Lauren: ‘What’s next... getting rid of make-up?’
The star says, “I think it’s ridiculous that an MP is concentrating on Instagram filters and retouching when we’re in the midst of a global pandemic and economic crisis! I was singled out, along with Khloé Kardashian, for retouching an image years ago. I changed that picture because the paparazzo taking it had laid down on the floor to get an angle from below to try to make me look bigger, so I changed it to make me look more like me.
“Before photos existed, royals had their portraits painted. Do you think the painters would do them exactly how they looked, or did they paint them to make them look their best? Some beauty brands and music videos get retouched – even food companies use food dressers to make their dishes look amazing in their adverts, even though it doesn’t look exactly like it when you go to buy the product! “What’s next – shall we get rid of make-up? Should we ban hair dye? These are things that change how you look and make you feel better. When I change the filter on my images, it helps with my anxiety, as it makes me feel good and takes my mind elsewhere. Celebrities and non-celebrities use filters on Instagram, as it’s just lighthearted and harmless. There are even rainbow-effect filters that celebrate the LGBTQ+ community, which raises awareness. There are more important things to sort out – like trolling and puppy farming.
“I was singled out for being someone who had retouched a photo, then I was trolled online – and that in turn was bad for my mental health.
Why can’t we just celebrate everyone? And there are plenty of other celebs who do it, too – I guess it’s a compliment I was singled out. Maybe I’m just that interesting!”