KUALA LUMPUR, April 14 — Filipino actress Valeen Montenegro placed seaweed on her underarms to represent body hair in hopes that women will embrace their natural selves.
“Body hair is normal! It’s natural! And we need to talk more about it,” the celebrity vlogger wrote on Instagram.
Montenegro accompanied her inspiring message with a snapshot of her wearing a cream coloured swimsuit while lifting her arms to show-off her marine-inspired underarm hair.
The 31-year-old called on women to break the stigma surrounding body hair, which has been perceived as unclean and unattractive for centuries.
“We have an option to shave, wax and go for laser treatments.
“But when people criticise us for our imperfections, let’s all reflect – what is perfection?
“I love and nourish my body because it allows me to do things that make me happy,” Montenegro said.
The actress who dedicated the post to girls, added that these unhealthy stereotypes should be broken.
“Let's not compare ourselves to others and just love our own bodies,” she said.
“It's not about being the best. It's about feeling the best.”
On Instagram, many women flooded the comments section to say how much they loved Montenegro’s post and how beautiful the actress looked in the photo.
“Love yourself. No matter what other people say about your body or about your traits, it doesn't matter.
“At the end of the day, it's you who's important,” an Instagram user wrote.
Montenegro’s post reflects the growing number of young women who in recent years have rejected old beauty standards by embracing their body hair and celebrating inclusivity.
