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MAC skips editing out the facial hair in this photo, and fans are impressed

People have strong feelings about the cosmetic brand's Instagram post.
/ Source: TODAY

Real women have cellulite, acne and a bit of facial hair, too. But the internet apparently has mixed feelings about advertising those trace hints of hair we all have in common.

At least, that's what beauty brand MAC recently discovered after reposting a photo from makeup artist Matthew King. In the picture, Instagram user @nats.vibe models MAC's Lip Pencil in Chestnut, and looks totally ready for fall. She also just so happens to have a few stray facial hairs above her lip.

No big deal, right? Well, in an industry known for its perfectly Photoshopped images and models free of body hair, the mere sight of facial hair on a woman is pretty noteworthy. So we can't say we're surprised that MAC's post has sparked a pretty heated debate.

MAC posted the photo without calling out the model's facial hair. But the brand's Instagram followers certainly noticed, and the reactions were mixed.

Some Instagram users took the opportunity to poke fun at the model's facial hair, with @shehar_bano_qureshi commenting, "Those hair on upper lips, demand to b plucked. Threading comes before lip painting." Instagram user @kookybaby1218 also wasn't feeling it, writing: "They couldn't Photoshop her whiskers out?"

Others applauded the brand for showing what real women look like.

"Thank you Mac. Beauty is not always about perfection. Color is gorgeous. And shock horror woman have hair on their bodies!! Who knew right!" @kattera19582018 wrote.

The post certainly resonated with many women, like @jessicakarelia, who commented: "Thank you for not PSing out imperfections. I have PCOS and extra facial hair is a huge problem for me. Seeing a photo like this means so much. WOMEN DO HAVE FACIAL HAIR. It's normal."

And MAC even gained a new fan in Instagram user @asailorwent2seeccI, who wrote: "started following this page because I saw the news article about the controversy of this pic with facial hair. Congratulations for keeping it real...! Big fan....! ♥️"

MAC's U.K. Instagram page sparked a similar debate last month after reposting a photo from makeup artist @annadoneganmakeup that shows a bit of peach fuzz (aka something we all have) on a model's face.

With more brands swearing off Photoshop (like CVS earlier this year) and representing beauty in all its forms (like how razor brand Billie showed models with body hair in its latest ads), MAC's subtle nods to "real beauty" are definitely a step in the right direction.

If you ask us, Instagram user @aria_dudinha_fofinha perfectly summed up the great facial hair debate: "We are in 2018 now. Body hair is OK and fine!!"