The Impact of digital distortion on South African Women

What happens when three women from three different worlds sit down to redefine beauty on their own terms? A conversation that is raw, honest, and powerful enough to shift how we see ourselves.

In this special Dove Live podcast segment at Unlimited WalkFest 2025, Mpoomy Ledwaba is joined by three phenomenal women who each carry their own beauty story, and aren’t afraid to tell it:

Anele Nzimande -Maphanga, representing Dove, a brand that has championed Real Beauty for two decades.

Amahle-Imvelo “Jaxx” Jaxa, influencer, truth-teller, and a young woman navigating beauty, eczema, psoriasis, and the pressure to always “look perfect.”

Lerai “Rai” Rakoditsoe, Gen Z powerhouse and changemaker inspiring young people to break free from clone culture.

Together, they dive deep into beauty autonomy, reclaiming our right to define beauty for ourselves… and no longer for the world. From filters, digital distortion, and global beauty standards, to hair loss, insecurity, healing, generational clashes, and what beauty truly means, this is a conversation every woman needs to hear.

Timestamp Guide

3:00 - When insecurity meets courage. A heartfelt moment as the ladies open up about times they felt insecure but still chose to show up.

3:05 - Anele on her biggest beauty insecurity. A vulnerable and refreshing look at the woman behind the work at Dove.

4:46 - Lerai’s raw honesty. She shares the insecurities she hides behind the camera and the ones she’s still healing.

5:40 - Jaxx’s journey with psoriasis and hair loss. A moving reflection on losing patches of her hair, navigating the condition publicly, and choosing to show up anyway.

7:52 - What does “Real Beauty” actually mean? Each woman gives her definition, touching, personal, and paradigm-shifting.

13:50 - Digital distortion and how Dove is fighting back. Anele unpacks the realities of edited beauty, how it affects everyday women, and what Dove is doing to protect the next generation.

16:33 - Lerai on Gen Z and beauty pressure. She breaks down what young people are experiencing and how filtered perfection is shaping identity.

20:27 - Jaxx’s transition into bald beauty. Her daily emotional journey of accepting a version of herself she never imagined, and how she’s slowly embracing it.

22:23 - Audience moment. Women in the crowd share what beauty means to them.

23:00 - Can generations come together to redefine beauty? The panel unpacks whether we’re truly divided, or simply misunderstood.

24:37 - Lerai on bridging generational gaps. 

27:12 - Anele on losing her mom and how it shaped her view of beauty. A deeply emotional reflection on grief, growing up too fast, and learning that beauty is less about appearance and more about identity.