The April edition of French Elle had eight models and actresses on the cover, in minimal makeup, and absolutely no re-touching done to them. Yes, that means, wrinkles, crow’s feet, open pores, blackheads, pimples, acne scars, blotchy skin, you know, all the regular stuff that appears on our faces, appear in all its glory on the cover. On those famous faces who usually look nothing less than flawless.

Source: Fashionologie

What. A. Revolutionary. Move. Or is it?

There are 2 camps of thought. The first, an increasing voice that is adamant about showing beauty in its most natural form. Peter Lindberg, who shot the French Elle covers, relates in an article by The New York Times how he feels that “for years now it (re-touching) has taken a much too big part in how women are being visually defined today. Heartless retouching should not be the chosen tool to represent women in the beginning of this century.”

Dennis Freedman, creative director of W, is of the opposing school of thought. He makes the point about fashion magazine existing basically as an escape from reality, and wonders if this trend would be one that continues.

I personally feel that it is possible to strike a balance here. I agree with Freedman, that magazines take the reader on an escapist journey into a fantastical world, one that doesn’t need to make sense. Who can afford all the clothes that are featured anyway, or live in the apartments that are shown? Magazines, particularly fashion magazines, have an intrinsic emotional bond with the reader; it should provide relief from today’s world, which, is not a pretty one. Do I really want to open up a magazine and have gaunt, tired faces staring back at me? I see enough of that on the streets, every day, do I need to pay $XX amount to see more? Look at the French Elle covers. Do they look appealing to you? I like my models to look perfect, that’s their job anyway. And I already know that Monica Belluci and Sophie Merceau have lines around their eyes and forehead and the occasional breakout, they’re human. Albeit naturally beautiful.

Of course, re-touching should also not be done to an extreme degree. If Anna Wintour really decides to put singer Adele on the cover, I hope she looks like Adele, and not a Victoria Beckham clone. And it’s not really necessary to alter the facial features of the cover girl to such a large extent that she doesn’t even look like herself - case in point.

But please, go ahead and erase that pimple. Hey, I do it myself, on myself, on Photoshop, before I upload the picture onto Facebook anyway.