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Bethenny Frankel has been outspoken about the harmful effects caused by celebrities who are known for photoshopping their social media snapshots. The RHONY alum, 51, spoke EXCLUSIVELY with HollywoodLife as she shared her thoughts about the controversial trend, and also discussed her latest transition to beauty influencer in recent months.
“It’s beyond destructive for women and men of all ages. It’s outright lying, and it is designed to make people think that these images are real,” the Skinnygirl founder said of A-listers who are known for editing their online images. “Right is right and wrong is wrong. It’s not debatable. It’s just a fact. We must use good judgement in parenting and the example we lead. Lying isn’t female empowerment.”
“Women feel the pressure to [photoshop] themselves to keep up and even the playing field. But that’s impossible because it takes a team of experts to properly edit pictures. Professional celebrities even make mistakes with their own filtering. We live in a society where it’s acceptable to filter out an actual body part to exhibit unattainable perfection as reality. It’s disgusting and insecure. It becomes an obsession and sickness of endless vanity,” she declared.
“People kill themselves trying to attain a perfection that doesn’t exist or makes them very depressed because they know they can never achieve this,” Bethenny stated while warning that “such irresponsible practices” can lead to “eating disorders, depression, pressure, and endless insecurity.”
Bethenny, who is the proud mom to her daughter Bryn, 12, explained how she protects her little girl from such harmful pressures. “I lead by example. She gets it. It’s very clear in the way she presents herself and what she looks up to. That said, her mother lives in pajamas, which maybe is too far on the other end of the spectrum. There is no fear in too much filtering over here,” she laughed.
The businesswoman and philanthropist also dished on her latest transition into beauty influencer, and how she never intended to leave her mark in this space. But millions have flocked to Bethenny’s videos which deliver raw, unfiltered reviews of beauty products in all price ranges.
“The one thing I am the most terrible at, and the necessary evil I detested most, was social media. Then I started to experiment and research beauty and created a connection with people in this space. Then, I became an ‘influencer’,” she laughed. “It’s a running joke in my life and house. I jokingly tell anyone who will listen, ‘I’m not sure if you realize this but I’m a beauty influencer.’ I’m more recognized and stopped for this, by all ages, than anything I’ve ever done. Many people only know me for this. It’s the funniest, craziest thing.”
“I don’t know much about this space. I just happened to walk into a great room. I think being relatively clueless, able to afford anything, very frugal and unwilling to be scammed, made this appealing to people. I am a drugstore girl at heart. The drugstore is way more fun than any department store for me. But I do love and appreciate good luxury. I’m a CVS, TJ Maxx Hermes girl. I run the gamut,” the media mogul confessed.
She also shared her thoughts on why her honest reviews resonate with so many women. “I think beauty is the land of bulls**t and once I started watching, I called bulls**t in a space where everyone is so full of it,” the New York native said. “I also think someone who doesn’t wear a lot of makeup but just wants to get by and not look like a wreck, is fairly common. I have grays, I color my own hair. I’m confused. I just want the idiot guide to looking good. My modeling window seems to have closed. Not going to pick up and drop off in pajamas with pimple medicine is basically the bar we are trying to raise here.”