Our unique features make us beautiful, but it can be hard to see them that way.

As a kid growing up in Virginia, Natalia Castellar was bullied “terribly” for her long, thick eyebrows. The Puerto Rican-born 17-year-old says things got so bad, she almost shaved them down.

“I had a lot of self-esteem issues,” Castellar told HuffPost. “It was very difficult for me to embrace myself.”

Thanks to a supportive family, Castellar gradually learned to love her brows. Then her sister posted shots of her on a photography blog, W reports, and a fan base grew. Castellar recently signed a modeling contract with the influential agency Next Models.

The eyebrows she once saw as a blemish are now her defining feature. 

“My eyebrows are a total advantage,” Castellar said. “They aren’t the only thing that make me a great model, but they play a huge role in attracting attention from both fans and potential clients.”

  body and soul, health, healthy living