In the first edition of Skin Stories, a new Love Women series exploring our feelings about our skin, we chat with Storm Dove, a model who has made a name showcasing her vitiligo in campaigns. 

After years spent trying to conceal her condition with a heavy layer of make-up, she decided to bare all. Ahead, Dove shares how she went from a major self-confidence dip to championing self-love. 

I developed vitiligo at around eight years old. I felt so insecure and my self-esteem started to get lower.

I definitely faced judgment. My vitiligo was the start of an extreme level of bullying that occurred almost every day, from kids and even adults.

The mocking, bullying and ridicule definitely sunk my mental health, my self-confidence and how I felt overall about my looks physically. That was a lot to deal with at a really young age.

God, that’s awful. When did things start to change? What was the turning point?

The funny story is that it all started with a bet. I use to wear a full face of make-up to cover my vitiligo for two years straight during my junior and senior years of high school. My friend and I made a deal that if he stopped altering his hair colour, I would stop wearing make-up to cover my vitiligo right after graduating. It was so drastic, and there wasn’t even a period of gradually wearing less make-up. On my first day of college, I just went outside bare-faced.

What helped you on the journey to accepting your vitiligo?

It definitely helped seeing other women with vitiligo. It helped me to feel some form of normalcy with my condition, building up my self-confidence again after years of feeling like the odd one out.

And now you’re a model who’s doing that for other women! How did you get into that?

At first, I didn’t take modelling seriously. I thought I wouldn’t be able to do it because of how I looked.

But when I was 17, my cousin set me up with my first photoshoot. I was so happy and getting love and support. A lot of different photographers then started to message and email, all wanting to shoot with me. Two years later I started modelling.

Being a model and providing representation for women with vitiligo is such a blessing. Representation is important. So is giving anyone a sense of support, whether it’s seeing my work, my images or hearing my words and hoping that others feel seen and heard. Also for them to see the beauty in being unique.

What do people get wrong about vitiligo?

The physical aspect of it. Some people think my skin peels off or that it physically hurts my skin, like I’m in pain.

How do you care for your skin? 

I care for my skin with a simple skin care routine. Gentle foaming face cleanser, moisturiser and sunscreen. Also giving myself mask facials once in a while.

How do you feel about your skin today?

Now I feel confident and beautiful in my skin. I wouldn’t want to change a thing.

The advice I would give to anyone struggling with their skin is to be yourself, because everyone else in this world is already taken. Also, love yourself because the best love is self-love.

This article is part of Skin Freedom, a Stylist Love Women series that aims to champion the reality of women’s skin in all its glory.

Images: Peter DeVito; Alejandro Poveda