Why Laura Byrne’s makeup free message is so important

It’s so easy to get caught up in thinking that what we see on Instagram represents real life. Which is why it was a breath of fresh air when Laura Byrne - winner of The Bachelor in 2017 and partner of Matthew Johnson (more fondly known as Matty J) - posted a completely makeup free selfie on Instagram revealing to her followers that her glowing skin is not all that it may seem.

The ex-reality TV star not only revealed that her melasma “freaking sucks!” and that her pregnancy has only made it worse, but she also took the opportunity to remind her followers that Instagram does not always reflect real life - an important message we probably all need to remember every time we scroll and compare ourselves to what we see on our phone screens.

“Pregnant or not - pigmentation freaking sucks! A lot of you were confused, as my skin for the most part looks pretty perfect in photos (social media.... a lie.... gasp). The truth is I’m guilty of only posting my best photos, and touching up my melasma with filters when you can see it. This post is not a pity party, it’s a reminder that real life is not an endless scroll of filtered skin, luscious hair, butts that defy gravity and inspirational quotes. It’s ok to want to look your best, but it’s more important to accept yourself for all the things that make you uniquely you, melasma and all,” she captioned the picture.

A nice reminder, no?

As for dealing with her melasma, she replied to a follower, “So many people have recommended [Zoe Foster Blake], she seems to be a Demi God of pigmentation, I’m just going to awkwardly stalk her on Instagram until we have become friends and she hits me over the head with her golden skin stick.”

Well, we did the hard work for everyone who wants to know ZFB’s secrets to tackling pigmentation and melasma, and dug deep on her Instagram posts and replies in comments and found the following recs:

#1 / Societe Brightening Serum, which she says is good for “undoing the damage.”

#2 / Aspect Pigment Punch, which she feels works as an “inhibitor.

#3/ Omnilux sessions with lactic peels as a professional treatment.

Looking for more ways to tackle pigmentation or melasma? Here are some of the best ingredients to tackle pigmentation.

Do you have any product recommendations for dealing with melasma? Please share with us in the comments section below.

Main image credit: @ladyandacat