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Dove's Project #SHOWUS Wants To Shatter Beauty Stereotypes One Photo At A Time
At some point in your life, you've probably encountered media or advertising imagery where you felt left out, unheard, or unseen. It's common to flip through popular platforms and never see someone that you connect with - or even someone that seems real. When are key players in beauty going to take notice and really do something about it?
In their new campaign, Project #ShowUs, Dove, in partnership with Girlgaze, a platform for female and nonbinary creatives, and stock image conglomerate Getty Images, is on a mission to change that reality and help women define beauty on their own terms. Project #ShowUs is the world's largest photo library created by self-identifying female and non-binary individuals to shatter beauty stereotypes. With over 5,000 (and counting) images, the collection offers a more inclusive vision of beauty to media and advertisers to use in content that reaches women globally.
With over 70% of women feeling like they aren't represented in media and advertising, this work couldn't be more necessary. Could you imagine a world where advertising genuinely touched who it was trying to reach?
On April 4, 2019, Dove gathered a room of New York City media professionals to introduce Project #ShowUs and facilitate an intimate conversation: Taking Stock: A Discussion on Media, Representation, and Women's Self-Esteem. The panel included founder and CEO of Girlgaze, Amanda de Cadenet; senior creative director at Getty Images, Dr. Rebecca Swift; Marie Claire digital beauty editor, Maya Allen; a Project #ShowUs participant, Anna Sophia; and Dove's self-esteem educator, Dre Brown. Together, they discussed the power of inclusivity of experience and how Project #ShowUs will revolutionize the media industry and how women relate to themselves and one another.
For Maya Allen, the campaign is both nostalgic and revolutonationary. After recounting her early days as a Black woman in journalism and how she often struggled to find representation of beauty that looked at her, she strongly said, "I'm thinking about every woman I am doing this for." Having the ability to show more depictions of beauty in her stories will be life-changing for the women who never saw themselves in platforms such as Marie Claire before.
More importantly, the onus of providing representation shouldn't always be on the marginalized audience, according to Amanda de Cadenet. Those in positions of privilege, like herself as a self-identified White woman, shouldn't shy away from speaking up and helping to provide seats at the table for other underrepresented groups. Dr. Swift added something that made the room quiet for a moment:
"Do you want to use your power to maintain the status quo or your power to change the status quo?"
Here are some quick facts about Project #ShowUs that you should know:
Peyton Fulford/Getty Images
Anna Sophia for #ShowUs
1. The campaign is 100% powered by 116 women from 39 countries, both in front of and behind the camera. With photography usually being male-dominated and often shot from the male gaze, these images are truly female-identifying centered.
Anna Sophia, a Project #ShowUs participant, told xoNecole, "This has been such an amazing experience. I've had a voice throughout the entire process. I've been able to define myself and just be fully vulnerable and share that vulnerability with people who feel similarly. I felt like it just wasnt only an opporunity to feel powerful but an amazing opporutnity to represent my community of Queer, Black people."
Our hope for this project is that it not only sheds light on women whose voices we never get to see and hear, but that it also truly serves as a tool of empowerment. The biggest act of upliftment often first comes from representative inspiration. Seeing someone that looks like you doing something or being someone you've always dreamed of being is true power. That's showing us so we can show them in its best form.
As Dre Brown proudly urged the room in summary, "When we're allowed to be our authentic selves, that's where the magic happens."
Watch the Project #ShowUs launch video here:
To learn more about the Project #ShowUs campaign, visit: https://www.dove.com/showus.
Featured image by Jabulile Nadia Newman/Getty Images
Rana Campbell is a Princeton University graduate, storyteller, content marketing strategist, and the founder and host of Dreams In Drive - a weekly podcast that teaches you how to take your dreams from PARK to DRIVE. She loves teaching others how to use their life stories to inspire action within oneself and others. Connect with her on Instagram @rainshineluv or @dreamsindrive.
How This New Bond Repair Line Transformed One Mother's Postpartum Shedding Into The Ultimate Curl Comeback
This article is in partnership with SheaMoisture
For Crystal Obasanya, her wash day woes came shortly after her son did. The beauty and lifestyle content creator had been natural for years, but during postpartum, she quickly learned about one reality many mothers can relate to experiencing: postpartum hair loss. “Sis had thinning hair. Sis had split ends,” she shared about her hair changes in a Reel via xoNecole.
Over a year into her postpartum journey, Crystal explained she also had dry, brittle hair, noting that keeping it hydrated before pregnancy had already been “a task.” The 4C natural recalled going from thick hair during pregnancy to a thin hairline due to postpartum shedding as “devastating.” When it came to strengthening and revitalizing her hair, the new SheaMoisture Bond Repair Collection was just the thing she needed to elevate her damaged coils to revive and thrive status and get them poppin' again.
SheaMoisture is providing us with the cheat code for transforming dry and damaged strands into thriving and deeply nourished crowns. By unveiling their 4-step hair system, the SheaMoisture Bond Repair Collection is equipping you with the tools to reverse signs of hair damage caused by protective styling, heat, and color and is uniquely formulated for Type 3 and 4 hair textures.
