L’Oréal's Helen Mirren adverts cleared over airbrushing claim

Oscar-winning actress was promoting an new cream

Helen Mirren in the upheld advertisment (L'Oreal, via YouTube)

Helen Mirren really does look very good indeed – and she has the Advertising Standards Authority report to prove it.

Mirren, 69, recently appointed as the new face of L’Oréal's Paris Age Perfect cream, starred in a short television commercial and press advert showing her complaining about being “ignored” as she became older.

“It’s the science I trust to help me look like me. Nourish and indulge your skin, and show those age spots who’s boss,” she tells the camera after transforming her image.

“Grow another year bolder. Look and feel more radiant. Our perfect age is now. So are we worth it? More than ever,” she adds glancing at a younger male runner.

A still from the advert (L'Oreal)

Unfortunately for L’Oréal and the Oscar-winning actress, not everyone agreed that Mirren’s “perfect age” was now: one viewer complained that lines on the actress’s face – specifically around her mouth – had been digitally reduced.

L’Oréal responded with four red carpet images of Mirren demonstrating her appearance then was consistent with that of the commercial. They added no post-production changes had been made to her skin’s appearance in either manifestation of the advert.

The Advertising Standard Authority (ASA) upheld the company’s claims.

In a statement a spokesperson said while it expected consumers to realise Mirren had been “professionally styled and made-up” they felt that the adverts had “not altered Ms Mirren’s appearance in a way that would exaggerate the likely effect that could be achieved by consumers’ use of the product, and concluded that the ads were not misleading.”