Dove does it again. First I would like to give kudos to the company for authentically taking this whole “Real Beauty” campaign on, and not making it a fly-by-night, gimmick to suck women in buy products. They have been so innovative and creative at not only highlighting the issues but in finding ways to empower women and build them up- most often (and in my opinion most effectively) using their own words, and stories.

This new installment is amazing…

I have to say that when I watched the video below I cried. Let me explain: a sketch artist was employed to (without seeing the subject) draw women as they described themselves. The women were also asked to look at the face of other woman and later describe that woman to the artist.

Then the two portraits (subjective/objective) were places side by side, and the women were allowed to view in black and white  the renderings of how they see themselves, and how then  rendering of how the other person saw them, and the difference was remarkable. What was so moving to me was their reaction. The astonishment, the awe, and the sadness in the women’s eyes upon seeing the two – most times drastically different pictures. With the first portrait (the one that they described themselves for) you see a recognition, you witness them seeing their issues: The fat in their face, the bad chin etc. Their vulnerability is palpable- it is as though their inner most thoughts, the things that we all work so hard to mask on a daily basis- (that we cover up with make-up, clothing, hairstyles etc.) were on display. Their inner feelings and dislikes about themselves were laid bare.  In a way standing naked with a stranger whom they had feature by feature stripped naked before… Then ironically simultaneously they were confronted with the the second portrait of a more objective version of themselves and of how drastically different it was. When they look back and forth between to two, at first they seem slightly relieved that it’s “not so bad”, however within seconds, what you see register (and this is what made me emotional) is that they realized that there is  something is wrong with this “picture” if you will- it’s like mentally they are trying to make sense of how they could be so off… and although they are pleased that they are indeed “prettier” then they feel themselves to be- they realize that there is something disturbingly sad, painful and diminishing about the feelings they hold about themselves…

Take a look…