''Not So Pretty'' is an American documentary television miniseries directed by

Kirby Dick Kirby Bryan Dick (born August 23, 1952) is an American film director, producer, screenwriter, and editor best known for directing documentary films. He received Academy Award nominations for Best Documentary Feature for directing '' Twist of Fait ...

and

Amy Ziering Amy Ziering (born 1962 in Massachusetts) is an American film producer and director. Mostly known for her work in documentary films, she is a regular collaborator of director Kirby Dick; they co-directed 2002's ''Derrida'' and 2020's '' On the Re ...

that explores the

beauty industry The cosmetic industry describes the industry that manufactures and distributes cosmetic products. These include colour cosmetics, like foundation and mascara, skincare such as moisturisers and cleansers, haircare such as shampoos, conditioners a ...

and hidden chemicals in products. It consists of 4-episodes and premiered on April 14, 2022, on

HBO Max HBO Max is an American subscription video on-demand over-the-top streaming service owned by Warner Bros. Discovery. Launched in the United States on May 27, 2020, the service is built around the libraries of HBO, Warner Bros., Cartoon Netwo ...

Premise

An investigative look into the

, looking into hidden chemicals in products.

Episodes

Production

In September 2020, it was announced

and

would direct and executive produce a documentary-series revolving around the

, with

Entertainment One Entertainment One Ltd., trading as eOne, is an American-owned Canadian multinational entertainment company. Based in Toronto, Ontario, the company is primarily involved in the acquisition, distribution, and production of films and television s ...

set to produce, for

. In April 2022, it was announced

Keke Palmer Lauren Keyana "Keke" Palmer (born August 26, 1993) ( ) is an American actress, singer and television personality. Known for playing leading and character roles in comedy and drama productions, she has received a Primetime Emmy Award, five NAACP ...

would serve as narrator.

Reception

Angie Han of ''

The Hollywood Reporter ''The Hollywood Reporter'' (''THR'') is an American digital and print magazine which focuses on the Hollywood film, television, and entertainment industries. It was founded in 1930 as a daily trade paper, and in 2010 switched to a weekly large ...

'' gave the series a positive review writing: "It’s valuable as the start of a larger conversation to be had about the hidden dangers of the beauty industry, for consumers and viewers alike." Joel Keller of ''

Decider Decider is both a real word and a " Bushism". It may refer to: * ''Decider'' (website), a pop culture website operated by the ''New York Post'' *'' Bill Maher: The Decider'', a stand-up comedy special *Decider (Turing machine), a Turing machine th ...

'' also gave the series a positive review writing: "Not So Pretty presents some pretty harrowing information in a tone that’s less hectoring and more sympathetic. By playing the, “hey, we didn’t know, either, buddy” card, its message is even more effective." Conversely, Kyndall Cunningham of ''

The Daily Beast ''The Daily Beast'' is an American news website focused on politics, media, and pop culture. It was founded in 2008. It has been characterized as a "high-end tabloid" by Noah Shachtman, the site's editor-in-chief from 2018 to 2021. In a 20 ...

'' gave the series a negative review writing: "What you’re supposed to take away from the series as a consumer can be confusing and overwhelming at times."

References

External links

* {{Kirby Dick 2020s American television miniseries 2022 American television series debuts 2022 American television series endings HBO Max original programming