Makeup companies are well-known for providing a variety of products to appease the masses. The “Sephoras” and “Ultas” of the world have created quite a name for themselves amongst beauty lover across the world.
Makeup is such a wonderful thing and can really change the look of your face. It has the ability to brighten and highlight the natural features of a face while helping you feel confident and beautiful. The amazing thing about it too, is how easy it is to manipulate different products and colours and create different types of looks. While not everyone wears makeup, it is still a great tool in helping you achieve an even more beautiful shade of you.
One very large problem that exists within the makeup world, however, is the lack of diverse shades. Everyone has a different skin tone, type and texture and many companies don’t adhere to those factors. For girls who are either really pale or have a darker skin tone, it can be really difficult to find that perfect shade.
In addition, the companies that DO cater towards these skin tones are either way too pricey or are difficult to access. This lack of diversity within companies is also an indication of a resistance to change. Canada and the U.S are multicultural countries, so this troublesome factor is quite costly to the well-being of many different companies who have started from the ground up.
Fortunately, there are things being done about this issue.
Due to the Dove “Love your body” campaigns, many people have started to embrace their bodies and makeup companies have responded to the masses. According to madamenoire.com, beauty brands such as Bobbi Brown, MAC and Estee Lauder are expanding their product range. MAC recently introduced their new line of foundations called the MAC Moisture foundations that have new shades and are light on the skin. The product formulation aims to reach out the dry-skinned gals, but the product works just as well on oily/combo skinned girls too. Just don’t forget to use a long-lasting face primer!
Bobbi Brown also has many different types of foundations available for the modern consumer. Their stick foundation is one of the most popular amongst beauty lovers and comes in 19 different shades. This product is made for all skin types. Check out the info here.
Even newbies to the face makeup world such as Kat Von D have offered up a large range of different shades of foundation. Her “Lock-It Tattoo Foundation” (which is one of my personal favourites) comes in over 10 different shades to choose from. The line clearly caters to people with extremely pale skin to darker, African/Indian skin tones. While it is a more pricey foundation, it has full coverage and lasts all day.
Looking for a drugstore alternative?
Try Covergirl’s new “TruBlend” foundations. According to Dr. Sarah Vickery at Proctor & Gamble Beauty, the U.S CoverGirl did a major study to see where exactly their makeup shades were lacking. The results indicated that it was lacking most amongst African Americans, Latinas and Asian-American women. These results set the company into action and they completely revisited and revised their previous TruBlend line.
The feedback from this change has been great, as many beauty bloggers love the new result. It seems that taking a page out of L’Oreal’s book (known for their “True Match” collection) has been good for them.
No matter what your skin tone, you should have access to all the makeup you want. The problem with these companies is that they need to simply incorporate these shades into their collections permanently. Why shouldn’t they cater to everyone? Everyone is different and deserves to feel beautiful and/or experiment with different makeup.
What are your favourite makeup brands? Let us know in the comments or post a picture of your favourite makeup on Instagram and tag us @hercampus_uottawa.