I know, I know, another magazine post, but I had to write about this one.  I was actually gearing up to write another beauty post about beauty and pampering products I’ve been into lately, when I saw a link to an article posted on Twitter from Yahoo’s Shine Fashion and Beauty Blog about French Elle’s May 2009 “No Makeup” issue.

Images from Shine at Yahoo

That’s right, Eva Herzigova, Monica Bellucci, Sophie Marceau, Charlotte Rampling appear in French Elle with no makeup or Photoshopping.   It’s shot by Peter Lindbergh and the women are already completely gorgeous as is, but I still say it’s a refreshing view from the insanely airbrushed covers on US stands.

And to quote, Shine’s author, Jennifer Romolini, it’s once again a sign that the European mags have taken steps leaps and bounds ahead of their US counterparts:

And, honestly, French Elle’s April ’09 issue is not the first time our women’s mags have been out-classed by the Europeans. Last year–in protest of the serious lack of diversity on catwalks, ads and in women’s magazines–Italian Vogue published an all-black issue featuring models of color from around the world. It sold out in days.

Amen.  Let’s also not forget Paris Vogue’s cover with a Black male dressed in woman’s clothes and he was working a full beard.

But I digress.   Would women be open to seeing  beauty represented at face value without all of the tricks and manipulation?  Or is the escapism and fantasy that we may feel when we look at a dolled up model/actress what we want to see, because hey, it is Elle/Vogue/Bazaar, ya know.