2023 SI Swimsuit Rookie Sixtine Shares Her Best Advice for Learning to Love Your Body

The social media influencer suggests getting rid of any toxic media and people in your life.

Sixtine was photographed by Yu Tsai in Dominica. Swimsuit by NAVY RAY.

Yu Tsai/Sports Illustrated

Body neutrality influencer Sixtine has built her social media platform—with more than one million followers across TikTok and Instagram—to be a safe and positive place where bodies of all shapes and sizes are appreciated and celebrated. The 25-year-old first began growing a social media following when she started the Swimsuit Series—a hunt to find the perfect mid-size swimsuit—on TikTok.

The 2023 SI Swimsuit rookie, who was photographed by Yu Tsai in Dominica for her feature with the magazine, has a bit of advice for anyone struggling with body image issues.

The New York City resident is on a self-love and confidence journey of her own, and like everyone else, she has occasional bad days. But she’s learned that what is on the inside is what truly matters, and that any body is a “bikini body.” Here are her tips to help you build body confidence.

1. Get Introspective 

“I think my advice to people who are struggling with body image is to really take the time and understand why you’re struggling with that,” she says. “[Ask yourself] ‘Why do you hate these certain aspects of yourself? Why do you feel insecure about them?’ and think about where that comes from.”

2. Improve Your Surroundings 

As a solution, she suggests removing anything even remotely toxic from your life. Things like influencers, magazines, family members, friends or social media can actually affect you more than you think.

“Find out where that insecurity is coming from, and who’s telling you to be that way—because somebody is telling you to be that way—and get them out of your space and start following people who are going to tell you the opposite,” she offers.

3. Get Naked 

Sixtine’s second biggest tip is to simply get naked in order to desensitize yourself to your own body.

“I think so [many] of us are uncomfortable with our bodies because we hide them, we refuse to look at them and we refuse to acknowledge them. I really think [it’s important to] sit in front of a mirror and be naked,” she says. “If you’re used to seeing yourself and all the little nooks and crannies and everything, and the rolls and the marks and whatever, then you’re not so shocked every time you see it.”

Meet Sixtine Rouyre—read the 2023 SI Swimsuit rookie’s full feature profile here.

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