Deysi Peña
Unfiltered
Unfiltered embraces and normalizes all skin types through an acne positivity movement. Unfortunately, acne is nonexistent in the media. With the help of photo retouching, we are constantly shown people with perfect skin who have become the standard of beauty, but the reality is most people have or had acne at some point in their life. The bottom line is everyone deserves to feel beautiful—especially acne girlies.
Artist/Thesis Statement
Despite its commonality, the media acts as if acne does not exist. We are constantly shown people who have perfect skin and are told that this is the only definition of “beauty”. This is a result of the overuse of photo retouching. Every imperfection is manually erased—giving the illusion that it was never there. Ultimately, acne has been deemed unacceptable. The lack of acne representation in the media strengthens the insecurities of those who do have acne. People feel less confident and are compelled to cover their blemishes—even though most people will experience some form of acne in their life.
“Unfiltered” embraces and normalizes all skin types through an acne positivity movement. My media reminds my audience that if you have acne, you are not alone. I demonstrate that it is okay to have pimples and we should not let it affect our lives. I also educate the public about acne and skin care and give advice to those seeking it.
I avoid photo retouching throughout all my media to highlight the commonality of having acne. These images acknowledge a variety of people who come from different backgrounds and have different amounts of acne. The individuals show body language and facial expressions demonstrating confidence. They do not cover their blemishes. By highlighting this, my audience will be more likely to relate to them and feel encouraged to do the same.
I reveal personal and outside experiences through quotes and stories related to acne through social media posts, posters and a website. My media also includes debunking common acne myths and sharing facts and statistics. Overall, I use both formal and informal language to enhance the movement’s playful mood.
