Lorde has said acne is normal and painful, and that beauty photos should leave real skin texture alone. She posted unretouched photos showing breakouts, wore acne treatment openly, and criticized airbrushing of her own face.
For readers with acne, her point is practical. Retouching means heavy editing that smooths skin and reshapes features. She treats breakouts as part of her appearance, not proof of poor care.
Medical information disclaimer: This article is for general educational purposes only and does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult a physician or other qualified health professional about symptoms, medications, tests, or treatment decisions.
Table of Contents
- What did the Lollapalooza photos show?
- Why did she call out a magazine portrait?
- What has she said about living with breakouts?
- How can readers use her example?
What did the Lollapalooza photos show?
On March 31, 2014, Lorde posted two photos from Lollapalooza Chile. One had perfect, edited skin. The other was unretouched and showed acne. She captioned them "i find this curious…
remember flaws are ok," as Capital FM reported in its Capital FM report. The contrast made editing obvious. Viewers could compare porcelain, airbrushed skin with normal teenage blemishes from the same performance. Her audience at the time was about 1.3 million followers.
Why did she call out a magazine portrait?
On April 16, 2014, she flagged another edit. She said she liked a Fashion magazine portrait.
She added she was "pretty sure this magazine gave me a new nose." The point was shape, not only skin. Nose reshaping changes identity, while skin smoothing hides texture. For acne-prone readers, both edits set an impossible standard.
What has she said about living with breakouts?
She has posted Instagram photos wearing acne cream on her face. The visible cream normalized treatment instead of hiding breakouts. In February 2018 Stories, filmed during LED light therapy, she said "for real though, acne sucks." She said she had acne "for years and years" and had "done all the drugs, tried all the things," according to the Entertainment Tonight account in its Entertainment Tonight account.
She rejected tips like "moisturizing" and "do you wash your face." She described herself as "just genetically cursed" despite washing and treatment. She spoke directly to people with "actual bad skin." She said "I feel your pain." She added "we'll get there, we will. I promise.".
How can readers use her example?
In her 2025 Dazed cover story, she recalled her first breakout on her 10th birthday. She said in 2024 she decided to see herself as "beautiful and interesting with acne." She framed acne as not something to solve, as described in the Dazed cover story.
Readers, editors, and photographers can apply that stance directly. Keep one unretouched photo for yourself as a reference when edited images feel discouraging.
- Keep natural skin texture in posted photos when possible
- Avoid offering unsolicited cures to someone with chronic breakouts
- Show treatment openly rather than skipping photos during flares