Former model Chrissy Teigen is making headlines again with a recent family photo that has sparked debate across social media. The 39-year-old model and cookbook author found herself facing backlash after posting a series of pictures on Instagram on Saturday, Feb. 8.
Among the images was a snapshot of Teigen in a bathtub with three of her children: son Miles, 6, daughter Esti, 2, and son Wren, 19 months.
The children, whom she shares with husband John Legend, 46, appeared to be enjoying a bath together, while the couple’s eldest child, 8-year-old Luna, was absent from the photo.
Teigen captioned the post, “BAHHHHHHHHHHH,” but the seemingly playful moment quickly turned into a social media firestorm.
Critics flooded the comments section, questioning why Teigen would share such a personal moment with millions of followers.
One user bluntly asked, “Why do people post stuff like this on social media???”
Another added, “The bath pic is weird and unnecessary,” while a different commenter chimed in with, “Cringe, kids deserve privacy too.”
Many of the negative comments focused on Miles’s age, with some questioning whether a 6-year-old should still be bathing with his mother.
“Isn’t her son a little old to be taking a bath with his mom?? Very strange,” one person wrote.
“I won’t comment on how abnormal it is to bathe with her son who is in about the 3rd grade,” another comment read in part.
The criticism didn’t stop there. Some users even took issue with the bathwater’s appearance, with one person asking, “Why is she always in dirty bathwater?”
Teigen, never one to back down from criticism, quickly responded to the comment, clarifying, “It’s a coconut milk bath for sensitive skin but go off.”
Despite the backlash, plenty of fans jumped to her defense, arguing that there was nothing inappropriate about the photo.
One user commented, “These kids have a better relationship with their parents than any of you mom shaming her… lol.”
This isn’t the first time Teigen has faced controversy over bath-related content. Her husband posted her in the tub with cloudy water in June 2024. People criticized her and her husband for posting a video of her soaking in what appeared to be dirty water.
One person said, “She didn’t have to sit in a bathtub of water to exfoliate her body… yuck. BTW, not everything is meant for social media.”
The mother of four addressed that situation head-on, explaining, “The water is dirty because I’m getting my body makeup off, like I said in the video my sweet angels!”
She even shared the video herself, adding, “Currently getting roasted online for being dirty because no one listened to the audio where I say I’m soaking off body makeup (to shower after!)… My favorite is ‘baths are not for bathing.’ I love a good old-fashioned roasting though, u guys are killing it (it being never touching grass ever).”
Legend, ever the supportive husband, joined the conversation with a tongue-in-cheek defense, commenting, “Baths are not for bathing is some amazing internet-ness.”
Beyond the social media drama, Teigen has been open about her skin care routine and how her body has changed after giving birth.
In a 2019 interview with Refinery29, she spoke about her struggles with sensitive skin post-pregnancy.
“Something unexplainable happens to your skin [after having kids]. My skin never used to be as sensitive as it is now. I used to go to town on chemical peels and extractions,” she shared.
Meanwhile, Legend, who launched his skincare brand Loved1 in 2023, has also emphasized the importance of skin health in his family.
“When you’re a kid, you’re taught to shower and put lotion on your body,” he told The Cut. “As Black people, we’re always worried about being ashy. We had Vaseline, we had all the lotions, but I think no one told us we lose moisture faster than everyone else.”
As the debate over Teigen’s latest post continues, one thing remains clear: she’s not letting internet critics dictate how she shares her life. Despite the backlash, she continues to maintain her signature candid approach, unapologetically giving fans a glimpse into her family life, whether they approve or not.
