I missed this back in April – did you know about it?
French Elle managed to convince Monica Bellucci, Sophie Marceau, Eva Herzigova, Inès de la Fressange, Anne Parillaud, Karin Viard, Charlotte Rampling and Chiara Mastroianni to model for the cover shots (it was a multi-covers issue) without any make-up or retouching.
In this photo-editing obsessed era, this should be unthinkable. But here they are 
And now, they’d gotten Scarlett Johansson to do the same for their June issue!
I sort of like this bare minimal look, it reminds me of the fresh-faced ’90s (after the OTT dramatics of the ’80s).
Also that episode of Sex and the City where they caught a haggard-looking Carrie, sans make-up with a cigarette on the cover of a magazine. Its almost ridiculous how I remember every single episode of SATC 
With the late nights I’d been keeping these days, I need blusher 
Unmasked!
Dottie
5 Comments
June 15, 2009, 2:13 am, at 2:13 am
Scarlett looks amazing, def wont be rocking the bare faced look, mascara is my best friend.
June 15, 2009, 9:57 pm, at 9:57 pm
going au natural is a different kinda beautiful…its a refreshing take on the pared down look and i must say on these covers all the girls look great:)
June 15, 2009, 11:58 pm, at 11:58 pm
I don’t believe ScarJo’s cover hasn’t been touched up at all ;p
June 16, 2009, 2:20 am, at 2:20 am
It’s great that you featured this, but I wish that this post placed more emphasis on the fact that, in doing this, Elle is partly making a statement about the ubiquity of photo-editing in the media/fashion industries, and the skewed portrayal of beauty that results. If you can peddle the statement ‘the individual is the fashion god’ in your manifesto, surely this blog could do more to promote diversity and natural beauty! Come on guys, you have real influence and are capable of so much more.
June 16, 2009, 3:49 pm, at 3:49 pm
Hi!
dukeandlarn: Mascara is my good friend too! Though sometimes I’m just too lazy to put them on
chowchow: I think there’s at least minimal make up
miy: It was a light Sunday post, so I didn’t think to bog it down with statements. I think it is sufficient to show that au natural can be beautiful. Also, I was sure that the readers (like yourself) will be able to discern the underlying message of these photos
Which you did!