beauty marks

L’Oréal Denies Lightening Beyoncé’s Skin for New Ads

Beyoncé on May 6 and Beyoncé in the L’Oréal ad.Photo: Getty Images

Beyoncé’s new L’Oréal ads are out in the September magazines and — surprise! — she doesn’t look quite herself. It looks like a heavy-handed Photoshopper went to town on the photos and possibly lightened her skin tone. But L’Oréal denies it:

“We highly value our relationship with Ms. Knowles. It is categorically untrue that L’Oreal Paris altered Ms. Knowles’ features or skin tone in the campaign for Feria hair color,” the Paris-based company said in a statement sent to the Associated Press through the singer’s representative.

That’s funny because this image looks pretttty Photoshopped to us, even if it hasn’t been lightened, as L’Oréal states. We’d say that falls under the definition of “altered.” And you know what? It probably would have been fine for L’Oréal to admit to a little touching up because a good chunk of the general public understands that skin doesn’t look picture-perfect without digital enhancement.

L’Oreal denies lightening Beyonce’s skin in ad [AP]
L’Oréal: We Didn’t Lighten Beyoncé. Honest. [E!]
BEYONCE’S NEW L’OREAL FERIA AD: BLACK WOMAN IN A WHITE WOMAN’S SKIN? [Toya’s World]

L’Oréal Denies Lightening Beyoncé’s Skin for New Ads