Freckles are so in right now!
Personally, I have always loved my freckles. I consider them one of my defining traits. I feel they give me an extra pinch of character, and they add to my quirky personality. Freckles are a mark of unconventional beauty, and we all know I’m about that life.
When I was little, my mom always told me my freckles were “angel kisses.” I was pretty sure angels would want to kiss my face, but I also knew that couldn’t possibly be the actual reason for my spotted beauty. So where did they really come from?
According to How Stuff Works.com, we all have melanocytes in our skin. These are cells specifically designed to protect our skin from the harmful UV rays from the sun.
They do this by producing the chemical melanin, which darkens the skin to protect it from burning.
For the fair or light-skinned citizens of the world, these melanocytes don’t tend to be evenly distributed throughout our bodies. This results in our skin freckling as it darkens. What most people don’t know is that freckle-faced folk also have a special gene that even-skinned people do not, the MC1R gene, which balances skin pigment.
While we know freckles are fabulous, they haven’t always been considered the trademark of a gorgeous person. For centuries, beauty was only defined by “flawless” skin, perfectly porcelain complexions glorified by highbrow fashion magazines. Women tirelessly caked their faces with thick foundation and powder in order to achieve even skin tone so that they could fit into the mold of “beauty.” Of course, these unreasonable standards of beauty caused women with unconventional features to hide in the shadows or behind veils of makeup, shaming them into covering their skin. Girls with freckled skin were constantly told they weren’t beautiful because of the dots that patterned their faces.
But alas, no more! Natural beauty is finally coming around in the media. As of late, freckles have become the must-have beauty essential. Girls with freckles are finally getting the street cred they deserve! Freckles are no longer something viewed as a disease but something to be desired. And not just anyone is lucky enough to have freckles – recent research shows they literally make you more of an individual than other people.
One study in Iceland consisted of 2,230 participants, found a variant in the gene IRF4 linked to causing brown hair, blue eyes and, most importantly, freckles. Apparently, RF4 acts like a “dimmer switch,” and can reduce the levels of melanin that reaches keratinocytes, the surface cells on the skin. The reduced amounts of melanin result in freckling of the skin. People with this variant in IRF4 have a completely unique genetic makeup, one that is far more diverse than that of other people. The best part is that no two freckles are the same. They are as unique as snowflakes – meaning they are 100% yours. So be proud of your freckles because you have every reason to love them! At last, models get hired because of their freckles. They are all the rage! Designers and editors alike are surfing that freckle wave and milking it for all it’s worth. Freckle-faced models are at the very center of fashion spreads and walking on every runway!
