When viewers tuned in to watch the lives of eight Mormon wives on Hulu’s The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives, they couldn’t help but notice the uniformity in their appearance. Their hair was often waist-length and styled into gentle “Utah curls”; their lashes were long and fluttery; and their outfits hit a high-low balance that was hard to ignore. The question on everyone’s mind, however, was: how do they manage to look so perfect all the time? The eight women featured on the show, including Taylor Frankie Paul, Layla Wessel, and Jennifer Affleck, are no strangers to the world of social media. With a combined following of over 10 million, they had already built a loyal audience through their #MomTok group. But the reality show format changed everything. With cameras following their every move and a team of editors piecing together their lives, the women were forced to confront their own insecurities and imperfections. “I was 70 pounds heavier, and my makeup was done the opposite of how I would have done it,” Taylor Frankie Paul recalls. “During pregnancy, watching my body change onscreen was a really hard time for me.” Paul, considered one of the originators of the #MomTok group, was pregnant during the show’s first season. She admits that seeing her body and hair change onscreen made watching the show a difficult experience for her. The women’s beauty routines and parenting milestones were carefully curated for social media, but starting to film for Hulu meant ceding control over the final edit. Rewatching their lives cut and spliced in eight episodes onscreen had a profound impact on their self-image. “I definitely feel like being in this industry and being on camera, it’s hard not to want to show up as perfect all the time,” Jennifer Affleck says. “I mean, especially watching [myself] back at moments that I didn’t wash my hair or did my makeup as good…I think we’re definitely our worst critics.”

The women’s journey to self-acceptance was a long and difficult one. “I definitely feel like being in this industry and being on camera, it’s hard not to want to show up as perfect all the time,” Jen Affleck says. “I mean, especially watching [myself] back at moments that I didn’t wash my hair or did my makeup as good…I think we’re definitely our worst critics.” But as they navigated the challenges of filming a reality show, they began to realize that there was beauty in imperfection. “I feel like I found a lot of confidence after season one,” says Layla Wessel, who was recently divorced at the start of the first season. “It was hard to watch yourself on camera, for sure, and like watch that back, but I definitely was a very scared girl going into season one, and I feel like I definitely found my confidence over season two.” Wessel tells me that the second time around, she wore less makeup on filming days and continued to pick out her own clothes. Taylor Frankie Paul has also stepped back from using a makeup artist or stylist. When she’s the one picking up the primer, blush, and mascara, she’s more confident in the final look. “Obviously you know your face best,” she explains. “So what I learned quickly from season 1 to season 2 is I do all my own makeup for everything, interviews, big events.”

The women’s newfound confidence has also translated to their personal lives. “I feel like I’m now finally getting to the point of like, there isn’t any need for perfectionism,” Jennifer Affleck says. “What really matters is who we are on the inside and as long as we can focus on that and being the best versions of ourselves, people will see the beauty on the outside.”

As the second season of The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives premieres on May 15 exclusively on Hulu, viewers will finally get to see the women in a new light. The perfect facades they presented on the show are no longer the only truth. The real story is one of self-acceptance, imperfection, and the beauty that lies within.

A Look at the Women Behind the Facade

* Taylor Frankie Paul: Considered one of the originators of the #MomTok group, Paul was pregnant during the show’s first season and struggled with body image issues. * Layla Wessel: Was recently divorced at the start of the first season and found confidence through her experiences on the show. * Jennifer Affleck: Has spoken publicly about the challenges of filming a reality show and the importance of self-acceptance.

The Impact of Reality TV on Self-Image

* The women’s beauty routines and parenting milestones were carefully curated for social media, but the reality show format changed everything. * Rewatching their lives cut and spliced in eight episodes onscreen had a profound impact on their self-image. * The women’s journey to self-acceptance was a long and difficult one, but ultimately led to a newfound confidence.

The Power of Self-Acceptance

* The women’s newfound confidence has also translated to their personal lives. * “I feel like I’m now finally getting to the point of like, there isn’t any need for perfectionism,” Jennifer Affleck says. * “What really matters is who we are on the inside and as long as we can focus on that and being the best versions of ourselves, people will see the beauty on the outside.”

What’s Next for the Women of The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives

* The second season of The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives premieres on May 15 exclusively on Hulu. * The women will finally get to see themselves in a new light, free from the perfect facades they presented on the show. * The real story is one of self-acceptance, imperfection, and the beauty that lies within.

“I feel like I’m now finally getting to the point of like, there isn’t any need for perfectionism. What really matters is who we are on the inside and as long as we can focus on that and being the best versions of ourselves, people will see the beauty on the outside.” – Jennifer Affleck

The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives Season 2 streams May 15 exclusively on Hulu. MCoBeauty is sold at Target, Amazon, and MCoBeauty.com.