Behind the makeup: women defy the stigma of imperfect skin in pictures | Art and design

Behind the makeup: women defy the stigma of ‘imperfect’ skin – in pictures

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Sophie Harris-Taylor has photographed women across the UK with common skin conditions. ‘We are led to believe all women have perfect flawless skin – they don’t’

Epidermis by Sophie Harris-Taylor is presented by Francesca Maffeo Gallery at theprintspace gallery, London, from 6-13 September 2019

Sophie Harris-Taylor, courtesy of Francesca Maffeo gallery

Fri 9 Aug 2019 01.30 EDT Last modified on Thu 26 Mar 2020 10.27 EDT

• Louisa

  ‘Acne isn’t something that actually gets spoken about enough. We hear a lot about weight and body image but not acne. Acne is also a huge cause of some mental health cases and the society we live in seems to tell us it is a bad and ugly thing and should be covered up. Growing up I didn’t have someone to relate to or look up to in the public eye that also suffered with acne so it was hard and I felt alone’ Share on Facebook Share on Twitter

• Thea

  ‘I’ve always seen myself as a free-spirited, don’t-care-what-they-think type of person, which rings true for everything except “bad skin”. People always tell you “other people don’t notice it as much as you do”, which is probably true, but with acne I find that it’s more about what you notice yourself. You don’t want to wake up every day to a new red mound on your face regardless of if it’s noticeable by the average stranger or not. I have found it very stressful at times – especially when you’re dealing with it on top of the usual “adulting” pressures’ Share on Facebook Share on Twitter

• Indiana

  ‘The image brings out a mix of emotions within me. Sadness: it encapsulates a time when I felt powerless and at my lowest. However, overjoyed: in the encapsulation of that time comes a reversal of that powerlessness. I took what made me feel the lowest and I shared it under broad daylight. The warmth and respect I received from others has been immense’ Share on Facebook Share on Twitter

• Joice

  ‘It definitely took a toll on my self-esteem growing up, to the point where I was embarrassed to even step foot outside my house. The thought of people looking at all the “problems” on my face gave me anxiety. I just wanted to hide my face from everyone. I became obsessed with constantly trying new methods that would potentially cure my skin concerns. I would tell myself that once I got clear beautiful skin, I’d feel better about myself. But over the past few years, I’ve learned to love and accept myself exactly the way I am’ Share on Facebook Share on Twitter

• Izzy

  ‘As I have gotten older I have realised that skin isn’t naturally smooth, even, untextured and that none of the faces I looked at in real life looked like my “ideal” skin. That’s not to say I don’t sometimes stop and look in the mirror and feel ashamed of my face, particularly if I’m out and about with no makeup on, but I’ve learned that those thoughts aren’t useful and I try not to obsess over them. The thing I find most difficult to cope with is the compulsive skin picking, because it’s a manifestation of anxiety that I wear in the scars on my face. I don’t really talk about it’ Share on Facebook Share on Twitter

• Annie

  ‘I prefer not wearing makeup and letting my skin breathe. When I was younger I would never leave without wearing makeup. I can’t remember the point when I stopped caring but now I’ll happily wander about without it. In the evenings if I go out, I like the transformational element of wearing makeup. I’ve moved away from using makeup as a way of covering up my skin but see it as more of an artistic venture. Even though the acne is evident in this image. It’s not the first thing my eye is drawn to which I like. It’s my features I see first and then my skin. Which is refreshing’ Share on Facebook Share on Twitter

• Sarah

  ‘When I cover my skin, I cover it because I remember it makes a difference to other people’ Share on Facebook Share on Twitter

• Christina

  ‘I’m learning to leave the house without makeup but I always feel weird without it. I feel like people are focusing on my acne marks. I always exaggerate with my American accent so people can focus on that instead of my skin’ Share on Facebook Share on Twitter

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