Politics student Melisa Raouf, 20, wowed the judges with her makeup-free look, becoming the first finalist in the pageant’s 94-year history to show off her washed-out face. «People should love and embrace their flaws and blemishes,» says the young woman who seeks to inspire others.
Beauty pageants, especially in countries like England, have been characterized by the excessive use of makeup, cosmetic interventions and retouching by contestants. This is something that has been criticized by the organizers of these contests in recent years.
However, now a politics student managed to break away from this idea of makeup and presented herself with a completely clean face during the contest that took her to the finals of Miss England 2022.
Ram Murali
Melisa Raouf, 20, from London, wowed the judges with her natural beauty when she appeared in the semi-finals of the competition in London earlier this month. A decision the girl was clear about as she wanted to inspire other women with her natural looks.
Melisa was stunned when she landed a place in the Miss England final, and said she now wants to eliminate the ‘toxic’ narrative surrounding makeup and social media. «It means a lot to me as I feel many girls of different ages wear makeup because they feel pressured to do so.»
Ram Murali
For the young woman, wearing makeup was never something that made her feel comfortable, in fact, she herself stresses that «I never felt I met beauty standards.»
Melisa Raouf
Thus, she made the unusual decision to show herself without makeup at the pageant in an attempt to promote inner beauty in an era of social media obsession.
Organizers of the world-famous pageant had previously introduced a «Bare Face top model» round but say this is the first time they have met someone competing in the pageant without wearing makeup in its 94-year history.
Ram Murali
«If one is happy in their own skin, we should not be made to cover up our face with makeup. I think people should love and embrace their flaws and blemishes, as we know real beauty lies within simplicity,» said Melisa, who worked to accept herself as she is.
She will now compete alongside 40 other women to be crowned Miss England on October 17 at the Heart of England Conference and Events Center in Coventry. Of course, she will again present herself without makeup.