Two photos that show you shouldn't believe everything you see on Instagram

If you don’t know how staged and pointless Instagram is by now, then you’ve built yourself one hell of a bubble.

To debunk the myth that timelines are anything like real life, hair colourist Ursula Goff posted two selfies on her account, showing how Instagram isn't a fair representation.

One photo showed her without makeup or her hair styled, the other one showed her with styling:

Goff said the photos, taken a few days apart, were intended to highlight how photography techniques can affect perception and subsequently people's esteem.

I think it's important to note that lighting, angles, facial expression, and make-up make a huge difference in photography and presentation (especially in my case!). Social media can make it easy to feel like everyone else is awesome and perfect all the time, but that's really never true.

I think of all the young people out there, especially girls, who are influenced by media in this way, and I think about how badly I know I'd feel if I were a teen today, trying to cope with ever more perfect females all over the place... Part of the solution, I think, is more people opting to take a moment here and there to be real and show what's behind the smoke and mirrors, because it's relevant for y'all to know that this isn't reality.

Good point, well made.

The post received attention from mainstream media outlets, and Goff has since posted on the platform to register her surprise at this interest, and to thank those who have contacted her with praise.

Almost every day I have woken up to another avalanche of kindness and support from people all over the world, and I have struggled to cope with it because it is completely overwhelming.

Aside from that, I almost even feel a bit guilty; after all, there are people out there far more qualified to disseminate life advice than me, and they deserve the publicity much more than I do.

Studies have previously linked social media use with depression and that we mostly use it to keep in touch with friends.

HT Mashable