‘Filtering’ explained as woman reveals how she found love by ditching make-up on dating apps

It’s no secret that dating apps are an absolute minefield in 2026.

Not only do you feel like you have to seem effortlessly cool with bucketloads of friends, hobbies, and talents, but it’s also been drilled into us that we have to look our most glammed-up, polished selves in every photo.

For women, this can feel like a weighty pressure to wear make-up in every picture and choose highly curated photos with the exact right lighting and angles.

But more and more people are rejecting this idea and instead opting to show themselves au natural, makeup-free, and doing day-to-day things like going to work or for a run.

This way, they’re ‘filtering’ out the partners who aren’t right for them and are only interested in the Instagram-perfect version of themselves.

Eleonora Sheldon, 51, is one of the people who decided to flip the narrative upside down, and it bagged her her dream husband - now, she’s encouraging other women to do the same.

Eleonora purposely used photos that showed her natural self - in her work clothes, out for runs, and makeup-free (Supplied)

At 43, newly divorced, her plan was clear - she wasn’t dating for 'attention' or a short fling, but for a husband, for someone to share her life with.

So, faced with the ever-daunting prospect of joining the dating apps, she did it in a way that served her.

Eleonora told Tyla: “I wanted a man to be interested in me as I really am, not a polished version of me. If he liked me without me putting in lots of effort, then he’d be interested in my whole personality, not just my looks.

“The way I talk, laugh, eat, just me being myself. And honestly, I never wore heavy make-up in real life anyway, so it was easy.”

Although her dating profile pictures weren’t all completely makeup-free, they were all natural, everyday photos.

She included one in her nursing scrubs with minimal make-up, another outside running with no make-up, and a third snap outdoors with very light make-up.

Eleonora said: “No glam shots or heavy filters. I wanted men to like me the way I really looked day to day."

The untypical approach led her to find her husband (Supplied)

As for the response she got, Eleonora admitted she ‘wasn’t flooded with matches,’ but the men she did match with ‘felt more decent overall’.

She revealed: “I don’t think it was only the photos, though. My profile was very clear that I was looking for a serious relationship and someone who supported himself. I think the photos and the honesty worked together.”

Eleonora said she’d recommend others try this, and not just because it worked for her, but because ‘why lower your standards and settle for someone who’s already not a good fit, just so you’re not alone?’

The nurse told Tyla: “After my first marriage ended, I wasn’t willing to accept less. I wanted a man who was caring, respectful, and loving, who treated me like a lady. Being honest from the start, including in my photos, helped me find that.”

In a post on her Instagram, she advised: “I wasn’t trying to be chosen. I was filtering.”

And as she touched on before, Eleonora didn’t do it using photos only; she also filtered men out with the tone of her profile.

She also made sure her intentions were crystal clear on her profile - she wanted something serious (Supplied)

As tempting as it can be to want to seem nonchalant and say you’re open to something short-term, she believes you’re more likely to find the love of your life by being upfront about it.

Her profile read: “Serious relationship only. No direction? Don’t bother me.”

She outlined: “My photos were intentional. Scrubs. Running. No make-up. One simple casual photo. Nothing sexy on purpose.

“If something felt off, I was out. No explaining. No negotiating. Dates 1, 2, and 3 weren’t it, so I let them go. Date 4 became my husband. I married him at 45.”

Eleonora gushed: “He was a real gentleman. He opened doors, and he asked how I liked to spend my time off work. He planned dates that were about getting to know me: bike rides, hikes, runs, museums, road trips.

“We talked so much it was hard to stop, because we kept finding new things to talk about. We both love reading. It built over time. I felt comfortable with him, I was attracted to him, and I was genuinely interested in who he was.”

Of course, it’s all down to personal preference, and if doing your make-up and getting dressed up is the most ‘you,’ then don’t feel like you have to change a thing.

If you fancy it though, maybe switch things up and give ‘filtering’ a go…