A makeup artist has launched a campaign celebrating the imperfect beauty in all women, including acid attack victims.

Fatimah Vadia, a makeup artist from Manchester worked in collaboration with acid attack victim Resham Khan to produce a campaign to encourage women to accept their perceived flaws and imperfections and view them as another form of beauty.

Resham Khan who is the ambassador of the #beautyiseveryone campaign, was involved in an attack in 2017 after a man threw acid through her car window on her 21st birthday.

Makeup artist Fatimah launched #beautyiseveryone featuring a photo shoot with Resham, after several of her own clients had articulated the pressure they felt in achieving an expected standard of beauty.

Asian Image:

Asian Image: Resham Khan as featured in the campaign: Hair and Makeup Artist - Fatimah Vadia, Outfit: Kanval by Design, Venue - Thornton Manor. Picture Copyright: Zeeshan Siddique Photography

Fatimah said, “The campaign stemmed from meeting so many clients who are insecure about their appearance and what they see as imperfections within their features. The irony being this is very different to what I see. I appreciate no-one is perfect and we may have 'problematic' areas but this is what makes us normal, real and human.

“I was getting so dismayed by meeting perfectly attractive girls who don't recognise and see their self-worth, thus the campaign #beautyiseveryone was born.”

Fatimah described Resham as ‘an incredible role model.’

“I wanted to spread the message that despite the scarring and disfigurement from her attack, she hasn't allowed what happened to hold her back and define her.

“In her bridal campaign she looked nothing but a picture of beauty. It also showed that her ordeal trivialises anyone’s minor flaws and that we should be appreciative of what we do have rather than what we don't.”

Asian Image:

Fatimah Vadia

The campaign also addresses social and cultural beauty ideals and challenges the pressures women are made to feel to conform to them.

Fatimah said skin colour and the desire for lighter skin remains a prevalent problem within the Asian community. She added that the issue was further exacerbated by the use of Caucasian and non Asian models in Asian bridal campaigns.

“I am using the campaign to highlight all the stigmas within our society and culture. I think that's the biggest issue here. I want to represent real, every day people and prove that no matter what your insecurity is, you are all beautiful.

“The biggest feedback I was getting was misrepresentation. When we did the darker skin campaign, which featured the lovely blogger Rukhsana Begum, an Asian mum with mixed raced young daughters, already conscious of their darker skin, said they were so happy that they were being represented by a darker skinned model in an Asian bridal campaign, which was relevant to them.”

Asian Image:

Makeup Artist - Fatimah Vadia; Model - Rukhsana Begum; Hijab Stylist - Uzma Hijab stylist; Yaadain Productions - film; Burooj Studios - outfit and jewellery. (Picture: Smokenlace)

Fatimah, who has been working as a makeup artist for over ten years admitted that whilst social media is a useful tool in her field, it can also have an adverse effect on young men and women’s mental health and wellbeing.  Fatimah said the “unrealistic and often filtered images” can spread negativity, something she hopes to counter with her campaign.

“Social media sees us scrolling thorough endless selfies which can leave one feeling as though we are not good enough. I don't think we've ever had it so tough.

“I want to use my platform to spread a positive message and try to impose a change for the better in what can be deemed as a very superficial industry.”

This article is featured in the December issue of Asian Life