As more social media users develop an aversion to flawless feeds, while the #skinpositivity movement champions supposed ‘imperfections’, brands across sectors are facing calls to stop retouching reality. But why exactly are airbrushed images so problematic, and should they carry warning labels?

Billie, the subscription service for women’s razors, has already made its egalitarian attitude known by combating the ‘pink tax’ on female beauty products. With Project Body Hair, it’s showing genuinely hirsute women shaving themselves smooth in an attempt to overhaul entrenched beauty ideals.

Megababe, a beauty brand for the body positivity era, is joining the fight to destigmatise women’s once-unspoken body issues such as chafing thighs (otherwise known as chub rub) and sweaty underboobs. The Instagram-ready brand is not only exposing real body issues but offering solutions, too.

Compared to billboards and the big screen, Instagram might seem innocuous in shaping damaging body ideals – but it’s actually at the forefront of image problems. With social media masquerading as honest and real, people are forgetting that it can be just as airbrushed as other media.