Barbie dolls are often coming under fire for being an unrealistic portrayal of real women. Last week graphic artist Eddi Aguirre caused a stir online by digitally altering an image of the perfect blonde to illustrate what an unmade-up version might look like, warts and all. Gone was the smooth skin, silky hair and bright white Barbie smile, instead this hyperreal version - published with the tagline 'no one is perfect' - featured under eye bags, yellow teeth, braces, blotchy skin and frizzy hair. Now one company has claimed that Aguirre's image went too far and have responded with their own rather more gentle idea of what our favourite dolls might look like without the warpaint. Artist Nickolay Lamm has revelaed what dolls would look really like without make-up following the hyperreal Barbie image that was released last week . Lamm took pictures of the dolls then removed the lipstick, eyeshadow and blusher in a computer image manipulation programme . Lamm says: '(The original picture) got me thinking: is this what Barbie would really look like without make-up? Ken is a pretty good looking doll. So, surely Barbie without make-up can't be too different.' Artist Nickolay Lamm has given Barbie, as well as her friends Bratz and Sindy, a digital make under that reveals a pretty, natural, girl next door look that is a far cry from the original frazzled Barbie. The idea is to prove that these ladies - like most girls - don't really need cosmetics to enhance their looks. Lamm, working with website MyVoucherCodes.co.uk after the site saw a huge spike in ‘Barbie discounts’ searches last week, took pictures of the original dolls then removed the lipstick, eyeshadow and blusher in a computer image manipulation programme. Lamm explains: 'I decided to see what Barbie (and other dolls) really looked like without makeup. '(The . original picture) got me thinking: is this what Barbie would really . look like without make-up? Ken is a pretty good looking doll. So, surely . Barbie without make-up can't be too different. 'Sure enough, Barbie still looks pretty, even au naturel.' 'The . real Barbie without make-up brings up a new point: if Barbie can look . good without makeup, why doesn't Mattel make dolls with a more natural . look?' 'The real Barbie without make-up brings up a new point: if Barbie can look good without makeup, why doesn't Mattel make dolls with a more natural look?' Lamm's conclusion is that the dolls do not really need to wear cosmetics to enhance their looks . Since her inception in 1959, Barbie - with her perky breasts, flaxen hair, and tiny proportions - has been blamed . for instilling a negative body-image in young girls. According to The . Washington Post, Sleepover Barbie even came with a bathroom scale. Many responses to Aguirre's 'natural' Barbie have been negative, however. 'A doll with an incredibly sick look? Like she's got an awful hangover or renal failure? Which child would . want it?' wrote one commenter. 'I . didn't know "natural" meant you looked like you've been up all night . and you smoke crack,' wrote another. And: 'I think I just saw Ken . running away in horror!' One . woman, named Raven, added: 'I fail to see what's wrong with admiring . beauty. Even if it's the beauty of a Barbie. Why do we need to destroy . something that has been an icon for generations? Because some people . feel inadequate in comparison? Stop comparing yourself. Don't blame her.' Eddi Aguirre's picture of Barbie looking less than perfect caused a stir online last week with some critics saying that she looked like she was suffering with liver failure . Fran Walfish, a child and family therapist based in Beverly Hills, told Yahoo: 'It's human nature for people to build up iconic figures and then tear them down. 'We . idealize public figures because we want something to aspire to but our . standards are impossibly high. And when these icons inevitably misstep, . we feel disappointed and angry that our hopes have been dashed.' She . added: 'Barbie with braces and acne looks very much like the type of . women and girls who come into my practice. Perhaps this new image is a . good thing.'
Artist Eddi Aguirre created a picture of a hyperreal Barbie last week .
The image included greasy skin, under eye circles and frizzy hair .
His work drew criticism for going too far and making Barbie look ill .
Artist Nickolay Lamm has responded with a more gentle makeunder .
He says his images illustrate dolls' natural beauty .
Calls for Mattel to manufacture more natural looking dolls .
