You know you don’t look like that.  Beauty filters can make everyone seem beautiful though; at least online.  In a world where women are trying to achieve equality with men, is it damaging for these filters to keep reinforcing the idea that women’s worth is tied mainly to their looks?  I’m sure most teen-age girls don’t see it that way, but filters can be damaging.

Why do people use beauty filters?

Researchers says that filters can beautify your face. So most people won’t post a photo without running it through a filter that makes their face slimmer or skin clearer. It can also add makeup to a fresh face. Having a flawless image can be good for your self-esteem and can save you time in front of a mirror. They want to be perceived in a way that creates a type of aesthetic. Filters have the ability to influence how you present yourself on their own.

Why beauty filters are bad for your confidence?

Experts says that beauty filters can do more harm than good. Altering self-image and pressuring young girls to try and be the way the filters make them look on the apps is such pressure can cause depression, eating disorders and even prompt suicidal thoughts among teenagers. Using filters and editing apps may cause us to focus more on aspects about ourselves that we don’t like, which can lead to lower self-esteem. Social media can then hurt your body image by constantly exposing yourself to the ideal body type, leading to constant comparison of yourself to unrealistic standards. Additionally, photoshop and filters are readily available to users playing into the unrealistic body image.

Sophomore Bianca B., “No, I don’t use a beauty filter but I think a girl always wants to feel confident in themselves but they should feel confident without the beauty filter.” But Bianca isn’t the only one who doesn’t use a filter and feels this way. Freshman Layla H., “I don’t use a beauty filter. I do think it’s upsetting that some girls feel the need to look perfect all the time and they don’t feel okay just looking themselves.” Bianca and Layla aren’t the only ones who don’t use beauty filters but feel the same way. Sophomore Hannah M, “I personally don’t use beauty filters because they alter your looks to the point of looking unrecognizable just to fit you into the beauty standard. I think that they create unrealistic expectations of what “beauty” is and teens shouldn’t feel the need to use them to look good because everyone is pretty and unique in their own way.

Sophomore Chloe A., “Sometimes. I like the filters because they look cool and they can enhance colors in pictures. Overall, honestly I think that society puts a lot of pressure on girls to look their best even when we are having a bad day or week. We don’t want to have to go out and wonder if we were going to get judged.” Chloe isn’t the only one who feels that we are going to be judged if we don’t look our best. Sophomore Katelyn R., I do use a beauty filter. I use it because I’m really self conscious and I’m scared people will judge me without it. I do think it’s bad for girls to have to feel like they have to look their best all the rime because over time society built these expectations for girls looks and personality. Some girls don’t even feel comfortable in their own bodies anymore because there are always people judging. I think social media increased this a lot because you look at all of these so called “perfect girls” and now people what for someone to look like that and judge others who don’t even if they are still beautiful. Girls fell self conscious, alone, and not enough because of the insecurities others have built up on them and compared them to.

Beauty filters don’t necessarily have to be a bad thing. Long as people aren’t using them to change their natural features, they’re fine.