Women across the UK are facing the camera with the hashtag #NoMakeUpSelfie and nominating their friends to do the same.
Women across the UK are facing the camera with the hashtag #NoMakeUpSelfie and nominating their friends to do the same. This latest addition to the storm of social media nominations aims to raise awareness of breast cancer.
While I fail to see how a bare-faced picture of yourself has anything to do with cancer awareness, I offer my full respect to those who have taken the opportunity to check themselves and donate to charity.
Critics are questioning the effectiveness of the campaign, and those of you who are using this as an excuse to promote your own vanity are achieving nothing. While awareness is important, it pales in comparison to the more important issues of health care and much needed donations.
Carolan Davidge, director of communications at Cancer Research UK said: “The #nomakeupselfie Twitter trend isn’t something Cancer Research UK started – but it’s great to see so many people getting involved to help raise awareness of cancer amongst their friends and family. If people would like to choose to support out work to beat cancer sooner, they can visit www.cruk.org.”
Dare to Bare
In September 2013 beauty retailer Escensual.com launched a similar craze with their DareToBare campaign. DareToBare aimed to persuade women across the UK to raise sponsorship for Breast Cancer Care by attending work or social events without wearing make-up.
The crucial difference here is that DareToBare was a sponsorship driven campaign, with Escensual also donating £1 for the first 1,000 women to tweet their #DareToBare photo. They successfully raised a great deal of money and awareness for cancer charities, something that is lacking in a lot of #NoMakeUp Selfies.
I’m a huge supporter of natural beauty, and if you feel empowered in posting your own NoMakeUp selfie then by all means snap away, but don’t just stop there. Take this opportunity to really make a difference.
How to make a difference
If you want to partake in the trend, why not use your new found ‘awareness’ as a chance to check yourself. Regular self-examinations are one of the best ways to notice any abnormalities early on which can prevent cancer from progressing.
With 1 in 8 women experiencing breast cancer in their lives, and most cases first discovered through self-checking, there’s never a better time to check your breasts. The CoppaFeel charity offers the following advice:
- To know the signs and symptoms of breast cancer
- To check your boobs regularly
- To seek medical advice if you notice something not right for you
In addition to this, increased awareness should result in an increase in donations to cancer charities. Don’t just post a picture; Make a donation and encourage your friends and followers to donate too.
You can donate through charities including Macmillan Cancer or Marie Curie, or simply text BEAT to 70099 to donate £3 to Cancer Research UK. However much you can afford to donate, you will be a part of much needed research and support for the millions of people whose lives are affected by cancer.
Whether you agree with the NoMakeUpSelfie trend or not, make the most of this opportunity – check yourself and donate now!
What do you think of the trend? Have your say in the comments section below.
