Dove (the manufacturer of skin care products) has done it once again. Ten years after the launch of their Campaign for Real Beauty, Dove has redefined what true beauty really is and has challenged the stereotypes surrounding beauty. According to Dove, the study initially found that only 2% of women around the world would describe themselves as beautiful. Since then, Dove has made strides to make beauty a source of confidence rather than a vehicle for anxiety.

Last week at the Sundance Film Festival, Dove premiered “Selfie”, a short documentary that challenges teenage girls and their mothers to capture their natural beauty by taking an honest selfie, a photo that prominently features what they perceive as their personal physical flaws with no adjustments or filters. Cynthia Wade, director of the film, said “The selfie on the surface seems really simple but when you think about how many selfies people take and then delete or they filter or they somehow change before they put it out there, I really wanted to explore the honest selfie.”

The film is based on how a selfie—social media word #selfie that was named Oxford Dictionaries word of the year—can redefine and expand society’s view of beauty but most importantly change your view of yourself.

In today’s world where social media plays a powerful role on the ideas of physical appearance and beauty, we often lose sight of what’s naturally beautiful. Dove challenges teen girls and their moms to redefine what is beautiful in all of us. Maybe you’re self-conscious of your facial features, hair, or your waistline, but what you must remember is your unique features make you distinctively beautiful. I believe we should all cherish, embrace and celebrate our differences.

One honest “selfie” can not only make you feel more confident, it can also directly impact others by expanding the idea of beauty, and making the world more accepting of everyone’s differences. Wade said, “We have the power in our own hands to redefine beauty”. Whether it’s for you alone or for the world, I challenge you to take an honest selfie, and acknowledge how beautiful you truly are. You might also enjoy watching a video called, “Selfie” on the Dove website, where you can also learn more about Dove’s empowering campaign and upload your very own selfie, if you’d like.

-Ali