STYLE

Peyton List is known for her awesome outfits, chic hairstyles and endless beauty inspo...but she'll be the first to admit she's not perfect. Here, the star of Bunk'd goes unfiltered on what it really means to be flawless.

We’re all guilty of it: scrolling through Instagram and feeling those pangs of longing or jealousy or self-doubt as we glimpse photos of friends and social media stars who appear to be so perfect.

The thoughts fly in: How is her skin so smooth? My hair will never be that full and shiny. Ugh, I would never have thought of that outfit. And I know what else you’re thinking—that there’s no chance celebrities ever feel this way.

Well, that’s where you’re wrong. I know how hard it is to look at other girls—with their perfect hair, flawless faces, long legs—and not compare yourself or wish you looked that confident. Because I do it, too.

Depending on the day, my skin can be completely clear...or a blemish-ridden mess. My hair is either sleek and shiny...or dull and frizzy. And sometimes, no matter how I might appear in a picture, I just feel crummy about the way I look.

The crazy thing is, I know the exact process behind those fawless photos we admire so much: hours of hair and makeup, professionally placed lighting and painstakingly precise Photoshop. Yet certain photos make me wish I could reach that level of perfection, even if it’s not realistic.

What you don’t see? Pimples that have been completely concealed, flyaways tamed, cellulite airbrushed away. Not to mention the stylist who swaps in another option when something doesn’t fit and flatter, or the thousands of photos snapped just to get that one perfect picture.

It even happens with photos taken of me. I can easily tell when a photographer has Photoshopped my face or body—you’d be surprised at how often it happens. It’s so sad when girls look at a highly edited picture of me and say, “Why don’t I look like her?” Hello, I’ve been airbrushed!

Here’s what we have to remember: Seeing a girl on Instagram with an amazing mane doesn’t make your hair any less gorgeous. Her stellar smile doesn’t make yours any less special. And there’s probably someone out there who wishes she had exactly what you’ve got going on.

So instead of comparing, I’m trying to focus on being the best version of myself. That might mean I wear makeup sometimes (it’s fun!) and use my favorite tricks for taking good selfies (natural lighting is key).

But it also means that on the days I feel like waking up and rolling out with my face completely bare and my hair in a messy bun, I’m going to do that, too—because I’ve realized there’s no better feeling than when you actually woke up like this.

This article originally appeared in the October/November 2016 issue of Girls' Life.

Photo credit: Sean Scheidt

by Peyton List | 2/11/2017