It's no secret that Instagram can be a breeding ground for photos that are meant to convey a "perfect" face, body, or even life with the aid of carefully composed photos and blemish-blurring filters. However, according to a story published today by AdWeek, the selfie has taken on a whole new meaning. What started out as just another hashtag (#nomakeupselfie) has become a symbol of empowerment and has even raised several million pounds for cancer research. How's that for going viral?
The #nomakeupselfie hashtag started presumably after the Oscars, when author Laura Lippmann posted a fresh-faced photo in support of actress Kim Novak, whose appearance was criticized at the Oscars. (For the record: Novak is 81 and is probably 80 times wiser than all of us, so let's just hold back on the judgment, mmkay?) The trend of fresh-faced photos caught on throughout the U.K., and inexplicably, #breastcancerawareness tags and links to Cancer Research UK started to be added. Thus, the selfie evolved from a superficial trend to a celebration of real beauty with the ability to foster real change. Guess it's not all bad in social-media land, huh?
Have you used social media for good? Tell us in the comments below! (AdWeek)
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