22-YEAR-OLD Nathalie Richert, from Malmö, Sweden, is going on a date for the very first time in her life. Nathalie was born with ichthyosis with confetti, an extremely rare condition that causes red, scaly skin all over the body. In the past, the condition had left Nathalie feeling insecure about her body but she has been building up her confidence through modelling and raising awareness on social media. Nathalie said: "I have to be confident because it has made me strong. I don't wish to be someone else." Armed with the newfound self-love, Nathalie decides to give dating a go. She added: "I've been thinking about dating and of course, I want to have the experience of having a boyfriend." Today, she is meeting up with 20-year-old William, a choreographer and aspiring actor, who doesn't know anything about Nathalie prior to the date. Will he look past Nathalie's skin condition?
00:10So I haven't really had the courage to date someone.
00:15Today I'm going on my first date ever.
00:18I think the most challenging about dating is maybe like touching.
00:24My skin is different and it scares me to be so close to someone.
00:30I'm nervous.
00:31Do you think you will look past your skin condition?
00:35Growing up with ichthyasis, it has been difficult.
00:39My skin was worse when I was younger.
00:42It was drier and it was hard because every time I went outside the house,
00:47people stared at me or whispered bad things.
00:51I've never been on a date before.
00:53I think that I've been very insecure about my skin.
00:58I have to be confident because otherwise I don't really know but it has made me strong.
01:04I don't wish to be someone else.
01:07So today I'm going for a blind date.
01:11My cousin is going to help me with my makeup and hair.
01:15So what are you going to wear tonight?
01:17I think I'm going to wear what I have on right now.
01:21Do you think it's good for a date?
01:24Yeah.
01:25I'm nervous.
01:26My expectations for the date.
01:29For me it's very, very important that the person is funny and it's easy to talk to because I like to talk to people.
01:38I'm ready for the date.
01:40Good luck.
01:44I don't think I have a type of woman.
01:46The most important for me is like the personality.
01:48If the personality is good, I'm falling in love.
01:51We'll see what happens.
01:53Hello.
01:54Hello.
01:55How are you?
01:56I'm good, and you?
01:57I'm good, thank you.
01:58What's your name?
01:59I'm Natalie.
02:00Natalie.
02:01What is your name?
02:02William.
02:03Yeah.
02:04Thank you so much.
02:06I like your shirt by the way.
02:09So what's your favorite food?
02:12I really like, just like really Swedish meatballs with lingers.
02:17I love sushi.
02:18I always eat like everything.
02:20You decide fish.
02:23You don't like fish?
02:24I hate fish.
02:25You like sushi, but you don't like fish.
02:27What is that?
02:28I hate fish.
02:29Like every kind of fish I hate.
02:31Okay.
02:34So can you tell me about your skin condition?
02:36Yeah.
02:37I'm born with ichthyosis confetti.
02:40My skin is dry and it grows too fast.
02:44Okay.
02:45I'm red, obviously.
02:48And I have to like put cream on every day.
02:52What happens if you don't like, if you mist?
02:54I get really, really dry.
02:55You're really dry?
02:56Yeah.
02:57Does it like itching and stuff?
02:58It's itchy and it like, you know, get pale.
03:01Or not pale, but you know.
03:02Yeah, you can peel off the skin and stuff.
03:03Yeah, exactly.
03:04Okay, yeah, yeah.
03:05So what do you like to do?
03:06Do you have any hobbies or?
03:08Parting.
03:09Parting.
03:10Everybody loves to party.
03:12And do you have any hobbies that you like?
03:15Beside my job, I'm a photographer and a videographer too.
03:18What?
03:19You're a model, so.
03:20Yeah, it's fun.
03:21Nice, nice.
03:22Yeah, I'm a model too.
03:23Oh, you are?
03:24Yeah, I've been modeling in Dubai.
03:26Oh, wow.
03:27Start home.
03:28I decided to post some pictures on a group of Facebook for models and photographers.
03:34And if anyone would be interested in taking pictures, that's a dream I've had for a long time.
03:40So we booked a photo shoot and then I posted them on my Instagram and I got really positive feedback.
03:48And that's how it started.
03:50I get more confident being in front of the camera and being out there because then it's because of my skin and I feel like I'm doing a positive thing.
04:00I think also that maybe I can help other people with their insecurities.
04:06I think it's going good.
04:08Yeah, he's really nice.
04:10I don't think he had a big deal with my skin condition.
04:14The first impression was maybe, oh, it was my skin, but now he talks to me and that we have like a normal conversation and stuff.
04:23All right, you ready?
04:24Yes.
04:25All right, let's go.
04:26Very good time, yeah.
04:27It was really nice.
04:28Yeah.
04:29Yeah.
04:30You're easy to talk to.
04:31Yeah.
04:32Same to you, yeah.
04:33Do you think you're going to go out again?
04:34Maybe.
04:35Maybe.
04:36We can see.
04:37We're following each other on Instagram, so I hope we catch up there.
04:39It was fun.
04:40Nice to meet her.
04:41She's a beautiful person.
04:43I like that she loves to do the same thing as me, and I love her smile in her eyes.
04:48She's a person with just like a different skin condition as me, and that doesn't matter with me.
04:54He's a good person, and he's funny to talk to and easy.
04:58It feels like we have almost the same humor and stuff, so it feels nice.
05:03Has this dating experience taught you anything?
05:05It was really fun, and it felt easier than I thought.
Be the first to comment