L'Oreal Denies 'whitening' Beyonce Knowles' Skin in Cosmetics Ad

The light-skinned woman with the flowing blond hair would like you to buy some hair dye.

But a closer look at the advertisement for the cosmetics giant L'Oreal reveals that all is not well with the face of its campaign. It appears that L'Oreal has caused not just her hair but her skin to change color as well.

In an advertisement published in the September issues of several glossy fashion magazines, the singer Beyonce exhibits a skin color several tones lighter than her natural hue.

After the metamorphosis was highlighted on a celebrity website, the company issued a statement denying any wrongdoing.

"Beyonce Knowles has been a spokesperson for the L'Oreal Paris brand since 2001," the company said. "It is categorically untrue that L'Oreal Paris altered Ms Knowles' features or skin tone in the campaign for Feria hair color."

A representative for the singer said that although she may look different, there was little doubt that the woman in the glossy advertisement was his client.

"There is no doubt that anyone seeing that ad will know that it is Beyonce," said Hollywood publicist Alan Nierob.

Eric Deggans, chairman of the media-monitoring committee of the National Association of Black Journalists, said magazines have to be sensitive to perceptions that light-skinned African Americans are more acceptable.

Beyonce's "skin is lighter than the way I'm used to seeing her," Deggans told the New York Post. "Advertisers and magazines need to be careful about this, even if it's just a production process."

Beyonce is not the first black celebrity to have her skin tone altered. Michael Jackson, most famously, has seen his skin change from black to a chalky white. OJ Simpson's skin was darkened for a news magazine cover image during his trial for murder.

Whether the changes in Beyonce's appearance constitute a breach of contract remains to be seen. The lucrative deal, first signed between the singer and the cosmetics company in 2001, was initially worth $4.7m over five years. For that money, the singer was required to work 10 days each year. But the contract also stipulated that she maintain "approximately the same physical appearance and health," and apprise L'Oreal of, "any radical changes to her hair".

The contract also gives L'Or?al the right to inspect Beyonce's famous hair ? as long as it is given two weeks' notice.

L'Oreal, which boasted worldwide annual revenue of 17.06bn euros ($25.67bn) last year, is a leader in the use of celebrities to promote its products. A roster of celebrities hired by the company ranges from the suitably hirsute Jennifer Aniston and David Ginola to French first lady Carla Bruni, actress and activist Jane Fonda and super models such as Kate Moss.

The company was reprimanded by the British Advertising Standards Authority last year for claiming in a campaign featuring actress Penelope Cruz that one of is products could lengthen eyelashes. Cruz wore false eyelashes for the advertisements.