Since so much of your Instagram feed is probably filled with heavily-filtered photos (of both food and faces), it can be hard to know what’s real and what’s not. But a new wave of body-positive accounts wants you to know not everyone’s skin is flawless IRL, sans filter—and that’s something to be celebrated.
Yep, the acne-positivity movement is taking storm online. Skin issues are so common, yet so many feel the need to hide as soon as a new blemish manifests. But between celebrities opening up about their skin issues and body-image activists taking a stand with acne-positive Instagram accounts, people are starting to look at themselves in a totally new, more confident light.
Here are 4 Instagrammers who are celebrating their acne—and think you should, too.
1. Em Ford
Instead of hiding her acne, UK-based Em Ford is showing it off to her million followers on her account @mypaleskinblog. The self-taught makeup lover posts tutorials to help others cover their blemishes, but she isn’t afraid to highlight what’s underneath her makeup as well.
“Acne is a massive insecurity for people all over, and I truly believe that the only way to truly alleviate these worries, insecurities, and fears, is to have more women like yourself, who live their lives with a kickass IDGAF attitude about their acne and talk about how completely normal it is,” she wrote in a post. “I strongly believe that the more we talk about these things, the less taboo these conversations will become, the less judgmental we become of others, and the less insecure we become of ourselves.”
2. Hailey Wait
Hailey Wait might only be 18, but she’s already steps ahead of people twice her age when it comes to self-acceptance—acne included. The “pro pizza face” vegan posts inspiring messages to her followers on @pigss, making it clear that skin issues are no big deal.
3. Brianna Lopez
Even though Brianna Lopez is a model, she’s not afraid of supposed imperfections. Rather than only posting flawlessly edited photos from shoots on her Instagram account, she keeps it real about her acne struggles over the years.
“To be a model, you basically need to be ‘perfect.’ Which no one is and I’m not claiming to be perfect at all,” she wrote. “There are worse things that can happen to you in life than acne. But getting acne takes a really big toll on your life.”
4. Kali Kushner
Kali Kushner—who’s behind the account @myfacestory—is super-open and -honest about her acne journey, sharing everything she uses to try and heal it—be it different diets or products—with plenty of inspiring makeup-free selfies along the way.
“Today I was going to put on some concealer for class. I sat there for a minute before deciding I didn’t need it,” she wrote. “My spots aren’t ugly; they’re fierce AF. If someone else thinks otherwise that’s their own problem and if this is the ‘worst’ thing I have in my life right now, things are going pretty damn good, I’d say.”
These are the top acne spot treatments, according to dermatologists. Or, get the 411 on treating acne for women of color.
iframe.instagram-media