In a rare event, WWE's top female superstars Charlotte Flair, Sasha Banks, Rhea Ripley, Ruby Riott, Dana Brooke, Bianca Belair and Io Shirai sported the no-makeup look in an exclusive photoshoot and also spoke about fears and inhibitions about their skin and appearance as well as women empowerment. Pictures/ WWE
Updated On: 2020-04-08 08:25 AM IST
Charlotte Flair: I have been told I look like a man. I am ugly. I am fat. I am too muscular. I have no ass. I am only successful because of my last name. I look plastic and much more. I am not going to sugarcoat anything. For the first time in 33 years I feel confident, sexy, strong and like a queen in my own skin. Yes, I have good days and bad but insecure people have to make excuses to put others down to feel confident. Please don’t allow the opinions of others to devalue your success. Confidence isn’t walking into a room thinking you are better than everyone else, it’s walking into a room and not having to compare yourself Thank you @sophyholland for capturing the #nomakeup photos we are ALL our own superheroes #motivation #confidence #inspiration #athlete
Dana Brooke: Self-love & Acceptance is a hard thing to embrace...It takes major focus and dedication to love everything about yourself even before you can give love to anyone else! I HAVE NEVER EVER SHOWN MY FRECKLES OR AS A MATTER OF FACT NATURAL BEAUTY... this was the final step of my journey- I was so timid & shy, but given this chance to help others I knew I had to do it!! I embraced my fear, looked at the computer screen and cried saying “this is me...” wow... I did it!!! It was the best feeling ever!!! I challenge each and every person to look in the mirror & love yourself for who you are!!! We are all NATURALLY BEAUTIFUL IN OUR OWN WAY!!
Sasha Banks: It's very hard to show the real pimples, the uneven skin, but I think it's very beautiful to embrace that. We are getting lost in this world of not embracing who we are.
Carmella: It’s no secret I love glam!! I love a full face of makeup, big hair and getting dressed up! I always have. But in my normal every day life, I’m far from the Carmella you see in the ring and on tv. I felt like it was crucial to show the difference. What you see on tv and social media is not who I am in my day to day life. I would be lying if I said I didn’t compare myself to models and celebrities on social media. I often wonder why I can’t have perfect hair or if I’m thin enough OR thick enough (depending on the day/mood.) There is so much pressure to keep up with the new societal norms, it’s become exhausting. It’s ok to have flaws, it’s what makes us all unique and different. I wish we could all stop comparing what we see on social media to our real lives and that’s why this shoot means so much to me. I know I will get trolls bashing me and hateful comments about my dark circles, how I look like a horse or a man (yes, I get this daily.) I choose to look past those comments and hope that this gives everyone courage to embrace their natural beauty. Let’s stop comparing our lives to what we see on social media. Remember, all that glitters, is not gold.
Rhea Ripley: No make up. No masks to hide behind. The real us! Sometimes people want to make you feel uncomfortable for being in the skin that you were born in... F*** that! You be you, everyone’s beautiful in their own ways!
Bianca Belair: As a woman of colour, we are put into a box. We are, a lot of times, pressured into picking one element of ourselves and presenting that as a whole self. That is something I am completely against. I am comfortable in my own skin. I am comfortable with every single element of who I am. It is not your responsibility to choose who I am. I get to choose who I am.
Ruby Riott: Social media tried to tear me to shreds. At first, it really got to me, but then I thought about people I admired: Joan Jett, Freddy Mercury, people that carried themselves with great amount of confidence. It's always important to work on your confidence and that's what I had to do to be comfortable with the fact that I was a little insecure.
Io Shirai: I was nervous about being so natural. Usually, my character is so strong: strong eyes, strong makeup, but for now I'm so natural and just smiling.
Charlotte Flair: Being able to feel comfortable in your skin and not playing dress up is so important. My character has to be so over the top and perfect all the time; just walking out and feeling fresh feels so empowering.
Dana Brooke: I am very self-conscious about my freckles, so being able to go out there and see it on camera was difficult. It was great today to show the world my freckles and insecurities. I got to overcome it.
Carmella: Social media is not real. We come out as these larger than life characters without glam, but this is who we are. Everyone is different and unique. I don't like that social media is about portraying a life that is so not real. For young women, I think it's important to show the truth behind it.
Bianca Belair: Surrounding myself with loving uplifting individuals like my husband, friends, & parents... LEARNING MY HISTORY, reading the words from women that came before me like Audre Lorde, and HELLA SELF LOVE!!! “I get to choose who I am” & I LOVE IT!
Dana Brooke: Laugh it off...THIS IS ME..Never let anyone devalue YOU as a person... Your success is based on PURELY ONE PERSON.. look in the mirror !! YOU!! Don’t compare OR compete with anyone besides ...YOURSELF !!! LOVE YOURSELF ADMIRE YOURSELF... - START LIVING LIFE ON PURPOSE NOW!!! No one needs to accept you, you have your life they have theirs .... JUST LAUGH... makes it feel all better! THIS IS ME..Raw & Real!
Rhea Ripley: I am terrified of photoshoots. I clam up and get nervous and don't feel comfortable, but today I felt like myself.
In picture: Bianca Belair, Rhea Ripley, Dana Brooke and Ruby Riott