Beyonce Knowles Picture 5172732

Pic caption: KNOWLES' L'OREAL AD SPARKS ROW OVER SKIN COLOUR R&B superstar BEYONCE KNOWLES' skin was reportedly digitally bleached in an advertising campaign for cosmetics giant L'Oreal. The 26-year-old star - who signed on with the company as a spokesmodel in 2006 - is featured in an advertisement for L'Oréal Paris in the September (08) edition of U.S. women's fashion magazine Elle. The magazine includes a full-length head shot of the former Destiny's Child singer as she pitches a hair-highlighting product - shocking readers who noticed her apparent change in appearance, according to the New York Post. The company advertises their product in eight pages throughout the magazine - featuring a host of other celebrities including Scarlett Johansson, Milla Jovovich and Penelope Cruz. A representative for Hachette Filipacchi Media - the company that publishes the magazine - has confirmed they are looking into the matter, adding magazine editors generally accept advertisers' products without close inspection. A spokesperson for L'Oreal Paris has not returned calls for comment, while Knowles' publicist has denied seeing the advert.