Winnipeggers go makeup free for new selfie viral craze

WINNIPEG – #NoMakeupSelfie has gone viral in the last few days.

People — mostly women — have been posting “selfies” — pictures they take of themselves — without makeup on.

The craze is most popular in the U.K., where it’s being used to raise awareness and money for cancer, but now it’s catching on in Canada.

Since March 17 when the phenomenon hit, the hashtag has been used more than 60,000 times on Twitter and the Facebook page No Make Up Selfie For Cancer Awareness has gained 237,000 likes since being created two days ago.

“We heard about what was going on in the U.K. over there and the Canadian Cancer Society really thinks it’s great when anyone can raise awareness about cancer,” said Jason Permanand of the Canadian Cancer Society.

But Canadians are taking a different spin on the hashtag and using it to empower women through nominating friends on social media to bare their face.

“I guess I’m a bit self-conscious and I guess a lot of girls may feel that way and they shouldn’t,” said Lindsay Poyser, who was nominated to take a selfie.

Poyser was nominated and Thursday night; with makeup remover in hand, she’ll take the challenge.

“I’m going to not straighten my hair, I’m going to wear no makeup to show who I really am,” said Poyser.

But she’s a little nervous about the online response.

“I hope people still accept me for what I am underneath the makeup and straightened hair,” said Poyser.

Something a University of Manitoba social psychology professor has studied.

“They’re really feeling a lot of social pressure from two difference sources here, so one from the friends saying that you have to do it and one from all of these media images which make us look bad when we look natural,” said Dr. Marian Morry.

But there are also those who feel comfortable in their skin.

“I think it’s great. We don’t have to wear makeup to be who we are, we’re beautiful as we are,” said Victoria Graham.