeup.
Thankfully, she was allowed to take in her foundation. But since leaving the ITV show, she’s been inspired to open up about her struggles, and recently appeared on This Morning chatting about her experience with acne.
She explained: ‘When I don’t have my foundation on, I’m a very different person. I notice even when I’m with my friends and family, if I don’t have my makeup on I can be quite irritable. I don’t feel confident in myself but when I do have make-up on, I feel confident.’
It just goes to show that we shouldn’t believe all the images we see on social media or television. I’d have never guessed that Toff had acne whilst watching her on Made In Chelsea. I suppose that the jungle made Toff realize she was hiding behind a mask, in a way. In that setting, she had nowhere to hide, which has inspired her to tackle her issues head-on rather than depending on makeup.
Showing insecurities and opening up about vulnerabilities takes huge guts, and Toff probably doesn’t realize the difference her honesty will make. She’s a gorgeous, beautiful and bubbly young woman. I’m sure that many of the young girls who look up to her will feel a great sense of comfort to know that their idol struggles with her skin too… and that she’s still absolutely beautiful regardless!
Joe Sugg
Joe Sugg, also known as ‘ThatcherJoe’, is a popular British YouTube star with over 8 million subscribers.
He’s recently released a video where he frankly discusses his acne struggles over the years. He mentioned how he tried numerous methods to sort out his skin, and eventually resorted to asking his sister to help him cover his skin with makeup.
It’s easy for us to assume that YouTubers are absolutely perfect. They tend to only show the best moments of their lives on camera, which can make us feel that they have a perfect life with no problems whatsoever.
Yet even Joe Sugg, one of the most influential social media stars of our generation, has suffered terribly with acne, eventually leading to low self-esteem.
There’s much less support out there for boys with acne. Acne in boys just doesn’t seem to be discussed as openly, or as often. Joe Sugg is such an influential and ‘cool’ young guy, that his honesty will undoubtedly help other boys suffering in silence with their skin to come out and seek help. Ultimately, his video will help thousands of boys, who are feeling down about their skin, know they’re not alone.
Kendall Jenner
When we think of Kendall Jenner, acne is the furthest thing from our mind. She’s a supermodel and part of the illustrious Kardashian family. Surely, acne couldn’t affect her… right?
Wrong. Kendall recently opened up to her fans, stating in a letter: “I had such bad acne when I was younger. It completely ruined my self-esteem – I wouldn’t even look at people when I talked to them. I felt like such an outcast; when I spoke, it was with my hand covering my face.”
She was recently ridiculed by trolls for having acne whilst attending the 75th annual Golden Globe Awards in LA. She hit back on Twitter, replying to a fan who applauded her for having the confidence to slay the red carpet despite her troubled skin. Kendall replied, “Never let that s**t stop you!”.
If more and more celebrities are opening up about struggling with their skin, even Kendall Jenner, who has modeled for the likes of Calvin Klein… what does it show?
It’s simple. It shows us that absolutely no one is perfect. And that’s completely okay.
