Kate Upton: Being makeup-free stand for loving myself
Kate Upton has opened up about her battle with melasma and how makeup should be applied to make people feel "better" about themselves rather than change how they look.
Kate Upton has admitted "being makeup-free stands for loving myself".
The 28-year-old model-and-actress has admitted it was "nerve-wracking" going bare-faced for PEOPLE's Beautiful Issue as she battled with melasma, a skin discoloration, when she was pregnant with her daughter Genevieve, who is now two.
She said: "Of course, the first bit of melasma was right over my upper lip, which made me look like I had a permanent mustache. [My skin's] reaction to being in the sun changed a lot."
The 'Layover' star also opened up about the "negative" impact social media has on the relationship people have with themselves and insisted applying makeup should be about making oneself feel "better" about themselves.
Kate continued: "I feel like makeup is so nice if you use it in a way that makes you feel better about yourself. But there are also so many times when you're putting on make-up to cover up or change different ways of your face.
"I see it more and more with social media. It creates a negative mental relationship with yourself that you feel you should change. So I think being makeup-free stands for loving myself how I am. Although I do love make-up, I appreciate what being makeup-free means."
Asked when she feels most beautiful, Kate told the 'PEOPLE Every Day' podcast: "It's always a journey because we're human. You feel stressed some days and you feel overwhelmed or tired. I think just going back to appreciate the connections we have — the family, the friends and putting how I feel beautiful on my relationships and on my relationship with myself. [That] is how I feel most beautiful."
As for her skincare routine, the Sports Illustrated cover star revealed she uses "cooling" products and LED light masks on her sensitive skin.
She said: "It's hard with the sun. I have such sensitive skin that suddenly I'm always red. So anything cooling is nice.
"I've been very into LED light masks. It's helping even my skin tone, because like I mentioned, the melasma.
"I love face masks because sometimes you'll see even the simple change of your complexion.
"I have a great ice roller that I love to use to bring down puffiness. There are little things you can do to make yourself feel more confident."
