21-year-old Modern Family star Ariel Winter (opens in new tab) is no stranger to the spotlight. She's been acting since she was a toddler, so she's used to shutting down haters who have something negative to say about her. Winter even told SELF in a 2017 interview that she's gotten used to trolls who call her "fat, and ugly, and a slut" on Instagram. Now, the star is getting up close and personal, fronting the cover of Pulse Spikes magazine (opens in new tab) wearing barely any makeup for a set of gorgeous, un-retouched photos.
Winter looks incredible, and you'd imagine that it takes a strong sense of self to continue being unapologetically yourself on a social platform that has caused you so much pain. Despite everything, Winter continuously rises above, and often speaks out (opens in new tab) about the importance of body confidence and her own journey of self-love.
Those freckles of hers look stunning against her glowing skin. And her brown eyes are piercing without eyeshadow.
Although she occasionally posts no-makeup selfies on her Insta, Winter usually loves a full face of makeup. I'm talking voluminously curled lashes, popping highlighter, and a killer smokey eye. It's refreshing to see the actress baring her natural beauty so bravely for a professional shoot, without any edits or retouching whatsoever.
Although she looks completely effortless in these photos, this shoot wasn't exactly easy for Winter. "It was definitely more of a difficult process for me, not because I have to be in makeup daily, I don’t, I’m not looking red carpet standard all the time," she told Pulse Spikes. "It is just something you think about like, “Oh, well I am going to be photographed in this setting. Oh no, what if I look weird? I got a pimple today!” But it was nice to be able to do that."
What she had to say in the interview about confidence is equally inspiring. "There is nothing better than looking like yourself and being unique," she told Pulse Spikes interview. "Nobody wants to be the same; the same is boring. We all have our different strengths, and so much makes up a person. Our features are not the only things that matter in life. Everyone’s idea of beauty is different. It doesn’t matter if you think one person’s beauty is the beauty you think every person should be. We should all be happy to be different."
SAY. IT. AGAIN. Stepping outside of your comfort zone and owning who you are is true beauty. You owe it to yourself.
Winter motivated me to do an un-retouched challenge. The next time I post a photo on Instagram I'm going to resist my natural urge to edit it. Try it with me.
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