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Miss England finalist is first in 94-year pageant history to compete without makeup
A Miss England 2022 candidate is using the pageant platform to challenge beauty standards.
Twenty-year-old politics student Melisa Raouf made it to the finals of Miss England, and made history as the first contestant to compete without makeup.
Organizers previously launched a makeup-free modeling round in 2019, where contestants had to post a bare-faced selfie on social media. However, Melisa is the first candidate in the pageant’s 94-year history to fully compete without using cosmetics.
The London native said in an exclusive interview with Independent that she wants to challenge beauty standards as well as promote true beauty from within.
“It means a lot to me as I feel many girls of different ages wear makeup because they feel pressured to do so,” Melisa told the publication.
“If one is happy in their own skin, we should not be made to cover up our face with makeup. Our flaws make us who we are and that’s what makes every individual unique. I think people should love and embrace their flaws and blemishes, as we know real beauty lies within simplicity," she added.
The aspiring beauty queen also said that she started wearing makeup at a young age but “never felt [to have] met beauty standards.”
She said, “I have recently accepted that I am beautiful in my own skin and that’s why I decided to compete with no make-up. I still feel confident in myself, with makeup I’m all concealed. This is who I am, I’m not afraid to share who I am. I wanted to show who Melisa truly is.”
Melisa added that she feels thankful for the love and support from other women, who say that she has helped them feel more confident in themselves.
“With mental health being such a big topic, I want to make all girls feel good. I just want to remove all the beauty standards. I feel like all girls are beautiful in their own way. I feel like I’ve done it for all girls.”
Melisa’s Instagram feed is also made up of her beautiful, bare-faced selfies.
Along with 40 more queens, Melisa will compete for the Miss England title, with the coronation happening in October. —Nika Roque/JCB, GMA News
