Photoshop has become a blessing and a curse for celebrities taking part in photoshoots as their imperfections can disappear easily without a trace but then for some women of colour, it can cause a storm of controversy if their skin tone is altered, which is exactly what has happened to Scandal actress Kerry Washington this week.
The 38-year-old appears on the front of InStyle magazine's March issue but you would be forgiven for thinking it was someone else as it looks nothing like the 38-year-old, whose skin has clearly been lightened and her facial features altered.
She's not the first person to suffer the same type of Photoshopping though as several other African-American or darker-skinned women have also fallen victim to the skin lightening, causing a bigger conversation about race and the commercial side of the entertainment industry.
So who else, other than Kerry, has experienced bad Photoshop?
Beyonce:
(L'Oreal)
L'Oreal caused a massive storm over their 2008 campaign for the Feria hair colour product which featured Beyonce, but it wasn't just the singer's hair that was a lighter colour as her skin tone was noticeably paler than usual. Some even accused the Single Ladies singer of bleaching her skin but it was clearly the work of Photoshop. Hitting back at the criticism, L'Oreal said in a statement: “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 colour.”
Rihanna:
(Vogue)
It was probably a career highlight for Rihanna when she covered Vogue in 2011, but whispers began circulating that she looked a lot lighter than usual prompting the fashion bible to release the following statement in the midst of the furore: “The reality is that the pictures that were published came in exactly how they have been published - with absolutely no skin lightening. If her skin does look pale it is probably because of the very strong sunlight in LA that day. We worked with her chosen hair and makeup team to present her in the way she was most comfortable with.”
Lupita Nyong'o:
(Vanity Fair)
Aside from her Oscar-winning acting ability, part of Lupita's appeal is that she is a beautiful darker-skinned actress going against the typical standards of Hollywood. So it was a huge shock when Vanity Fair made her appear lighter than usual in their February 2014 issue. Interestingly, the publication remained silent on the speculation.
Gabourey Sidibe:
(ELLE)
In 2010, Gabourey graced the cover of ELLE magazine for its 25th anniversary issue and there is no denying her skin colour was several shades lighter. The publication released a statement denying it though: “We have four separate covers this month and Gabby's cover was not retouched any more or less than the others.” Still doesn't make it right does it?!
Halle Berry:
(Harper's Bazaar)
Not only did Halle look lighter on the cover of Harper's Bazaar's May issue in 2009, but she was the victim of some dodgy Photoshop work too making her look a little older. Neither commented on the scandal though.
Freida Pinto:
(L'oreal)
L'oreal strikes again! In 2009, the brand released an ad featuring one of their ambassadors, Slumdog Millionaire actress Freida, who looked slightly lighter than her typical skin tone.
Aishwarya Rai:
(ELLE)
Bollywood beauty Aishwarya was furious to find that her Elle cover had been Photoshopped to make her appear lighter in 2010 for their 14th anniversary edition. A source told the Times of India at the time: “Aishwarya's first reaction was disbelief. She is clearly the global face of the contemporary Indian woman. The last thing she'd want is to have a global image coloured by a racial suggestion.”
It's totally understandable that the lighting on magazine covers need to be altered but sometimes, there's just no excuse.
