1. Perfection
2. What you see is real
At least the bare bones of the person being photographed are real, right? No — absolutely not. Not only are super slim actresses’ and models’ bodies altered through slimming of waists and legs and arms, but often time actual bones are removed or angles added. “I have smoothed boniness before — like when models have bones sticking out of their chest, they want that subdued. That’s somewhat common,” one photo retoucher told BuzzFeed.
3. Makeup can give you the flawless skin you see in ads
Not only are blemishes or general uneven skin tone corrected in post-production, but things like veins, freckles, moles, undereye bags, body hair, and wrinkles are often removed or “subdued.” Some enhancements are even added — teeth and the whites of eyes are brightened to make smiles and eyes really pop.
4. Your knees are hideous.
One of the most disturbing examples of Photoshopping you would never have thought of is smoothing of the knees. “If you look at something and the model’s got dark kneecaps with dry skin, your eyes are going to go straight to the knees instead of whatever it is they’re modeling,” the anonymous photo retoucher said. You are not crazy, Britney Spears’ knees do look like those of a Barbie Doll in the Candie’s ads.
5. The eyelashes you see in a mascara ad are achievable.
