Cate Blanchett Poses For Magazine Cover, Refreshingly Not Photoshopped

Cate Blanchett appears on the cover of the latest Intelligent Life, and bucks a tiresome trend in the celeb and magazine industries by being pictured with no airbrushing.

The 42-year-old actress is pictured on the cover in casual attire, with some hairs out of place and laughter lines visible on her face. She looks great. It’s a striking example of how refined and naturally beautiful somebody can look without computer-aided touch-ups. Let’s hear it for real beauty, folks.

Of course, the fact this is even deemed a story is a little depressing. But hey, it’s also a positive example that should be followed.

The decision not to Photoshop Blanchett for the cover was a deliberate choice by the magazine. Intelligent Life editor Tim de Lisle explains:

“When other magazines photograph actresses, they routinely end up running heavily Photoshopped images, with every last wrinkle expunged. Their skin is rendered so improbably smooth that, with the biggest stars, you wonder why the photographer didn’t just do a shoot with their waxwork. She looks like what she is — a woman of 42, spending her days in an office, her evenings on stage and the rest of her time looking after three young children. We can’t be too self-righteous about it, because, like anyone else who puts her on a cover, we are benefiting from her beauty and distinction. But the shot is at least trying to reflect real life.”

So what do you think, readers? Is the non-airbrushed look something you’d like to see more of on (and in) magazines? Here’s the cover in full: