After launching into stardom straight from “The X Factor,” the girls of Fifth Harmony have seen their share of fame. Luckily, they haven’t gotten caught up in the ridiculous beauty standards that come with it.
In a “come-as-you-are type of editorial,” the girl group opened up to Teen Vogue about all things beauty. Wearing minimal makeup at the shoot, the five singers revealed how they stay confident in a society that constantly stresses the importance of physical qualities.
In her interview, 22-year-old Ally Brooke Hernandez explained she felt insecure for years (and sometimes still does), but the people she surrounds herself with help her feel confident.
“I started feeling more confident [recently] because of the people around me making me feel that way!” she said. “I’m still insecure and I’ll probably always be that way, but feeling support and love is so nice… and seeing other people embrace their natural beauty is fun, too.”
Normani Kordei, 19, dealt with insecurities growing up as well, especially when it came to her skin color. Now, she’s learned to embrace it.
“[Something] that’s been a big obstacle [for me] is that I’m African-American, and in the group, I’m the one [who] stands out because I’m darker complected,” she told Teen Vogue. “I find it to be beautiful now and I have security with myself, and I’m in this position to inspire young black girls and boys to do whatever they want despite their skin color.”
Teen Vogue also asked the singers what beauty meant to them. For 18-year-old Camila Cabello, beauty is more than skin-deep and comes in many forms.
“Beauty is the love you convey with your eyes… or when you cheer up a friend when they feel down, when you read a book you’re really excited about, when you make art you’re really excited about,” she told Teen Vogue.
Lauren Jauregui, 19, echoed that sentiment, explaining that beauty “comes from within and shines from within, because if you’re a beautiful person inside, people will automatically see that on the outside as well.”
There’s no doubt the group’s views on beauty are refreshing, and 18-year-old Dinah Jane Hansen summed them up best. She shut down unrealistic beauty standards while also calling into mind the girl group’s self-love hit “Reflection.”
“Growing up, I used to want to be the girl in the magazine, with a perfect face or body, and I’ve come to realize true beauty is what’s within,” she said. “It’s the girl that’s happy with her own reflection.”
Head over to Teen Vogue to read more of Fifth Harmony’s views on beauty and see more photos.
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