UK Bans 'Too Perfect' Julia Roberts L'Oreal Ad

Julia Roberts looks like she hasn't aged a day in her new makeup ad. Now British advertising authorities have told L'Oreal it went too far touching up Roberts'—and Christy Turlington's—face. The cosmetics firm was ordered to pull two overly airbushed magazine ads featuring the models after the regulator decided that the ads—one of which touted a foundation's ability to create "natural light"—had been retouched to an extent likely to mislead consumers, the BBC reports.

L'Oreal, citing contractual obligations, declined to provide the regulator with pre-production copies of the photo. It did admit to lightening Turlington's skin and reducing dark shadows around her eyes, among other tweaks, but claims it left signs of aging like crow's feet. A lawmaker who has long lobbied against unrealistic images of women in advertising hailed the decision. "Excessive airbrushing and digital manipulation techniques have become the norm, but both Christy Turlington and Julia Roberts are naturally beautiful women who don't need retouching to look great," she tells the Guardian. "This ban sends a powerful message to advertisers: Let's get back to reality." (More airbrush stories.)