Why Christina Aguilera's baby has been called fake
Critics say Summer Rain has been Photoshopped beyond recognition - we go behind the story
It's the first time we've properly seen Christina Aguilera's daughter since the singer gave birth to her in August 2014. But this picture of Summer Rain being smooched by her mum on the cover of US People magazine has been dubbed 'fake' on Twitter thanks to Summer's bright blue eyes and porcelain skin.
And US blog Jezebel poked at how Photoshopped the image is. "Look at this baby. It is not a real baby. How deep does this conspiracy go? Does Christina know she has a fake baby?" the site reports.
So why does Summer Rain look so unreal?
"There are real challenges when a baby is on the cover of a magazine next to an adult," explains our MFM editor, Susie Boone, who is a former editor of BBC Parenting and Practical Parenting magazines.
"Babies often have different skin tones to adults and their smooth skin texture can make the light bounce off a baby's skin in a different way to an adult's. Young babies may also have paler skins than their parents (especially celebrity parents who often have a sun-kissed or fake tan skin tone) and this difference can make it look like the lighting is different on each face - which in turn makes it look unnatural.
"There are also processing techniques that some magazines use to make eyes zing out on a front cover - blue eyes can become more intense and the whites of the eyes more white. It can all go towards making a face look airbrushed. However, many babies do have porcelain skin and bright eyes..."
Photoshop row aside, Christina is clearly enjoying time with her 6-month-old daughter. "Her smile lights up a room and I know it melts mama and daddy's hearts," the singer tells US People. "She laughs a ton and is easy to make smile. She just wants to be where the action is!"
She also has a spiritual moment. "She was literally like an angel. We had an immediate calm bond, and I felt unexplainably connected to her and her spirit."
As well as Summer Rain, Christina is mum to the more ordinarily named Max, who's now 7 and from her marriage with ex-husband Jordan Bratman.
The Genie In A Bottle singer, who is returning as a coach on The Voice US for the 8th season, also spoke about being a working mother. "It's definitely not easy juggling work and motherhood, as being a parent is a full-time job within itself. You just have to make it work for you. My life has so many different moving parts, but my kids are the centre, and everything else shifts around them," she explained, before adding, "Mom guilt is the worst thing ever." We're with you there, Christina.
Photo: People magazine
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