Dove research shows 8 in 10 US women take 50 photos before finding the perfect one for social media. Therefore, Dove is inspiring women to #ShareTheFirst and free themselves from perfection pressure.
By Angela Redding | Los Angeles, CA | Hollywood Beat magazine | March 13, 2025
Photos: Dove
Dove is teaming up with singer-songwriter Bebe Rexha and many other influential figures from around the world to support women in escaping the pressure of looking perfect on social media.
They are launching #ShareTheFirst, a worldwide movement that encourages women to let go of the idea of perfection, embrace their true selves, and share their very first photo before they found “the one.”
Many women experience significant pressure to present a ‘perfect’ image
Recent research by Dove shows that many women feel pressured to show a ‘perfect’ image.
In the US, 80% of women take as many as 50 selfies before selecting the best one to share.
The study also found that almost half of the women spend more than 10 minutes deciding whether to post, share, or delete a photo of themselves.
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The process of editing photos can detract from the joy of capturing spontaneous moments, leading 60% of women to withhold sharing special moments due to dissatisfaction with their appearance.
- Bebe Rexha, like many women around the globe, recognizes the stress of social media and the need to show a perfect image. She is now celebrating the strength of being true to herself and expressing her individuality.
“The best moments in life aren’t staged or filtered, they just happen. But when you’re in the spotlight, there’s so much pressure to look perfect all the time,” says Bebe Rexha. “That’s why I’m so excited to team up with Dove to celebrate real, unedited beauty, the kind that comes from being unapologetically yourself the first time around and just living in the moment.”
Body Positivity Collaborations
Bebe is teaming up with creators, advocates for body positivity, and women globally, including Francesca Scorsese, Nyma Tang, Tess Holiday, and Lauren Chambers, to support Dove’s #ShareTheFirst campaign.
In a time when maintaining a perfect social media image can lead to stress and anxiety, Dove aims to unite women everywhere to challenge unrealistic beauty standards and embrace their genuine selves.
Calling on the Dove community to share the first photo
Marcela Melero, Chief Growth Officer of Dove Personal Care North America and Dove Masterbrand says, “We are calling on our community to share the first photo, the one that captures joy, not perfection, demonstrating that real beauty isn’t about a flawless photo but embracing beauty on their own terms.”
Dove’s research has uncovered some surprising insights about the unexpressed wish to share life’s moments perfectly:
- Women aged 18-24 take up to 14 photos for self-expression, while Gen Alpha only takes 8 photos. 47% of US women delete photos due to self-consciousness, while 6 in 10 prioritize authenticity and seek friend approval before posting.
Dove’s #ShareTheFirst campaign aims to boost women’s self-esteem and body confidence, encouraging them to embrace beauty on their own terms and share spontaneous moments.
Find materials at dove.com/self-esteem/women. for the Dove Real Beauty Talks video and corresponding activity workbook.
Hollywood Beat magazine
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