THIS WEEKS FEATURED BEAUTY: Diana Veras

Photo By NARS

A quick interview with Diana on body positivity.

Diana Veras: It's really important to be comfortable in your own skin and when people do their makeup it [should be] enhancing what they already have. It's not like you're putting a fake face on. It's your face, whether you put eyeliner on it, contour or whatever you want. They're still your features, they're just enhanced, but [ultimately] it doesn't really matter I think, as long as you feel good in it. You're still in your skin.

Were there any particular experiences or people that prompted you to start thinking about embracing yourself and your body as you are?

DV: Well, mostly for me it was my friends. They wanted me to embrace myself because I used to be the hidden one, and I didn't want anyone to look at me. And I've always modeled, but I never really liked when people stared at me in public. I didn't like being out, but my friends really pushed me to experiment with myself, dress how I want to dress and do my makeup how I want to, and be myself completely, which is really cool.

Yeah, there's something about embracing the beauty of the human body as it is.

DV: And it's been cool because you're given the opportunity now to represent those girls that don't see [bodies like theirs usually]. It's so cool to be comfortable in your own skin and be noticed and represent [something new].

Has social media helped you feel more comfortable in your skin?

DV: Yeah, seeing women on social media...I'm not ashamed of my belly anymore. I'm not ashamed of anything that pertains to my body anymore, as opposed to before where I didn't see any representation. On social media you scroll and you see real people...I'm so for social media, because there are girls like me who get the same amount of likes as a skinny model that is on the runway, walking these haute couture shows….People need to see real, and social media is real. It's not censored at all.