The haircare system revives damaged natural hair by repairing and rebuilding broken hair bonds through a game-changing combination of HydroPlex Technology and AminoBlend Complex, a unique blend of fortifying amino acids formulated specifically for curly and coily hair. Scientifically proven to reduce breakage by 84% and make your hair six times stronger (vs. non-conditioning shampoo), the collection infuses your hair with the nourishment it craves and the strength it deserves.
All five products of the SheaMoisture Bond Collection are infused with natural strengthening ingredients like Amla Oil and fair-trade shea butter. The collection consists of the 4-step breakage-fighting Bond Repair system, as well as the Bonding Oil.
“When trying it out, I quickly noticed that my hair felt revived and renewed, and my curls were so hydrated,” Crystal said while using the Amla-infused Bond Repair Leave-In Conditioner. “I also felt my hair strands were stronger.” So much so that the influencer felt brave enough to get her hair braided shortly thereafter. “I can definitely say that I will be keeping it in my hair wash routine,” she added in the caption of her Reel about her positive experience using the products.
SheaMoisture Bond Repair Collection is making bond-building a key player in your wash day routines and the purveyor of life for thirsty manes. Because who doesn't want stronger, shinier, happier hair?
Step One: Bond Repair Collection Shampoo
Rejuvenate your hair with SheaMoisture Bond Repair Shampoo, your go-to solution for luscious locks. Packed with hella hydration power, this shampoo adds moisture by 60% while removing buildup without stripping your strands. This shampoo gently cleanses impurities while significantly enhancing shine, smoothness, and softness.
The Bond Repair Collection Shampoo is the first step in the 4-step Bond Repair system, all of which are powered by the uniquely formulated AminoBlend, and HydroPlex, SheaMoisture’s technology that rebuilds hair strength at its core.
Step Two: Bond Repair Collection Conditioner
Tailored to repair styling damage, this creamy conditioner locks in 12x more moisture than standard non-conditioning shampoos, boosting damaged hair strength by 1.5x with significantly less breakage. The creamy SheaMoisture Bond Repair Collection Conditioner deeply hydrates, enhances manageability, and leaves your hair looking healthier and shinier.
Step Three: Bond Repair Collection Masque
This Ultra Moisturizing reparative masque is a moisture-rich game-changer for those dealing with the aftermath of hair damage caused by styling. The SheaMoisture Bond Repair Collection Masque delivers 13 times more moisture compared to non-conditioning shampoos, ensuring your hair feels nourished and soft. Designed to repair and rejuvenate, this masque significantly strengthens damaged hair — making it twice as strong while reducing breakage.
Step Four: Bond Repair Collection Leave-In Conditioner
Elevate your curl game with SheaMoisture’s Bond Repair Collection Leave-In Conditioner. Lightweight and hydrating, the Bond Repair Leave-In Conditioner provides 12x more moisture than non-conditioning shampoos and tames frizz with 24-hour humidity control. Designed to define curls and coils, the leave-in conditioner enhances softness and shine allowing you to detangle effortlessly.
Bonding Oil
The SheaMoisture Bond Repair Collection Bonding Oil is a multitasking all-in-one formula that acts as a heat protectant and provides the hair with moisture, strength, shine, damage protection, and intense nourishment. This lightweight oil not only offers 24-hour frizz and humidity control but also fortifies your tresses, making them up to 5 times stronger with significantly less breakage.
Featured image courtesy
Draya Michele And Jalen Green Address Backlash Over Age Gap In Their Relationship
Romantic relationships with significant age gaps often attract heightened attention and scrutiny, especially when they involve an older woman dating a much younger man.
This criticism is usually viewed as a double standard, considering society's general acceptance of couples like Jay-Z and Beyoncé or Julius Tennon and Viola Davis, where the male partners are over a decade older than their female spouses.
The debate surrounding age gaps in celebrity relationships reignited in March when Draya Michele, a 39-year-old former reality star and entrepreneur, revealed she was expecting her first child with her boyfriend, 22-year-old Houston Rockets player Jalen Green, after nearly a year together. Immediately following the announcement, Michele, who has two sons from previous relationships, faced massive backlash due to the couple's 17-year age difference.
In response to the scrutiny, Michele posted a quote on her Instagram story, which has since been deleted, suggesting she was comfortable with being "misunderstood." The post read, "Get comfortable being misunderstood. Only a fraction of people will be able to truly grasp your essence. You are not on anyone else's timeline of comprehension."
Since then, the couple welcomed their daughter in May and maintained a relatively low profile regarding their relationship. However, during a recent outing in Hollywood, Michele and Green shared their thoughts with TMZ about the criticism they have received.
Draya And Jalen On Age-Gap Backlash
When asked about the online chatter surrounding their relationship, Michele revealed the couple's strategy for dealing with negativity. "We try to stay off the internet and not really listen to that kind of stuff," she explained.
Green echoed this sentiment, stating they don't care about the public backlash. The former Basketball Wivesstar elaborated that they strive to live as normally as possible by blocking out the hate.
“We block it out and we mind our business,” she stated.
When questioned about why she was facing scrutiny despite the pair looking the same age, Michele disclosed that the entire ordeal was strange.
“I don’t know what people’s problems is,” she said. “We are two adults– being in love. I don’t know why that would rub people the wrong way. It’s kind of weird. Love is love at the end of the day.”
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Feature image by Frazer Harrison/Getty Images