Girls go bare to boost self-esteem

It is with interest that I noticed the latest trend following the spurt of #NekNomination/ #ChangeNomination videos.

This time around, women all over litter our facebook timelines with selfies of their bare faces to create cancer awareness.

Thank you for sharing your true colours;I’m sure a lot of men, like myself, enjoy seeing women without excessive makeup plastered on their faces. But what are you actually doing for cancer patients? Nothing. Let me strip it down.

The #NoMakeUp #Selfie campaign seems to have originated in the UK. There, however, women did things the right way. They donated a set amount to Cancer Research UK following their nomination.

I understand that most of us are cash-strapped and our expenses increase by the minute, but if you really want to help create cancer awareness, do it in a way that cancer-support organisations (such as Cansa) and eventually cancer patients benefit from your efforts. I know you mean well, but showing people the real you, the way you were born, is not helping anyone but your own self-esteem.

My fiancée received a nomination from one of our friends yesterday. She is a naturally beautiful woman who hardly ever applies make-up to her face, so she automatically didn’t see the need for her to do this. I explained the new trend to her and we agreed that she should rather donate an amount to Cansa or something to that effect and then post a photograph of herself with a story telling everyone what she has DONE in aid of cancer awareness.

I’m not saying that everyone involved should stop snapping their clean faces after a shower or face wash and share it with their online community, but I am asking you to think about what you aim to achieve by doing so. If you aren’t willing to donate even R10 to the cause or make a cancer patient’s day, don’t even bother.

My father is a cancer survivor, and I always try to help the cause where I can. My fiancée also will do her bit, because we know that merely posting a photograph online will achieve nothing.