28% of Beauty Ads are Faked, According to Study

3/29/10

28% of Beauty Ads are Faked, According to Study

This image of Kate Moss for a Rimmel mascara was banned in the UK in 2007 because Moss is wearing false eyelashes.

Beauty companies enhancing ads to sell products? No surprise there. Over the years several companies have been "outed" for using things like airbrushing and false eyelashes in advertisements.

Just two examples: Back in November L'Oréal came under fire for running a hair commercial featuring Cheryl Cole -- and her hair extensions, and a few years ago Rimmel was criticized for digitally enhancing Kate Moss' eyelashes for a mascara ad.

But now there's a number to confirm what we already knew. According to The Sun, 28% of cosmetics ads in magazines admitted that pictures were artificially enhanced.

That tiny print at the bottom of the ad? That's where you can find the disclosure.

The Sun goes on to report that they suspect another 44% seem to have enhanced the images in some capacity but don't admit it.

And looks like Rimmel is in good company -- 58% of mascara ads admit the models' lashes are digitally enhanced to appear longer, and 42% use false eyelashes.

Again, no surprise there. It's pretty obvious when you look at a mascara ad that those suckers are not the product of a mascara wand alone.

Now. if only there was a definitive way to determine whether forever-young celebs are faking it, too!