YouTube Stars!

What can we learn from the Ashley VanPevenage meme explosion? Earlier this month, there was a lot of coverage in the media about Ashley VanPevenage, a 20 year old college student from Tacoma Washington, who was the model in a "before and after" makeup picture posted by the woman who applied her makeup; makeup artist Andreigha Wazny. It is said that Ashley had some allergic reaction to benzoyl, and this makeup concealed its affects. The "before and after" picture was posted by Andreigha on her Instagram account, where it was shared on many social media sites.

It was the accompanying captions and comments that caused controversy. One wondered how such a stunning transformation was achieved for Ashley when the commenter herself could not cover one pimple successfully. Another was rather hurtful to Ashley:

For more on this story, let's watch Ashley herself, interviewed on a recent segment of a show called Girl Code Live on MTV. The discussion continues in the comments, and some males seem to be claiming a form of "false advertising" in which they state that they would become upset if they had some sort of a relationship with a female who wore makeup and then found out that they were covering something up.

Ashley VanPevenage has also made her own YouTube account, and she made a response video there, to express her feelings. She was surprised to find that a picture featuring her face had gone viral and become a meme. Ashley lost her confidence, but then she came to the conclusion that people's opinions really don't matter -- the only thing that really matters is who you are. She ends by hoping that people dealing with acne can feel confident about who they are. Here is Ashley VanPevenage's response video:

This entire episode reminds us of some of the things we have covered here in the past. Guest blogger Emma reminded us that perfection does not exist, and discussed the brave stories of three woman, one who also had an acne issue. We also had extensive coverage on Rebecca Black and the meme that developed around her song and video "Friday". She became one of the most recognized, and despised, persons on the net, at the age of just 13!

For those interested in reading more about relationships and makeup, we offer links to 2 excellent articles on these subjects. This article talks about the difference between true love and obsession, stating that "There is a tremendous difference between real, true love and unhealthy obsession or fixation." True love should be effortless in that you enjoy being with the person rather than needing to be with them. However, "When you’re fixated on someone, it feels more like you’re suffocating. It feels like you need them… like you must have them treat you a certain way, give you a certain relationship title, or somehow prove their commitment to you. You feel like until you have this, you are not OK and will not be OK."

Back to the topic of makeup and why girls wear it, here is an excellent article that goes into great detail on the subject. It talks about why women may wear makeup from the viewpoint of evolutionary psychology as well as from current social pressures. The article concludes, "Why do women wear makeup? You could say it’s a pinch of patriarchy, a dusting of sex, a smattering of fun, and a whole, caked-on layer of misplaced insecurity." it is worth reading the entire article!

Now that several weeks have gone by, what is Ashley VanPevenage doing now? She is out living her life! She has become less concerned about what anyone thinks about her appearance and is comfortable traveling around town without makeup. She recently posted the following video. All we can advise is, be careful when videoing and driving as you may run over something! Of course Ashley was not operating the recording device, her friend did that. Smart plan! So this video is titled "VLOG 1 - Out shopping with friend, also get scared to death!" and therefore we can assume that Ashley VanPevenage will be vlogging more in the future. We look forward to watching, and we wish her all the best!

Labels: acne, Ashley VanPevenage, body image, makeup, meme, MTV, relationships, self image, skin

posted by KennyCrane at 10/23/2015 12:21:00 AM 1 Comments

Guest Blogger Emma Samuelson is back with an inspiring post that claims Perfection does not exist!

Emma is a singer-songwriter from California who writes her own songs, sings and plays guitar. Check out the excellent music and ASL videos on her YouTube channel! In Emma's own words, "I am a spiritual person and I love music, listening to it, creating it, and everything about it." Her love of music is obvious in her videos!

Please use this link to see a list of ALL guest blog posts by Emma Samuelson.

Now, Emma tells us about three popular videos that show how some individuals deal with being less than perfect in the eyes of much of society. Read Emma's excellent article, watch the great videos and remember the dream of Martin Luther King Jr - there will come a time when we do not simply look at someone's exterior features, but we will look inside and see "the content of their character."




Everyone has their own idea of what is “normal” or “beautiful” in the world. However, when it comes to physical appearance, society has a large impact on how we view people’s bodies and what constitutes a “perfect” one. We are constantly seeing images of models and celebrities that have rock hard abs, acne-free skin, and a size 2 waistline… but the truth of the matter is, every single human body that resides on this planet is unique in a certain way. Despite the fact that acceptance of others is a trend on the rise, people are still very quick to judge, assume and mock others for what they look like, their style, or even a disorder or disability they may have. Not only can disorders and disabilities make daily life more challenging, but with the dramatic attention received by others, whether it be mean-spirited or not, can cause low self-esteem in those living with that difference.

Cheri, who lives with Vitiligo, a skin pigment disorder, opens up and speaks out about her disorder and how she has moved past the “abnormality” of her appearance. Instead, Cheri challenges us to be confident and embrace our appearance as is in order to fully occupy a life worth living.



Looking further into how we categorize normalcy, a Swiss charity organization entitled Pro Infirmis has helped to raise more awareness around people living with disabilities, challenging the stereotypes that are often more crippling than the disabilities themselves. One project they conducted has received much global attention with the title: “Because Who is Perfect? Get Closer.” Five people living with disabilities were measured, and mannequins were then sculpted using those measurements. The results are very telling in regards to people’s reactions as well as reframing our idea of perfection.



Cassandra, another Dermablend Camo Confession subject, opens up about her acne and really shows how much others intolerance has affected how she saw herself. Just like Cheri, Cassandra emphasizes the importance of self-love and self-worth. One thing she does point out in particular is that she no longer uses make up to hide herself, but instead uses it as a tool of self expression, a perspective that is much more beneficial to one’s confidence.



Ultimately, physical appearance standards need to be challenged; just like a wild horse, stereotypes must be broken. Regardless of what you have said, done or thought in the past, the next time you see someone who looks different than you, send them love and give them a smile. Also, the next time you look at yourself in the mirror and find something you do not like or judge, send that area love to support and affirm your unique beauty. If you take one thing away from these videos, remember what Cassandra said: “A huge misconception in the world is that we think that perfection exists.”

Labels: acne, ASL, beauty, body image, disabilities, Emma Samuelson, emmalane94, exterior, inspiration, inspire, interior, perfect, perfection, self image, sign language, stereotypes, Vitiligo

posted by KennyCrane at 6/30/2014 04:09:00 AM 4 Comments