Mirror Talk Monday - The Truth About Comparison & Filters, Real Beauty Unfiltered

Let’s talk about the thing we all do but rarely admit, comparison.

I used to live in it. Swim in it.

Let it whisper in my ear every time I looked in the mirror or scrolled through social media.

And here’s the kicker—I was an international model.

You’d think being the so-called “beauty standard” would make me immune to the pressure. Nope. If anything, it made it worse.

Because when you’re part of an industry built on perfection and perception, chasing flawlessness becomes a full-time job. And let me tell you that kind of pressure is exhausting.

I remember being on set perfect lighting, a glam squad on standby, every hair in place.

And still? I felt like I wasn’t enough. Not thin enough. Not young enough. Not filtered enough. (Side note, I weighed 30 pounds less than I do now. And I was only 17.)

Even after I stepped away from modeling, the pressure followed me—straight into the scroll-and-compare spiral.

You know the one:

But here’s what I’ve learned the hard way (and maybe you have too)

Comparison is a thief. And filters? Filters are liars.

The glow we chase? It’s not digital. It’s not the result of a $300 ring light or a face-smoothing app.

Real beauty lives in confidence.

Lived-in, laugh-lined, texture-and-all confidence that’s earned—not edited.

So what changed for me?

Honestly, there was no big, dramatic “aha” moment. It was a thousand tiny shifts.

• I unfollowed accounts that made me feel "less than."

• I started using skincare that nourished me, instead of promising to erase me.

• I laughed more.

• I looked in the mirror and chose gratitude over critique.

• I smiled. Like, really smiled.

• And I started saying out loud: “I like the woman I see—texture, laugh lines, and all.”

(Also, side note: I’m obsessed with gratitude. We have a gratitude jar in our home where we all add daily notes of appreciation and read them together on New Year’s Eve—but that’s another blog post.)

And you know what? It worked. Slowly, but powerfully.

Because the moment I stopped trying to erase my age, my lines, my story, I started evolving. Fully. Boldly. Unapologetically.

Creating FAITH+FEARLESS Beauty was part of that healing journey.

I wanted to build something real. A clean skincare brand that actually delivers results without making women feel like they need to be someone else.

No more hiding. No more chasing “flawless.”

Just real skin, real results, and real confidence.

This brand is for the women who aren’t trying to rewind the clock, this is for women that are evolving beautifully.

Women like you.

So today, if you catch yourself stuck in that comparison trap—on screens or in the mirror—pause. Breathe. And ask yourself this:

Spoiler alert NOTHING. But when you shift that narrative?

You gain everything

Freedom. Confidence. Peace.

And yes—even better skin. (Because babe, stress ages us faster than time ever could.)

Let this be your reminder, it’s time to ditch the filters, drop the pressure, and show up with fearless authenticity.

You’re not “getting older”—You’re evolving. Beautifully.

Here’s to more mirror moments that empower, not shame.

And to skincare that celebrates your skin—not filters it.

To the glow that can’t be edited,

Sarah

Co-Founder, Faith + Fearless Beauty

PS - FAITH+FEARLESS is skincare that celebrates your skin—not filters it. When you spend $75 or more, we are sending you a full size bottle of the Vitamin C Serum. Our Gift to you. Shop online by clicking the products below.