The beauty world is an industry that is quickly and constantly growing. As soon as a product is announced we see beauty gurus uploading videos on YouTube or Instagram with product details. We, the consumers, get excited about mostly any product, from a blinding highlight to a mascara that will hold our curled lashes in place. However, skin products like foundation and concealer are what a majority of consumers really care about; as it is what will even out the skin tone, hide our breakouts and dark circles. Yet, when some brands announce they’re releasing a new skin product and hype it up, they ruin the campaign by not catering to all people.
Exclusivity
(Photo by Whitney Dawn Bailey on Instagram)
One of the best aspects of the beauty world is that anyone has the right to wear makeup whenever and however they want. From a natural everyday day look to a dramatic colorful or smokey eye, makeup is a creative outlet; there is no wrong way to use makeup because we all have our own unique preferences. This becomes a difficult thing to do when some makeup brands exclude certain groups of people, and this is most evident in products that are marketed towards skin like foundation, concealer, powder, etc. How are people supposed to glam themselves up or express themselves if they cannot find a product that fits their skin tone? Recently, this issue has made headlines yet again when high end brand Givenchy gave a glimpse of their new foundations and concealers. The shade range was essentially offensive and become something people are not happy with.
A Lesson Never Learned
(Photo by Tarte Cosmetics on Instagram)
Earlier in 2018 the makeup brand Tarte Cosmetics faced backlash from consumers when they released a non-inclusive shade range to their hyped up and much anticipated Shape Tape foundation. Everyone was excited to finally see their favorite concealer in a foundation formula, but many were crushed when they saw that the brand did not release a bottle in their skin shade, there were not enough color shades for consumers with darker skin tones. Some buyers argued that they thought the shades were appropriate enough and others said the brand would probably release more shades in the future. The comment that stood out the most to me was one that many kept on saying as well, which was that a makeup brand does not always get it right the first time around. The thing is that this brand had already released other types of foundations, which also had a lack of shades; not only that but they sell the most loved concealer on the market at the moment and had more success there. How is it that the team in charge of selecting shades thought that the range they were putting out was enough? Their social media is filled with comments from consumers asking for more diverse shades, yet it seems that the needs of the consumers were not in mind when this campaign was planned.
Consumers made their concerns well known to pretty much the entire beauty community, beauty gurus and influencers also made had their say in this and sided with the consumers saying that the shade ranges was unacceptable. It is 2019 and brands should know that the targeted consumer is anyone who has skin and likes to wear makeup. Why is it that makeup brands see what other brands fail at and not do anything to change their own product to keep the consumer happy and make them feel included at the first try or work to expand ranges. Givenchy and other brands know that society is done with seeing a lack of diversity and yet they continue to release products that exclude a big group of consumers.
Some Brands Do Get It
(Photo by NYX Cosmetics on Instagram)
In the middle of 2018, the beauty world caught a break when NYX Cosmetics collabed with beauty influencer Alissa Ashley, together they worked on releasing a foundation range that was obtainable to all beauty lovers. Throughout the year the brand has been releasing more shades, but on their first try they had the interests of the consumers in mind and worked to give them what they wanted. During June of 2018 Too Faced Cosmetics partnered with beauty influencer Jackie Aina to expand the shade range to the beloved Born This Way Foundation. Too Faced did what some brands don’t, which was go back to the lab and create more ranges because they know they did not include everyone on the first try.
Final Thoughts
I agree that if it’s your first time doing something then it is inevitable that there will be some mistakes, but some brands have been in the industry for years and they continue to sell products that don’t include everyone; they don’t even seem to make an effort to expand when they see they messed up. Tarte did eventually expand their shade range, hopefully Givenchy and other brands do too and hopefully other brands know that they should try harder to be more diverse at their first try and then they can keep adding if that’s what the consumers want. Makeup is a tool that allows creative expression and to help some feel powerful, this is a tool that should be available to all people; it shouldn’t be something that gives one group an advantage over the other and it shouldn’t make anyone feel that they are less important. I know it is hard to get things right on the first try but all we ask is that there is an effort and thought put into a collection.