Now thanks to social media, there’s a massive emphasis on outer beauty, but when you go a little bit deeper, you’ll learn people have powerful stories to share, and true beauty lies beneath the surface.

Dove, a brand which believes beauty has many layers, is supporting self-care and reminding you that it’s not something you have, it’s something you CHOOSE.

Rewriting the beauty book with a campaign where the models were chosen based on their stories, NOT their looks; five brave women revealed their stories of self-sacrifice, survival, empowerment and, eventually self-acceptance. Part of the self-care movement, these are women who embraced their selves, both on and beneath the surface.

This article proves true beauty was reflected through this thought-provoking campaign.

Read how five women learned to self-love for a campaign that’s turning the idea of traditional beauty on its head…

Simone survived a heart transplant; her opinion of her scars has transformed from hate to pride

Simone survived a heart transplant, however, the scars remain, etched deep as a reminder of what she’s been through. From hating the scars to feeling confident in her own skin, and taking control with a new lease on life, Simone’s story of coming full-circle will put others in perspective.

“Since my heart failure I’ve been given a second chance, so obviously I just appreciate life. It’s been five years since my transplant and I’m proud of myself for how far I’ve come. After the operation, I hated my scars – I thought they were ugly. Now I feel confident. I love my skin – I think I’ve got great skin.”

“I do have to moisturise a lot – my scar gets dry, especially round the middle and the sides, so I have to moisturise twice a day. But I’m able to go to the beach and show them off and feel good, because they’re part of of my story. They show I survived.”

Jemima’s story proves leaders struggle with and overcome self-esteem issues

Jemima is a rugby captain who hid her legs following an incident when she was younger. She said being chosen for her story, rather than her skin, height or hair colour, is really beautiful.

“When I was 11, I was beating a boy in a race and he decided to trip me up.  It left me with a scar on my knee and, as a teenager, I hid my legs away because of it. My feelings changed in my first year of university – it was the first time I’d ever worn a skirt, and nobody even noticed my scar.”

“The fact that Dove picked me based on my story – rather than my skin, height or hair colour – is beautiful… really, really beautiful. They took the time to learn who I am before they saw me. The whole experience, from standing there as a silhouette to hearing the claps afterwards, was so empowering. I loved it.”

Alex made the self-sacrifice any mother would make, and she heals with self-care

“My son was diagnosed after birth with small, deformed kidneys. I always knew that I’d donate my kidney to him one day; it was always there in the back of my mind.”

“I was quite poorly [after the operation] and felt very swollen. I kept thinking, ‘How am I ever going to get back to how I was?’, but it’s absolutely amazing how the body heals itself. I don’t know if I will ever have a flat tummy again, but it doesn’t matter. When I look at the scar now I feel really proud.”

“I was quite scared when I first found out I had been selected because I was going to be in my undies on camera, but I was also really excited. This is so different to other campaigns – the fact that Dove didn’t know what we looked like is brilliant. All the stories are so different, and it’s been fantastic to have the opportunity to tell mine.”

Lachana smashes gender stereotypes as a successful Martial Arts fighter

“I’m proud every time [I fight] that I’m doing something that I love, as terrifying and emotional as it can be. The good sessions, the bad ones, the times when you can’t have that bit of cake – getting into that cage makes it all worth it.”

“I definitely think that training in martial arts helps young girls feel confident in their bodies. Body positivity goes hand in hand with feeling confident and learning to love the body that you have – if you’re not confident, you have the power to change that.”

Laura’s extraordinary day job proves beauty can be seen above and below the surface

“The key with sharks is to be very calm; they’re attracted to positive energy.”

“I think the image of a shark photographer is a big, muscly man who wrangles sharks, but it’s really not like that – so it’s extremely refreshing to be chosen for a skin campaign based on my story, without being seen. It’s quite a remarkable thing… it sends such a positive message to young women that who you are makes you beautiful, too.”