Kim Kardashian

Kim Kardashian responds to blackface criticism: 'I was really tan'

"I would obviously never want to offend anyone"

20 June 2017

Image may contain Face Human Person Hair and Kim Kardashian

Kim Kardashian-West is no stranger to sparking up controversial conversations, but her latest picture for her new beauty range has led to allegations of blackface.

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After tweeting a photo to promote her debut makeup line, KKW Beauty, it was noted that Kim was sporting an unusually heavy contour and a complexion that was significantly darker than seemed realistic for her Armenian background. This resulted in Twitter users criticising the 36-year old celeb for wearing blackface.

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"I would obviously never want to offend anyone,” Kim told The New York Times on Monday.

“I used an amazing photographer and a team of people. I was really tan when we shot the images, and it might be that the contrast was off. But I showed the image to many people, to many in the business. No one brought that to our attention. No one mentioned it.”

Kim, who has two children with the African-American singer Kanye West, said that she had learned from the concerns raised over the image.

“We made necessary changes to that photo and the rest of the photos,” she said. “We saw the problem and we adapted and changed right away. Definitely I have learned from it."

Scroll down to check out Kim's stand-out beauty looks

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February 2020
Attending the 2020 Vanity Fair Oscar party, Kim wore Alexander McQueen’s famed 'Oyster dress' from his spring/summer 2003 collection, pairing the iconic gown with wet-look waves and a stunning smoky eye.
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September 2019
This look was all about the perfectly side-parted, sleek updo, with a single face-framing strand, at the 2019 Creative Arts Emmy Awards.
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February 2019
Kim swapped her go-to smoky eye for hot pink shadow, with a dot of shimmery silver in her tear-duct to open up her eyes, at the Versace fall 2019 fashion show.
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December 2018
This is one of our all-time favourite looks on Kim, as seen at the opening night of the new musical 'The Cher Show'. The shimmery pink shadow, feathery lashes and peachy lip – paired with the sleek swept-back hair – is perfect summer beauty inspo.

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May 2018
Kim's 2018 Met Gala look took us back to 2009 when she was all about eyeliner and dark eye makeup. Are we about to see a return of the 'more is more' Kim we know and love?
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April 2018
Returning to her natural style with long black waves.
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March 2018
Kim attends the KKWxMario dinner in 2018 wearing this electric blue shade from the collection.
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March 2018
Kim takes a jump to the pink side and absolutely nails it.

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December 2017
We love this look. Kim's hair just keeps getting lighter and lighter, but the almost-white shade really looks cool on her. Kim has also given up her super long extensions for this lob look - very edgy.
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September 2017
After months of rocking sleek black glossy tresses, Kim has mixed it up a little by dabbling with grey dye. She showed off her new look at the SS18 Tom Ford show.
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August 2017
Another day, another sleek style. This makeup look from 2017 is one of her boldest lately, too. Loving the slightly smoky eyes.
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July 2017
At a Balmain event in summer 2017, Kim opted for one of her go-to styles: straight 'n' sleek. We would pay good money to discover how she gets that shine.

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June 2017
At the launch for her KKW beauty products, Kim looked incredible. She wore her long tresses in waves and swept them to the side subtly. Nailed it.
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May 2017
Recently, Kim has been rocking a super shiny 'do at lob-length. It makes her locks look insanely healthy. Jealous, us? Maybe...
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February 2017
Ok - we've never seen hair this shiny before. How on earth does Kim achieve it? One thing's for sure, she wins the award for glossiest hair.
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September 2016
Rocking the long, beachy waves look.

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September 2016
We adore Kim's loose mermaid-esque waves which sported while out and about in 2016.
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September 2016
Kim's fave off-duty hairstyle? The neat and tidy topknot, of course!
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August 2016
For the 2016 VMAs, Kim sported a gorgeous wet look hairstyle and simple, pared-down makeup.
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August 2016
Kim went back to blonde for the Famous exhibition in summer 2016. We wonder if she'll ever make the permanent change!

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May 2016
Kim looked absolutely gorgeous at the Vogue Festival. We are loving her slightly shorter hair and large lashes.
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May 2016
Kim was at the 2016 Webby Awards (where she won an award for breaking the internet) sporting one of her most natural beauty looks yet. She left her false lashes and extensions at home, this time opting for nude lips and a simple sleek hairstyle.
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May 2016
In keeping with the technology-inspired theme, Kim went all futuristic on us at the 2016 Met Gala. She slicked back her hair and wore large lashes and matte lips.
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April 2016
Kim made an appearance at Hakkasan, Las Vegas in April 2016, and sported a centre parting and chic makeup.

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March 2016
Kim showed off her new ombré locks, created by her hairstylist Cesar Ramirez. We reckon this could be Kim's chicest look yet.
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February 2016
Kim donned an ice-blonde, super-sleek wig at Kanye's fashion show, with her trademark nude lips and smoky eyes.
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February 2016
Earlier that month, Kim wore these two glossy double plaits. Tres chic.
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February 2016
We love this sassy slicked-back hair and vampy lip look - and just check out that neckwear!

