A woman with a port-wine birthmark has spoken out about embracing your own beauty while enhancing her distinctive mark with glitter.
Model Paige Billiot, from LA, has been receiving support after embracing her port-wine birthmark by covering it in glitter.
The faded red mark covers the model’s cheek on the left side of her face, starting at her temple and running down just under her nose.
The 24 year old has recently modelled for the new London lingerie label Curvy Kate as part of their Scantilly #TheNewSexy campaign, where she showcases her birth mark with pride.
Paige has spoken out about how the mark, which she’s had since birth, used to make her feel. She’s also opened up about the pressures from society of what beauty looks like, and how she felt she never fitted into that perception.
‘When I was young I absolutely hated my birthmark. I would have done anything to be normal like everyone else because I was always surrounded with media telling me what beauty was.
‘I was bullied and always consumed by what others thought and it was exhausting and depressing.
‘Then I started to change… I started to accept myself, understand who I am, and then embrace it.
‘Everyone is sexy and unfortunately a lot of people don’t realise that, and these beauty standards that have been forced on us for quite some time don’t help.’
Now Paige is set on embracing her flaws and promotes this on her Instagram page ‘Flawless Affect’, which features lots of beautiful pictures where she’s outlined her mark with face paints and glitter.
In one post she explains how she believes that imperfections make you perfect: ‘Bow down to you. All of you. Bow down to every imperfection and realize that it’s what makes you perfect. Stop consuming yourself with negative worries that you need to change how you look. Bow down to yourself and be the Queen/King that you are.
‘Being comfortable in your skin is no easy task, but damn it’s so freeing. Embrace you. Raw is beautiful.’
Paige has received lots of support for her brave posts and positive attitude, with one Instagram user commenting on her photo, ‘what beautiful photos. You are a striking looking woman even without the makeup and glitter #bodypositivetothemax 💜💜’ and another adding, ‘Did you fill your birthmark on again here? Or is it just natural here?
‘I am so inspired by how you rock it, I always cover mine.’