Bachelor Contestant Bekah Martinez Debunks "Flawless" Skin With Instagram Selfie

Allure
Updated

If you're having a rough skin day, going hours-deep into your Instagram explore page may not help. There's nothing wrong with foundation so flawless you look poreless (and seriously, props to those skills!). But it also helps to be reminded that celebrities sometimes deal with the same skin conditions as the rest of us — and that there's nothing to be ashamed of.

One Bachelor contestant recently shared a selfie on Instagram, and her post carries an important message. Bekah Martinez, who goes by @whats_ur_sign on Insta, took to her stories on March 3 to post a photo of herself sans makeup. "When people tell me my skin is 'flawless' but I'm wearing three different foundations," she wrote alongside the photo, adding a rolling-eye emoji for emphasis.

In the next video, Martinez noted that she is planning to take a food-sensitivity test, adding, "I'm hoping it might get to the root of the problem with my skin." She also told her followers that she'll share the results, keeping them updated on what she learns. To Martinez's point, food allergies or sensitivities can result in symptoms such as red, swollen, dry, or itchy skin, including hives or eczema.

Her story went on to include another selfie after she completed her beauty routine. "At the end of the day, there's always makeup," she said in the video.

In conversation with Teen Vogue, Martinez explained what motivated her to share these photos. "I've always struggled with acne, and at times it can feel very lonely," she said, adding that "there’s very little transparency about ongoing skin issues from people in the public eye." And she certainly isn't alone in feeling this way; many people experience a variety of skin conditions (acne, for example, is the most common skin condition in the U.S., with 60 million people currently experiencing it, and 85 percent of people reporting that they've experienced acne at some point in their lives). When we see celebrities get honest about their skin, it reminds the rest of us that it's perfectly normal not to have "flawless" skin — and that doesn't make you any less beautiful.

Martinez would certainly agree. She explained that she wants other people to know that they're not alone, adding: "They don’t have to feel ashamed about their acne. It’s part of being human, and it doesn’t lessen your beauty or value."

And just like Martinez noted, it's also perfectly OK to wear makeup. There's absolutely nothing wrong with putting on foundation (or eye shadow or lipstick), and if it makes you feel good to do so, more power to you. Hopefully even more celebs will share candid messages like Martinez's — the rest of the world would thank them for it.

<cite class="credit">Instagram/whats_ur_sign</cite>
Instagram/whats_ur_sign
<cite class="credit">Instagram/whats_ur_sign</cite>
Instagram/whats_ur_sign

Editor's note: This post has been updated to reflect comments from Bekah Martinez.

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