Love Is Blind UK’s Yasmin Toseafa Reveals How Embracing Vitiligo Changed Her Life
By Lifestyle Correspondent
Love Is Blind UK Series 3 star Yasmin Toseafa has spoken about her 20-year journey with vitiligo, revealing how seeing model Winnie Harlow embrace the condition helped her overcome years of low confidence.
Yasmin first noticed white patches appearing on her skin when she was around eight or nine years old. With no family history of vitiligo, she struggled to understand what was happening and says the condition had a major impact on her confidence as she grew up.
For around two decades, she regularly used makeup to cover her vitiligo and worried about being seen without it, even in everyday situations.
Speaking on FUBAR Radio's What the Health Yasmin said:
"I definitely think my vitiligo affected my self esteem, the way I saw myself, you know how beautiful I thought I was, and also how beautiful I thought other people would think I was."
"And so I think for a long time I just didn't like myself. There was a lot of, you know, self-loathing."
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Finding inspiration
A major turning point came when Yasmin discovered model and vitiligo advocate Winnie Harlow.
Seeing Harlow build a successful modelling career without hiding her skin made Yasmin realise that she could perhaps do the same.
"I thought to myself, my goodness, if this woman can be a whole Victoria's Secret model that the world is seeing her vitiligo and she's not covering it up," she said.
"I was like, the least I can do is open the door to the postman."
From there, Yasmin began taking small steps, including going to the gym and the shops without makeup.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, she took the decision further. While isolating after contracting COVID, she reflected on how much of her life she had spent worrying about other people's opinions.
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She eventually shared a photograph of herself without makeup on social media and opened up about her experience with vitiligo.
The response was overwhelmingly positive.
"Seeing people like Winnie Harlow changed my life," Yasmin said. "If I hadn't seen people like her in the mainstream media, I would still be camouflaging."
A new confidence
Since embracing her vitiligo, Yasmin has pursued modelling, become a Miss Universe Great Britain finalist and appeared on Love Is Blind UK.
She says representation helped her see possibilities that she had previously struggled to imagine.
"I was like, oh wow, she's so open [with her vitiligo], and I think she looks beautiful. Like maybe, maybe I can do that."
Yasmin now hopes her own story can help someone else feel the same way.
"If I can do for someone else what Winnie Harlow has done for me, I'll be so happy," she said.
Her decision to appear on Love Is Blind UK was another step outside her comfort zone. Having tried dating apps and more conventional ways of meeting people, she decided to take a chance on the experience.
"I've tried the conventional way. I've tried the apps. It hasn't worked. Let me try this," she said.
Looking back, Yasmin says the biggest lesson has been not allowing insecurity or fear of judgement to prevent her from living her life.
"Do not waste another second of your precious time on this earth thinking that you are not good enough, you don't belong here, or you know you can't do something," she said.
"A lot of the time, the barriers that we have in our lives are ones we place on ourselves."
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For Yasmin, learning to embrace her vitiligo has meant much more than going without makeup. It has given her the confidence to be seen, try new things and encourage others to stop hiding who they are.
The full interview with Yasmin Toseafa is available via the FUBAR Radio app and major podcast platforms. What the Health airs live every Wednesday at 11am.
She can be found on Instagram (@yasmeenstagram_) and TikTok (@yasmeensta).
