The finalist for Miss England became the first contestant in the history of the pageant, which has been held since 1928, to compete without makeup. Melissa Raouf, 20, passed her semi-finals last Monday (22) and will play in the final scheduled for October.
“It means a lot to me because I feel like a lot of girls of all ages wear makeup because they feel pressured to do so,” Raouf told The Independent.
He continued, “If someone is happy with their skin, we shouldn’t be forced to cover our face with makeup. Our flaws make us who we are and that’s what makes each individual unique.”
Melissa is a political science student and lives in Battersea, South London. She said she started putting on makeup when she was younger, but she wasn’t comfortable with her skin.
“I’ve never felt like I meet the standards of beauty,” she said. “I’ve recently accepted that I’m beautiful in my own skin and that’s why I decided to compete without makeup.”
In 2019, Miss England began requesting photos of women without makeup to determine who would participate in the competition. But Angie Beasley, the event’s organizer, said that no one before Raouf had performed at the competition without makeup.
“It’s so brave when everyone is wearing makeup, but it sends an important message to young women,” Beasley told CNN.
Miss England finalist Melissa Raouf was the first to perform without makeup in the competition – Photo: Instagram / Instagram of Miss England
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