An experiment by the online publication Buzzfeed that put four ordinary women through a professional photo-shoot and had a Photoshop expert make them look like “cover models” got surprising results when the women reacted against the images of their perfect selves.
“This is how I’ve always wanted to see myself. But now that I see it, I’m questioning why I ever wanted to look like that,” one woman said.
“I don’t even know who that is.”
Rather than getting a kick out of seeing themselves displayed as conventionally beautiful women with slim figures and flawless skin, the four subjects considered the photos a demonstration of how “the ideal doesn’t exist.”
“I think because I know myself, this looks really… different,” said one participant.
“You look at these ads in magazines and you see these women who look absolutely flawless, but who really looks like this?” said another.
