‘The Bold Glamour filter has now been used over 15 million times, and its popularity certainly doesn’t seem to be waning. What might seem like a harmless filter has the potential to cause damage to our mental health and affect our self-esteem,’ explains content creator and body confidence advocate, Alex Light.

‘Filters like this create a brand new and unrealistic comparison that blurs the lines of reality and sets a new standard for how we think we should look. It’s vital that we push back against these increasingly toxic beauty standards and show young girls that it’s OK to be their authentic, beautiful selves.

Through research done by the Dove Self-Esteem Project, 80% of girls have used a filter to change the way they look in photos by the age of 13, and as a result, 48% of girls who distort their photos regularly have lower body esteem compared to 28% of girls who don’t.

Dr Phillippa Diedrichs, Research Psychologist at the Centre of Appearance Research at the University of West England and body image expert explains that ‘filters have become part of everyday life for 52% of girls, and 77% try to change or hide at least one part of their body before posting a photo of themselves.’

Over time, the cumulative effect of filters and digital distortion creates appearance pressures and low self-worth in girls and young women. As part of its ongoing work, the British Beauty Council is working to ensure the beauty industry perpetuates positive representations to foster better body image. In 2021, it collaborated with various stakeholders – including the Mental Health Foundation – to publish tailored advice for people on how to feel good about their bodies and how to make informed decisions about cosmetic treatments.

‘At Dove, we are committed to #NoDigitalDistortion in any of our marketing and advertising so that we can support a more positive environment on social media. When young people distort their images, they distort their minds too,’ says Firdaous El Honsali, Global Vice President, External Communications at Dove.

‘We are calling on our community to join us to turn their backs to the toxic Bold Glamour filter and stand up for real beauty. Because real beauty is bold!’

You can find out more about the campaign here.