In this day and age, more and more people are feeling the pressure to live up to a certain image. Some of the top social media influencers rack-up hundreds of thousands of likes for their perfectly bronzed bodies and artfully captured pouts, which as a result can leave people trying to aspire to an airbrushed ideal that’s very different from reality.

The desire to look more like those that people follow on social media has made some consider cosmetic procedures or other ways of enhancing their image. A recent report found that 28% of 18-24 year olds and 31% of 25-34 year olds have had some form of cosmetic treatment showing that it is becoming increasingly more popular and common place. However, to say that social media has a negative impact on body image is perhaps slightly simplistic.

There is no doubt that a lot of people aren’t happy with their bodies.  According to one study, women who posted a selfie to their social profile had increased anxiety, decreased confidence and lowered perceived physical attractiveness compared to those who did not. Unhappiness with our appearance is intensified by comparing ourselves with others on social media and we are even seeing the rise of ‘snapchat dysmorphia’, where people look to change their appearance based on how social media filters make them look.

The actress Jameela Jamil has been outspoken about the undue pressure women are placed under after being incensed by what she feels is the ‘toxic culture’ of parts of social media where women are judged by their bodies and how much they weigh, an issue that is not going away any time soon.

Needless to say, social media has had a massive impact on the beauty industry and a recent survey by Dove has shown that 30% of women say it affects their purchasing decisions. The rise of influencers being one of the biggest changes in this space, with brands clamouring for highly sought-after influencers to feature their product on their channels and sell it to their large followings.

When you are constantly bombarded with images of perfection and the ‘ideal life’ it’s easy to get sucked in and apply those unrealistic standards on yourself. It’s not wrong to want to improve the way you look but it’s important to maintain control, establish a reference point and, above all else, be doing it for yourself! You may want to look like your favourite celebrity, but is that realistic for you? It is vital to establish your own baseline of what is both possible and realistic for you.

Enter, Myrror.

After experiencing a lack of control when exploring treatments of their own, our founders created the Myrror App to give you the power to shape and control the way you look, away from the pressures of social media. It is no longer about how many likes your selfie gets, but more importantly being able to keep track and compare your treatments in a safe and personal space and securely collaborate with your trusted service provider – giving you back control when tracking your treatments and understanding how your body responds to them. There is no reason why you can’t take inspiration from social media but be proud to be your own source of inspiration.

Find out more about why self-control is so important, and how this influenced the creation of Myrror.