CVS Pharmacy in Times Square revealed the first look at its updated beauty aisles today — celebrating the progress made on its commitment to transparency and new standards for beauty imagery. 

Nearly 70 percent of beauty imagery in CVS Pharmacy locations nationwide will soon be CVS-Beauty-Mark-compliant. See the difference in the images above — digitally altered, vs. CVS-Beauty Mark-compliant. The retailer’s first campaign to feature the “beauty mark” launched last year.

At the event, CVS executives were joined by key brand partner executives and by CoverGirl Ayesha Curry, who appears digitally unaltered in a campaign image for Outlast Lipstick. Neutrogena Brand Ambassador, Kerry Washington, and Revlon Brand Ambassador, Ashley Graham, as well as other influential brand ambassadors also appear digitally unaltered in their images as part of their respective new campaigns.

Brand partners throughout the beauty industry have committed to work together to reach the goal of full beauty imagery transparency by the end of 2020, an initiative first announced in January 2018. They include Neutrogena, CoverGirl, Revlon, Olay, Almay, Aveeno, Rimmel, JOAH, L’Oreal, Maybelline, Unilever, Burt’s Bees and  Physician’s Formula.

Kevin Hourican, president of CVS Pharmacy, says, “As a purpose-led health care company as well as the second largest beauty retailer in the country, we want the millions of customers that visit CVS Pharmacy locations each day to see a more authentic and diverse representation of beauty. We applaud the brand partners that truly embraced this initiative and helped us in taking significant steps forward in our effort to change an industry standard that has an impact on the health and self-esteem of our mutual customers.”

No Altering — and No Filters

In addition to the beauty imagery in CVS Pharmacy locations, all beauty imagery, including brand partner imagery, used on the CVS website and in all marketing to customers, including on social media and for external advertising and promotions, reflects the CVS Beauty Mark commitment. These channels reach more than 100 million consumers each year.

CVS Pharmacy has also instituted a contractual requirement for all of its beauty influencer partners to create and share only imagery that has not been digitally altered and does not use social filters.

Dr. Tochi Iroku-Malize, a practicing family physician in Bay Shore, New York, comments, “From TV to social media to walking retail aisles searching for a beauty product, Americans, particularly young women, are influenced by media portraying an unrealistic representation of beauty, leading to negative feelings about their own appearance. Research shows that exposure to altered media is linked to poor self-image, and that dissatisfaction can lead to critical health concerns. Working to reduce altered imagery from beauty campaigns and addressing this issue at the point of purchase is a great first step to improve how young people feel about their appearance.”

Supporting the Cause

CVS is partnering with lifestyle experts Sara and Erin Foster to create a limited-edition t-shirt that celebrates unaltered imagery and the CVS Beauty Mark. The Sara & Erin x CVS Sans Retouching t-shirt is online beginning today, with 100% of the proceeds also supporting Girls Inc.

To join in the effort and help raise awareness about the CVS Beauty Mark — and the importance of a more authentic and transparent beauty imagery standard — post an unfiltered and unaltered picture on social media with the hashtag #beautyunaltered.