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March 2015
How to overshadow everyone at Paris Fashion Week? Dye your hair peroxide blonde and unveil your new 'do on the Balmain front row.
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October 2014
Big lashes and a fleck of gold on the lower lash line was the order of the day for the Charlotte Tilbury Make-Up launch in LA.
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August 2014
For the VMAs, Kim Kardashian's choppy shoulder-length hair looked pretty fantastic in this sleek-yet-tousled centre-parted style. Full marks for the simple make-up, too.
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June 2014
Kim's not afraid to mix it up in the hair department and just weeks after marrying a certain Kanye West, the TV star worked an ornate dress with a severe, slicked-down and centre-parted ponytail with typically statement lashes.

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May 2014
Just days before tying the knot with Kanye West at the Fort di Belvedere in Florence, Kim stepped out in this loose and elegant, slightly swept back style.
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December 2014
After giving birth to her first child, daughter North, in the summer, Kim debuted a brand new post-pregnancy hair style. It was shorter, more natural and, oh yeah, blonde!
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April 2013
Just weeks away from giving birth to baby North and Kim experimented with some statement bangs.
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February 2013
Pregnant with baby North in the early part of the year and Kim was positively glowing, channeling Old Hollywood with this super side-parted sleek and straight style, topped up with diamond earrings and a berry lip colour.

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October 2012
Just weeks away from announcing her pregnancy and Kim and Kanye stepped out for a fashion party with Kim working a gorgeous braided hairstyle and smokey eyes combo.
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May 2012
Having just made her romance with Kanye West public, Kim looked every inch the starlet with this chic side-swept style, lashings of mascara and an orange lip.
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March 2012
A classic Kim Kardashian look, the centre-parted super long Rapunzel locks were topped off with a daring icy blue shadow and, yep, you guessed it, lashings of mascara.
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February 2012
Channelling a bit of a 60s vibe with this beehive-esque half-up, half down 'do and a nude lip, Kim looked super dooper at a Fashion Week party.

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January 2012
Celebrating a new year after a particularly show-stopping 2011, Kim once again goes Old Hollywood with her beauty look here.
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November 2011
Just weeks after announcing her separation from second husband Kris Humphries, Kim was snapped working an off-duty (yet totally glamorous) beauty look with this side-plaited style.
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September 2011
With a high-rise ballet bun, Kim made sure her eyes had plenty of sparkle when she stepped out with glittering gold party eyes just a couple of weeks after tying the knot in a TV special for her show Keeping Up With The Kardashians.
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September 2011
CLASSIC Kim K pre-Kanye here. Raven-haired Kim was always wearing her glossy locks in a centre-parted super voluminous 'do.

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June 2011
Yeah... We actually can't get over the length of her eyelashes.
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Febraury 2011
At an La party in early 2011, Kim experimented with this kinda 60s style completely with brown smokey eyes - but, of course - and a back-swept bouffant with an interesting beaded head band.
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December 2010
Huh?
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December 2010
Back to her red carpet best though in time for Christmas and Kim went with a tried and tested ballet bun.

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September 2010
Kimmy K got into the swing of it on a brief trip to Munich's Oktoberfest, rocking a, erhem, "traditional" outfit with some fishtail plaits. Random.
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August 2010
Experimenting with bangs again in the summer of 2010, Kim looks gorgeous with delicate highlights through her raven locks.
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May 2010
Working cashmere smooth skin, thick lined eyes and a glossy pink pout, Kim's simple up-do with gorgeous face-framing tendrils was a winner, as well.
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December 2009
Readying herself for Christmas, Kim experimented with some ill-advised highlights through the lengths.

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October 2009
Channeling her idol Elizabeth Taylor for an appearance on The Late Show With David Letterman, Kim's beauty look was all about the high-octane glamour.
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August 2009
But if you thought that Kim's post-pregnancy dip-dye was the first time she had experimented with blonder locks, how wrong you were. The naturally brunette beauty hit the bottle for a month or two way back in 2009, as well.
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May 2009
At the 2009 Maxim Hot 100 Party in LA, Kim made a rare beauty misstep here with this green liner and severe slicked back hairdo.
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Febraury 2009
On the promo trail for their hit show, Kim joined her sisters for a photo call and sported a particularly vertiginous 'do in the process.

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August 2008
Going for something all together more au naturel at the Teen Choice Awards in LA that year, Kim looked the picture of elegance working just a statement berry lip.
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March 2008
Simple smokey eyes and glossy curls were the order of the day in the spring of 2008 whilst on the press tour for her new show.
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October 2007
Clearly Kim's been a fan of super long lashes for a while as the starlet was wearing them back in 2007, as well.
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June 2006
Looking fresh faced with a side-parting and poker straight locks, Kim looks every inch the Hollywood ingénue.