Paige Billiot loves her flaw. Born with a large birthmark called a port-wine stain stretching across the left side of her face, the actress faced endless scrutiny, bullying, and discomfort growing up and moving on to pursue an acting career in Hollywood. As a young child, Paige’s family moved frequently and she was constantly forced to endure the challenges of making new friends and fitting in, despite her unique appearance. As a result she came to accept her differences at a young age. But it was only after she learned to completely accept herself—birthmark and all—that she found the strength to inspire others to redefine perceptions of beauty and change society’s perspective of a flaw.
To empower others, Paige has launched Flawless Affect to foster a creative outlet for individuals to celebrate and shed light on their ‘flaws’. Collaborating with photographers and artists, Paige has amassed a stunning collection of photographs highlighting her birthmark. The project has captivated the attention of media outlets worldwide, ranging from The Daily Mail, ABC, The Huffington Post, Cosmopolitan, and more.
Paige is elated to share her positive message with a wider audience. The feedback about the project has been utterly overwhelming as her message continues to gain traction. Paige now invites others to submit their stories, journal entries, photographs, and art on her website to give insight into what it’s like to live with a unique trait.
This expression and celebration of differences is meant to drive awareness and acceptance around individuals who don’t necessarily fit society’s rigid definition of beauty. “I’m hoping that people will look at these photos and have a better understanding that whatever makes them different is purely positive,” she says. “Accentuating a flaw in unexpected ways will hopefully erase the negative stigmas these individuals impose on themselves. In a few words, I hope people embrace their ‘flaws’ and through self-worth and self-acceptance.”
Paige encourages anyone to join the movement towards self-acceptance by sharing stories on her website or by tagging a photo highlighting unique beauty on Instagram with @Flawless_Affect and #FlawlessAffect. “This outlet is for anyone who feels they’re living with any flaw, be it physical, mental, or emotional,” Paige explained. “The project isn’t just for people with birthmarks, but is expanding to celebrate flaws of every shape and kind.”
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