[ad_1]
As natural beauty takes a firm hold this year, “beauty spots” are no longer buried under layers of foundation and concealer. A champion for the cause is actor Clare Dunne who plays Amanda Kinsella in the extremely punchy Irish series Kin on SBS.
The Ballinteer-born star said she put her foot down early in her career after it was suggested she camouflage the prominent birthmark under her left eye when she was auditioning for roles. “I feel that if they want me, great. If they don’t, well they aren’t the people to work with – it’s as simple as that really,” she said. “And on a very practical level, you can’t really cover up my birthmark because it’s basically 3D and sticks out a bit.”
Clare Dunne: “On a very practical level, you can’t really cover up my birthmark because it’s basically 3D and sticks out a bit.”Credit: Getty Images
Social media is littered with celebrities minus make-up displaying their natural skin, many bringing their freckles to the fore. Model Gigi Hadid led the charge in 2015 when she posted a foundation-free pic titled “frex” on (then) Twitter. A few years later, Kylie Jenner joined beauty vlogger James Charles for a video with a freckly photo captioned: “bare-faced sisters”.
Freckles form as a result of an overproduction of melanin, which is a pigment that gives your hair, skin and eyes its colour. Melanin is produced by skin cells called melanocytes, and works to protect skin from sun damage by absorbing and reflecting ultraviolet light. There are genetic and non-genetic factors that cause freckling: ephelides have a stronger genetic connection and lentigines are caused more by environmental factors. Both are influenced by sun exposure.
So, what’s the difference between a mole and a freckle? Moles may be flat or raised, while freckles are flat. Moles are genetically determined, and they can grow on any part of the body – in general people tend to have as many moles as their parents. Melanocytes are spread throughout normal skin, but in a mole they are clustered together.
As a tribute, we have gathered some of our favourite “moles” to show just how beautiful they are. Think of the epitome: Cindy Crawford and her acclaimed mole that has featured prominently on her upper left lip. She was quoted saying, “Apparently if it was on the right side, it was a beauty mark, and if it was on the left it was an ugly mark.” Thank god she kept it intact. Scarlett Johansson’s mole makes her cheeks even more fetching when she’s smiling. The flawless Blake Lively has a mole adjacent to her nose, and Eva Mendes has one perfectly positioned on her left cheek. Here’s to embracing individuality!
Ask Steph
[ad_2]
Source link
