The Kardashians on Hulu has its Season 3 trailer, and the show's apparent use of filters appears to be back in full swing.
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Now, it has never been confirmed that the show uses filters. It's something that fans have speculated, and I, a fan of the show, will speculate on it for a moment. I do not envy the positions the Kardashians are in given how much scrutiny their appearances face, but, given that they are influential in setting beauty standards and this is a "reality show," I think it's worth exploring.
A quick note on lighting and posing, because they can completely change how a person looks. These two pictures were taken in the same month, and neither has been edited.
This is especially relevant in the case of confessionals, which are the most likely to benefit from good lighting, makeup, and posing — regardless of whether or not a filter might be at play.
But I still think it's worth considering that even the "action" shots, so to speak, of the Kar-Jenners in the trailer look different to them on, say, the red carpet.
That a family whose image is so immaculately curated might employ a touch of filters on their show is unsurprising — Khloé has admitted to using filters on her Instagram, for one. That being said, it can be trickier to spot on TV than on social media, where you'd more likely expect such a thing.
So, let's take a moment to compare like-for-like: The Kardashians versus the final episode of their show on E!, Keeping Up With the Kardashians.
It's incredibly likely that the family has more sway over their Hulu show — each of the sisters are credited as being executive producers on the show.
I can't help but find it all a stark reminder that everything the Kar-Jenners puts out is intentional and curated — even if they (intentionally) share the occasional unfiltered snap. They stand to gain a lot from projecting an image of perfection, especially if you consider Kim and Kylie's respective skincare lines.
It's not only on their show — Kim was previously accused of filtering her face on The Tonight Show last year, where some claimed that you could see the filter glitching.
This is all to say that skin texture is normal! It's fine!
Near the end of the trailer, Kylie asks, "We have huge influence. What are we doing with our power?” I certainly think it's a question worth asking.
BuzzFeed has reached out to Hulu for comment.