Facing the World

The recent “100 Most Beautiful” issue of People magazine included pictures of 11 celebrities without makeup. A series of covers of the French version of Elle magazine features movie stars with no makeup or retouching.
“There is a hunger for authencity,” said the editor of Glamour in the May 28 issue of The New York Times.
Complaints about the unattainable standards of beauty presented by the media have surfaced with different degrees of intensity over the years, but more so now because of the digital power to lengthen necks, enlarge eyes, trim down noses, plump up lips, and raise checkbones. To see how it is done, go to YouTube and search for Extreme Beauty Makeover. The video by Dove is among the best.
Skillfully applied makeup can make the average non-model out for the evening look more appealing, and that’s okay. As for the movie stars, we expect them to look spectacular, but when Photoshop makes them unrecognizable, their beauty becomes a hoax that everyone can see.
Photo by Berta!