Fitness influencer Danae Mercer decided to share some revealing before-and-after pics to show how to obtain those “flawless” bikini shots. You might be shocked at the images which expose the lengths that some women will go to achieve online fame.
Danae Mercer is one of the few influencers who live up to the #NoFilter hype. The Dubai-based health and fitness specialist made the decision to reveal how viral influencers and celebrities can manipulate photographs to give the impression that they have perfect bodies.
Mercer didn’t hesitate to display her cellulite for all to see. People praised the former editor-in-chief of Women’s Health Middle East for using her revealing social media platforms to talk about women’s issues, especially those pertaining to body image.
Mercer’s trademark Instagram postings, which are frequently beachside and bikini-clad, contrast pictures of her actual, curvaceous form with ones of an elaborately arranged version in which she appears considerably smaller. Her area of expertise is showing how simple photo editing tools, lighting, and angles can readily cover or obfuscate specific parts of her body.
One example Mercer gave was her snapping a photo in the mirror while donning a brown-belted maillot. “LETS talk LIGHTING. Because that’s the main difference in these photos,” she wrote, alongside two images. “In one, my bum is deliberately angled into the shadows. The softer light hides my cellulite and smooths most of my stretchmarks. It’s flattering,” she explains. “In the other, I’m just casually squatting (lol) beside the mirror. My hips and thighs are in the sunlight. Lumps and bumps are on show.”
More than 400,000 people have liked the Instagram photo that revealed Mercer’s cellulite in all its glory. They also commended her for being transparent and shared their own struggles with self-love. “I’m definitely guilty of knowing my ‘flattering’ poses and only doing those,” one follower admitted in the comments, “so I try to be sure to show the more raw photos as well!”
“I found your page yesterday when I needed it the most,” one fan began. “Instagram was starting to have a negative effect on the way I look at myself for a few different reasons (my height, my weight, the fact that my boyfriend loves me but sees this same s–t day in and day out and how do I compete) and you said it exactly … You shouldn’t compare yourself to a stranger on the internet. Basically, God put you in my path at the perfect time. I’m awesome the way I am,” she concluded.
Mercer also revealed that she has recovered from an eating disorder. She talks about her experience with restricted eating and the stages of recovery on her YouTube channel. After becoming pregnant, the body-positive influencer opened up about how it affected her mental health, frankly detailing how she handled her changing body along the process.
Mercer took to Instagram four days after giving birth to her daughter, Aurora Patrizia Lisa Ricci, to share her post-birth body with supporters – and it’s proven to be extremely inspirational for many. “No one told me that you still look pregnant, even after giving birth,” her caption started. “That your tummy will still stick out, in the same way it did at six months with baby. That your skin will be soft and strange and new. No one told me. And maybe no one told you.”
Danae Mercer went on to say that she hoped that by sharing her own experience and candid images, people might feel “less alone” in their fourth trimester. In addition to capturing the physical aspects of giving birth and how her body appeared in the aftermath, the new mother was candid about the emotional and mental aspects of going through such a significant, life-changing experience.
“Also remember that your body is a miracle,” Mercer said. “One that has created life, And housed another. So treat yourself with kindness,” she concluded. Mercer has had success in assisting “real women” with their body image issues. When so many young females are drawn to social media, where “fakery” is common, Mercer has aided many by exposing the truth behind the photos.