Barbie dolls are often coming under fire for being an unrealistic portrayal of real women. Last week graphic artist Eddi Aguirre caused a stir online by digitally altering an image of the perfect blonde to illustrate what an unmade-up version might look like, warts and all. Gone was the smooth skin, silky hair and bright white Barbie smile, instead this hyperreal version - published with the tagline 'no one is perfect' - featured under eye bags, yellow teeth, braces, blotchy skin and frizzy hair. Now one company has claimed that Aguirre's image went too far and have responded with their own rather more gentle idea of what our favourite dolls might look like without the warpaint. Artist Nickolay Lamm has revelaed what dolls would look really like without make-up following the hyperreal Barbie image that was released last week . Lamm took pictures of the dolls then removed the lipstick, eyeshadow and blusher in a computer image manipulation programme . Lamm says: '(The original picture) got me thinking: is this what Barbie would really look like without make-up? Ken is a pretty good looking doll. So, surely Barbie without make-up can't be too different.' Artist Nickolay Lamm has given Barbie, as well as her friends Bratz and Sindy, a digital make under that reveals a pretty, natural, girl next door look that is a far cry from the original frazzled Barbie. The idea is to prove that these ladies - like most girls - don't really need cosmetics to enhance their looks. Lamm, working with website MyVoucherCodes.co.uk after the site saw a huge spike in ‘Barbie discounts’ searches last week, took pictures of the original dolls then removed the lipstick, eyeshadow and blusher in a computer image manipulation programme. Lamm explains: 'I decided to see what Barbie (and other dolls) really looked like without makeup. '(The . original picture) got me thinking: is this what Barbie would really . look like without make-up? Ken is a pretty good looking doll. So, surely . Barbie without make-up can't be too different. 'Sure enough, Barbie still looks pretty, even au naturel.' 'The . real Barbie without make-up brings up a new point: if Barbie can look . good without makeup, why doesn't Mattel make dolls with a more natural . look?' 'The real Barbie without make-up brings up a new point: if Barbie can look good without makeup, why doesn't Mattel make dolls with a more natural look?' Lamm's conclusion is that the dolls do not really need to wear cosmetics to enhance their looks . Since her inception in 1959, Barbie - with her perky breasts, flaxen hair, and tiny proportions - has been blamed . for instilling a negative body-image in young girls. According to The . Washington Post, Sleepover Barbie even came with a bathroom scale. Many responses to Aguirre's 'natural' Barbie have been negative, however. 'A doll with an incredibly sick look? Like she's got an awful hangover or renal failure? Which child would . want it?' wrote one commenter. 'I . didn't know "natural" meant you looked like you've been up all night . and you smoke crack,' wrote another. And: 'I think I just saw Ken . running away in horror!' One . woman, named Raven, added: 'I fail to see what's wrong with admiring . beauty. Even if it's the beauty of a Barbie. Why do we need to destroy . something that has been an icon for generations? Because some people . feel inadequate in comparison? Stop comparing yourself. Don't blame her.' Eddi Aguirre's picture of Barbie looking less than perfect caused a stir online last week with some critics saying that she looked like she was suffering with liver failure . Fran Walfish, a child and family therapist based in Beverly Hills, told Yahoo: 'It's human nature for people to build up iconic figures and then tear them down. 'We . idealize public figures because we want something to aspire to but our . standards are impossibly high. And when these icons inevitably misstep, . we feel disappointed and angry that our hopes have been dashed.' She . added: 'Barbie with braces and acne looks very much like the type of . women and girls who come into my practice. Perhaps this new image is a . good thing.'
under eye bags, yellow teeth, braces, blotchy skin and frizzy hair. Now one company has claimed that Aguirre's image went too far and have responded with their own rather more gentle idea without the warpaint. Artist Nickolay Lamm has without make-up following the hyperreal Barbie image that was released last week . Lamm took manipulation programme . Lamm says: '(The Mattel make dolls with a more natural . look?' her.' Eddi Aguirre's picture of Barbie looking