Dove is partnering with singer-songwriter Bebe Rexha and a host of global influential voices, to help women break free from the pressure of curated perfection on social media. Introducing #ShareTheFirst – a global movement inviting women to free themselves from perfection, to celebrate authenticity, and to share the real first photo, before they found “the one.”
New research from Dove reveals the pressure to present a ‘perfect’ image, with 8 in 10 US women taking up to 50 photos of themselves before finding the perfect ‘one’ to post. Findings also revealed that nearly half of women admit to spending over 10 minutes deciding whether to post, share, or delete a picture of themselves.
This continuous cycle of retaking, filtering, and tweaking photos can overshadow the joy of capturing real, spontaneous moments, with 6 in 10 women not posting special moments simply because they did not like how they looked.
As someone who understands the pressures of social media and the expectation to present a flawless image, Bebe Rexha, like millions of women worldwide, is embracing the power of authenticity and self-expression.
“The best moments in life aren’t staged or filtered, they just happen. But when you’re in the spotlight, there’s so much pressure to look perfect all the time,” says Bebe Rexha. “That’s why I’m so excited to team up with Dove to celebrate real, unedited beauty, the kind that comes from being unapologetically yourself the first time around and just living in the moment.”
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Alongside Bebe, creators, body confidence advocates and women from across the globe including Francesca Scorsese, Nyma Tang, Tess Holiday and Lauren Chamberse, are showing support for Dove’s #ShareTheFirst campaign. At a time where the pressure to maintain a perfectly curated feed can lead to stress and anxiety, Dove aims to unite women globally to challenge unrealistic beauty standards and embrace their real, authentic selves.
“Too many women avoid sharing life’s biggest moments on social media because they don’t like how they look in a photo – from graduations, weddings and birthdays – this pressure to look ‘perfect’ leads to increased levels of anxiety and Dove wants to change that,” says Marcela Melero, Chief Growth Officer of Dove Personal Care North America and Dove Masterbrand. “We are calling on our community to share the first photo, the one that captures joy, not perfection, demonstrating that real beauty isn’t about a flawless photo but embracing beauty on their own terms.”
Additional findings from Dove’s research reveal some startling insights into this unspoken desire to share life’s moments flawlessly:
- Women aged 18-24 are taking on average up to 14 photos of themselves to capture the right ‘look’ before choosing one to post. In contrast, Gen Alpha don’t need a retake, taking only 8 photos on average before posting. This shift highlights an opportunity for the younger generation to set the tone for less filtered self-expression.
- Almost half (47%) of US women have deleted a picture of themselves on social media after posting it because they felt self-conscious.
- 6 in 10 women say it’s important to look authentic in their social media posts.
- 1 in 2 women seek approval from a friend before posting a photo to social media.
For more than two decades, Dove has been building self-esteem and body confidence for women and girls. #ShareTheFirst is a continuation of this mission, encouraging women to embrace beauty on their own terms and reclaim the joy in sharing life’s real, spontaneous moments.
Dove is committed to making beauty a source of happiness, not anxiety. Join us and #ShareTheFirst, because every photo, every angle, every moment is beautiful.
Access resources at dove.com/self-esteem/women for the Dove Real Beauty Talks video and associated activity workbook.
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