"I Woke Up Like This" - Or Did I?

There's a trend on the rise. It's taking hold and creating a safe environment for the rising generation of women to feel comfortable expressing themselves and how they present their image to the wider world.

Honesty.

It's something we, as consumers of media, be it social or otherwise have been been denied for years. First, it was airbrushing, now, it's "I woke up like this." Really, they (the eponymous 'they meaning influencers, celebrities, your pretty BFF) did not wake up like this. It's an ironic lie. But where did it come from?

The nexus of I woke up like this began a couple years ago, and can perhaps even be attributed to Beyoncé with her hit "Flawless" and the Kardashians, who, airbrushed and blow-dried, have posted many photos on social, from bed, with the ironic tag line "I woke up like this" and people have seriously believed them.

And while perhaps this appears seemingly innocent, a joke even, research conducted pertaining to the trend has found, that because of this rhetoric, millennials are increasingly downplaying how long they spend getting ready so as not to appear too overdone or flawless. TRESemmê, who spearheaded the research, found that 7/10 millennials will not tell people how much time they actually spent getting ready, for fear they'll be judged.

Hosted by actress, model and entrepreneur Cara Santana, the panel included psychologist Judy Ho, who worked with TRESemmé on their campaign, Justine Marjan, TRESemmé Global Stylist, Rebecca Minkoff, and Cushnie et Ochs Co-founders Michelle Ochs and Carly Cushnie. Together, the ladies spoke about the importance of transparency in this age of social media, and encouraged women to talk openly about their beauty regimes.

"It's better to arrive late than arrive with bad hair"

-Justine Marjan

This campaign is a veritable lesson in empowerment and speech; don't let what you believe someone might think of you get in the way of what you say. Allow yourself to be completely honest about your beauty prep, own the fact that your hairdo took 2 hours of blood, sweat and tears that morning, because you look good.

TRESemmé hair statement

Judy Ho spoke with SWAAY about the campaign, and why it's so important for millennial women to embrace the beginning of the day as a kickstarter to success, and not an impediment.

"It started with some key figures and celebrities basically saying, 'I don't really work out, I just eat right - and I look like this' and this was a few years ago that statements like this began coming out" Ho begins, continuing, "and then millennials just jumped on it."

"Millennials then start thinking - those are the standards that I have to uphold. The problem, of course, is that it's impossible to uphold," says Ho. Getting ready takes time. No matter what level of sophistication or glamour you're putting into your look. Looking effortless, takes a whole lot of effort. And it's important that girls growing up see that yes, in order for their favorite influencer or actress to look as good as she does, she's probably spent between 1-2 hours - for just a single photo in many cases!

"Work your hair like it's your job"

-Dr. Judy Ho

Cara Santana, Actress, Model and Beauty Entrepreneur, founded The Glam App in 2015 with Joey Maalouf, which is basically an Uber, but for beauty. Order an express blow-out or makeover delivered right to your door (and while that's happening, go stalk her Instagram, because it's simply fabulous), and enjoy the at-home glam experience you've always dreamed of.

Santana saw the white space for a beautified and stylist-specific version ofSeamless and dove head-first to wide critical acclaim. Coming to New York for the app's partnership launch with TRESemmé, Santana proved a worthy host for the panel of powerhouse women.

Cara Santana. Photo courtesy of WENN.com

And, until September 23rd, Tresemmé has teamed with The Glam App to get you blow-outs, or "Work It Waves" express delivered to your door, just enter the code "TRESWorkIt" for this hairstyle when you check out and be the glam queen you truly are.

So, in light of the fact that hundreds of videos will surface this week on social channels of the prep for fashion week - please take the "I woke up like this" fad with a grain of salt. Because it really is fake news. The Gigis, Kendalls and Kaias of the world will all spend hours on their appearance, and don' you forget it.