Celebrities Without Photoshop: Is This What They Really Look Like?

By Jo Piazza Posted Apr 20th 2010 07:15PM

Photos au naturel are all the rage this month as celebrities strive to exploit their "realness" by refusing to be airbrushed in pics, releasing the untouched versions of photographs that have been digitally altered and, in the case of Jessica Simpson, eschewing makeup all together for a cover shot for Marie Claire magazine.

But just how "real" are the pictures? This isn't how Kim Kardashian looks when she wakes up in the morning. The amount of effort put in by makeup artists and talented photographers, who can manipulate angles and lighting in ways that would turn a toad into a princess, still means these photographs are above and beyond what these women look like in real life.

"A small army of people can make anybody look good, even if they're not being retouched, with hair and makeup and lighting and good direction, you can't not end up with a good photograph," explains celeb stylist Robert Verdi, the delightfully bitchy star of 'The Robert Verdi Show.'

Kim Kardashian, Joy Bryant and photographer Amanda de Cadenet recently stripped down for the May issue of Harper's Bazaar. The ladies abstained from photoshopping and retouching for the spread in order to "accept their insecurities and reveal their most intimate thoughts."

Their most intimate thoughts? Whatever. We do want to give a big applause to Kim for abstaining from digital retouching. There is a slight indentation in her waist and a line or two on her belly that probably would have been scrubbed out. Maybe her famous booty would have been made a tad smaller or some boob spill-over removed. To be entirely honest, we can't think of much that would need to be corrected in Kim's naked spread. She looks pretty darn amazing.

That's because of the small army Verdi was talking about. Before a picture is even taken there are at least four hours of makeup. And that makeup isn't just going on the face.

"No one goes for the old school idea of the spray tan anymore. They literally put makeup on their body, like Dior's AirFlash Spray Foundation. It's like wearing nylons all over your body. Actresses have veins just like everybody else, but you put this makeup on and get an airbrushed look before the airbrushing. It erases lines, bumps, veins and razor burn and makes your skin glow and look really youthful," says longtime celebrity stylist and beauty expert Mary Alice Stephenson.

When Britney Spears released the untouched versions of her shots from a 2009 Candies ad, we saw a bruise that hadn't been covered by makeup was airbrushed away and it looks as though she was given a whole new butt, but she still looks beautiful. That's because a lot of the glitz, glamour and work that goes into creating the perfect photo happens before it gets airbrushed.

"Just by picking the proper shoe, you elongate the leg and can look leaner and meaner and more in proportion," Stephenson says. "Then you get into hair and makeup and that process takes up to four hours. Makeup artists know how to completely change the dynamic of a woman's face. And in most of these photos, hair is added. Rarely does anyone come to a set and just get a blowout. They have mohair pieces added to make their own hair look fuller and more luxurious."

Jessica Simpson Marie Claire

Jessica Simpson appears on the May cover of Marie Claire without any makeup and what she promises is air-dried hair. She still had the advantage of good lighting and a photographer who knew how to work the right angles of her face.

"Without retouching, lighting can make you look 10 years younger," Stephenson says. "I've worked for 20 years with every star in the world and these women know their best angles, their worst, what they want to highlight and the photographers do just that."

Why the rush to give up the retouching and try to show America their flaws? Because perfect people are annoying.

"These women are trying to relate to their audience of real women. Women connect with someone who is imperfect, and as girls like Kim want to sell products to real women they need to find a way to make themselves seem like they have flaws too," Stephenson says.

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Tags: britney spears, jessica simpson, kim kardashian

Comments

(124)

Wednesday 21 April

By t

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kim does nothing for me, good for Jessica Simpson, she looks real.

By Erin

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The biggest joke is Jessica Simpson claiming her hair was air-dried.

By US ONE

On tv they look awesome but celebs in real life well, most just don't look good as they do on tv. To be honest if they weren't famous, and wearing their 2k a day makeup. They would still look the same without photoshop. Most of women think beauty is on the outside, well it's not. Before you get that nose, cheek, or what ever you think is wrong with fixed or think it needs to be fixed, just remember a real stand up guy would love you if you have flaws or not think about that.

By Rob Hustler

I'd bull'um

By cherryberry

I agree with justice. You're not making any sense :/

By Mike

Don't forget the old "Wagner Power Painter." Ever see Kim without makeup? Wouldn't even recognize her.

By becky

If I cheat on my husband can I get away with it if I say I am a sex addict??? That seems to be the craze for all these men..

By Ed

Britney Spears is a freakin PIG whether airbrushed or not.

Thursday 22 April

By TheTossBoss

There is also a camel toe in the 1st pic of Britney thats been removed.

By janetparade

pffffffft.
i want to see kim kardashian wake up, not do her hair, not have make up on, not have a photographer and not have good lighting.
see how pretty she looks then.

By Web

I sincerely wish they'd put a third choice rather than yes or no. My third choice would be "Who Cares?"

By AUSTIN POWERS

The next ting you are going to tell us that Kim's mother hasn't had any plastic surgery on her face!

By Terrence

i just want to suck on 1 of your tittys

By kat

kim as you've never seen her. does this chick do anything else? boring.

By hdstyle1957

Kim would be good enough to shoot off in, but that's about it.

By JK

God created them nice looking. They overwhelm men. The real thing is hidden which difers from woman to woman.

By cody hammers

I would drink her bath water...

By George

you need help, my brother

By Captbrian

I'm so sick. This is just one reason why America is so F@#K'd up!
Because people such as you ALL are watching this crap. I just stumbled upon this site from AOL. And as one responded ask,
rightly so, WHO are these people? who is this person? Who, gives a sh*t? I have seen their program from channel surfing on TV, stopped to watch for just a minute or two. WHAT a load of SH*T! Get a Life people! The "Kardashian's" are "looser's". They don't have the mentality to manage a McDonalds or even tie their shoe lace's. AND, their really not that good to look at. Shame on you ALL

By Perfidia

>

LOL!!!!!!!!!!

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