Dove is partnering with singer-songwriter Bebe Rexha and a host of global influential voices including Lucy Reeves to help women break free from the pressure of curated perfection on social media. Introducing #ShareTheFirst – a global movement inviting women to free themselves from perfection, to celebrate authenticity, and to share the real first photo, before they found “the one.”
New research from Dove reveals the pressure to present a ‘perfect’ image leads 9 in 10 women take up to 50 photos before selecting one to post. And, more than half of women admit to spending over 10 minutes deciding whether to post, share, or delete a picture of themselves. This continuous cycle of retaking, filtering, and tweaking photos can overshadow the joy of capturing real, spontaneous moments, with 6 in 10 women not posting special moments simply because they didn’t like how they looked.
As someone who understands the pressures of social media and the expectation to present a flawless image, Bebe Rexha, like millions of women worldwide, is embracing the power of authenticity and self-expression.
“The best moments in life aren’t staged or filtered, they just happen. But when you’re in the spotlight, there’s so much pressure to look perfect all the time. That’s why I’m so excited to team up with Dove to celebrate real, unedited beauty, the kind that comes from being unapologetically yourself the first time around and just living in the moment.”
Bebe Rexha
Alongside Bebe, Dove together with creators, body confidence advocates and women from across the globe are joining the #Sharethefirst conversation. From London to New York, to Tokyo and Sydney, Dove aims to unite women globally challenging unrealistic beauty standards and embrace their real, authentic selves.
“Too many women avoid sharing life’s biggest moments on social media because they don’t like how they look in a photo – from graduations, weddings and birthdays – this pressure to look ‘perfect’ leads to increased levels of anxiety and Dove wants to change that. We are calling on our community to share the first photo, the one that captures joy, not perfection, demonstrating that real beauty isn’t about a flawless photo but embracing beauty on their own terms.”
Marcela Melero, Chief Growth Officer of Dove Personal Care North America and Dove Masterbrand
Additional findings from Dove’s research reveal some startling insights into this unspoken desire to share life’s moments, flawlessly:
- Women aged 18-24 are taking on average up to 14 photos of themselves to capture the right ‘look’ before choosing one to post. In contrast, Gen Alpha don’t need a retake, taking only 7 photos on average before posting. This shift highlights an opportunity for the younger generation to set the tone for less filtered self-expression.
- 6 out of 10 women decide not to post special moments because they didn’t like how they looked
- 9 in 10 UK women take up to 50 photos of themselves before finding the perfect ‘one’ to post on social media
- Over 1 in 5 UK women report feelings of increased anxiety before posting on social media
- 4 in 10 UK women have deleted a picture of themselves on social media after posting it because they felt self-conscious
- Over half of women (58%) in the UK say it is important that I look like the best version of myself in the pictures that I post of myself on social media
- 4 in 10 women say that even when I edit pictures of myself, I worry about how others will perceive it
Lucy Reeves, a UK based content creator and body confidence advocate, is also lending her voice to #ShareTheFirst. Through her platform, she encourages women to embrace their true selves and reject the pressure to curate a ‘perfect’ image.
“There is a huge pressure to get the perfect photo, thousands of retakes and mass deletes of memories, when the pictures don’t look completely flawless.” says Lucy Reeves, UK-based content creator and body confidence advocate. “Scrolling through perfected photos online has affected the way I see myself and my memories and I know I’m not alone. It’s time for us to change the trend of unrealistic perfection. Let’s post those photos, the real authentic ones, because they are enough.”
For more than two decades, Dove has been building self-esteem and body confidence for women and girls. #ShareTheFirst is a continuation of this mission, encouraging women to embrace beauty on their own terms and reclaim the joy in sharing life’s real, spontaneous moments.
Dove is committed to making beauty a source of happiness, not anxiety. Join us and #ShareTheFirst, because every photo, every angle, every moment is beautiful
Access resources at Dove.com/DoveSelfEsteemProjectwomen for the Dove Real Beauty Talks video and associated activities’ workbook.
