When you see the likes of Taylor Hill, Kendall Jenner and Malaika Firth storming down the runways, posing near-balletic moves in fashion campaigns and sporting flawless skin in Instagram posts, it's hard to imagine them growing up with the negative side effects of puberty – acne, untameable hair, a fuzzy upper lip.
So, it's refreshing when a model like Puerto Rico-born Natalia Castellar reveals she knows exactly how it feels to be insecure of physical features growing up.
Writing for Today in 2017, the model spoke openly about her struggles with bullying as a result of her thick eyebrows.
'Self-love isn't something you achieve overnight, but it's something that I've been able to learn with the help of my supportive family and friends,' she penned.
The campaign star continued, admitting: 'As a young child I used to feed into the negativity, I was naive. But now, I'm thankful for those experiences.'
In a 2016 interview with W Magazine, the model – who has posed for the likes of NARS and Mansur Gavriel – admitted that her thick, luscious eyebrows haven't always been one of her most desirable assets – for her at least.
'When I was younger they were all anyone would point out. I was bullied terribly because of how thick and long they were, so I wanted to shave them down,' she told the publication.
Fortunately for the 20-year-old, her mother stopped her before she shaved them off and helped her realise that her thick brows were one of the her defining features.
'It wasn't until thick brows started trending that I started feeling more confident,' she added.
It's not just the brow trend, ignited by Cara Delevingne, that has made Castellar cherish her features, but also her love for their uniqueness.
'Now I don't care if they stay trendy or not, I love my eyebrows,' she said. 'They set me aside from other models. They're my trademark, and I wish I would have embraced them sooner.'
Unfortunately for the model – who found fame after her photographer sister shot images of her for Tumblr and Instagram – her days of enduring negative comments from strangers isn't entirely in the past.
'A lot of trolls leave nasty comments about my eyebrows, but I don't give in and respond, because that's what they want,' she continued. 'I just disabled my notifications. I want my social media to stay as positive as possible!'
If, like us, you're currently stroking your own brows while reading this and wondering how Castellar has managed to maintain such thick eyebrows, the model has previously shared her top tips for keeping the hair in check.
'Many people assume that I have an eyebrow routine that I follow, but I really don't do anything besides brush them,' she told W. 'Although it's not much, I think that brushing your brows is just as beneficial as using nourishing products. Brushing stimulates growth, and it helps with circulation.'
Someone fetch us an eyebrow brush, we're going in.
