Ever since the third season of Netflix’s period drama Bridgerton premiered last week, it’s fair to say that regency fever has taken over the internet. The first half of the eagerly awaited series was released on the streaming platform on May 16 and quickly climbed into the top 10 most watched shows list within hours.

Continuing from where season two ended, the third series centres on Lady Whistledown herself, Penelope Featherington (portrayed by the legendary Nicola Coughlan) and her relationship with Colin Bridgerton (Luke Newton). They navigate the complex waters of friendship towards something decidedly more heated.

However, while the slow-burning romance’s cliffhanger and intricate costumes have captivated fans this season, some viewers couldn’t overlook the glaring historical beauty inaccuracies. The show’s stars were seen sporting everything from acrylic nails and false lashes to more permanent cosmetic enhancements like ‘Botox’.

Set loosely in the 1815 regency era, the show has never fully embraced historical accuracy. Its innovative use of colourblind casting, modern song covers, and fashion-forward costumes serve as a means of entertainment rather than a history lesson. Nevertheless, this didn’t prevent many fans from criticising some of the cosmetic choices this season on social media, with the show’s leads bearing the brunt of it, reports the Daily Record.

A US-based TikTok influencer has sparked a buzz by suggesting that ‘Bridgerton’ heartthrob Luke Newton might have had some cosmetic enhancements to step up his game as the dashing leading man this season. They told their followers: “Breaking down all the Bridgerton Botox things in case anyone else is wondering why Colin Bridgerton’s face might be throwing them off or giving them the ick.”

They did however backtrack a bit to clarify that their disapproval was aimed at the show’s glam squad, not Luke himself. They added: “This is a critique of the Bridgerton styling team who was generally very heavy handed this season across the board and not a critique of Luke Newton who looks amazing in real life likely because some of these treatments have worn off.”

The chatter didn’t stop there, with fans chiming in about Colin’s perplexed expressions when he was supposed to be smitten. One fan pointed out he “looked so confused whenever he was meant to look enamoured/alluring.”

And it wasn’t just the potential Botox raising eyebrows either, as some viewers were not here for the over-the-top makeup either. After noticing Luke’s flawlessly airbrushed skin on-screen, one viewer exclaimed: “Dude he was airbrushed to have no pores too it was a freaking combo.”.

Nicola Coughlan, who plays Penelope, also caught some flak from eagle-eyed watchers over her anachronistic manicure. A puzzled fan asked: “Why does she have on acrylics? ” as they spotted the modern nails amidst the Regency-era drama.

“She’s a time traveller,” joked one fan, with another agreeing: “No, because I saw that immediately! ! ! Does the modiste have a nail tech? “.

A third Bridgerton lover commented: “Not many people know this, but #Bridgerton is my guilty pleasure. Just watched the first part of season 3 and wow! The carriage scene was everything… why does Penelope have acrylic nails in the 19th century though? “.

Hannah Dodd, who plays Francesca Bridgerton, also faced backlash over her characters cosmetic choices. One disgruntled viewer posted: “Is no one else peeved by the fact that the females on Bridgerton had glam faces the whole time beat with high light, contour and eyelashes? ? ? Aggravating.”

Another stated: “All I’ve learnt from Bridgerton is if you put on eyelashes you’re now main character levels of hot.”

Yet, despite some disapproval, others defended the shows fusion of period setting with contemporary glamour. One supportive viewer wrote: “Obviously Bridgerton doesn’t shy away from this (lash + nail extensions, string covers of modern pop songs, the brow tattoo-style eyebrows) and I think that’s what fascinates me more about it! It’s not meant to be real at all it’s just vibes and pretty dresses! “.

Another fan chimed in with a comment: “Sorry but who is watching these for the historical accuracy? ” And a third viewer questioned: “Why are they wearing lashes and nails in Bridgerton” referring to the detail that it’s set in Shondaland. “”.