One of the upsides of the last few months, we believe, is that the cult of ‘perfection’ is on the wane. Images of flawless, airbrushed, identikit women certainly don’t push our buttons – nor those of the real women we know, who come in all shapes and sizes, and with all kinds of life experiences etched on our bodies and faces. Scars, stretch marks, lines and wrinkles – we’re proud of every one.

Last summer, self-tanning whizzes Isle of Paradise launched a wonderful campaign that feels even more appropriate right now, with this shift away from flawlessness. Featuring 10 ‘body positive activists’ of different genders, sizes, abilities and colours – see the second image, below – it coincided with the unveiling of a free downloadable guide we’d like to point you in the direction of, called ‘Get Body Posi’.

Isle of Paradise, if you don’t already know, is a rising star self-tanning brand founded by celebrity spray tanner, Jules Von Hep (their Isle of Paradise Happy Tan Everyday Gradual Glow won a Gold in this year’s Beauty Bible Awards).

To quote Julies, ‘We’re all the same underneath our clothes. We all have our insecurities, whether we’re dressing for a Hollywood red carpet, a big date, or a day at the office. We all have our scars, lumps, dimples, stretch marks, aka Babe marks; so-called “imperfections” that fill my eyes daily, and guess what? I love them! I believe every BODY is BEAUTIFUL.’

The guide is full of all sorts of advice, including the wisdom of sharing your life with energy radiators, rather than mood-drainers. About treating yourself (and others) with compassion, and avoiding the comparison trap. About taking time for self-care. And if you’re happy in your skin – for which we salute you – we’re pretty sure you know someone, perhaps younger and more insecure, who would enjoy (yes, ENJOY!) this guide, with its wisdom shining out from every page.

You can find it here…

Prize Draws