Estée Lauder Cosmetics, owner of brands Clinique, La Mer, MAC Cosmetics and Origins, is the latest cosmetic company to be hit with accusations of racism.
The company has decided to review its beauty products as it tries to get ahead of the racism accusations and criticisms that have been aimed at rival companies who have sold similar skin-lightening products with marketing campaigns that some consumers have deemed insensitive.
As told in a memo to Bloomberg News, the company will “re-evaluate skin-care and makeup lines” for “cultural sensitivity”. This move comes after the company was confronted by employees over racial matters earlier this summer in response to the national riots and protests that began after the murder of George Floyd in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
This is the letter that was shared with Estée Lauder Companies global employees in response to the confrontation on June 7, 2020.
“Dear Colleagues,
We have all taken time recently to grabble with the systemic racial injustice that has plagued the United States for far too long. We know that each of you is working through this as individuals, as families, as communities and together a company.
We are a company committed to living our values and we are proud of the overall progress and commitment we have made to inclusion and diversity, but we also recognize that we have much more to do in order to accomplish greater results.
We stand in solidarity with our Black employees, Black consumers and Black communities and firmly believe Black lives matter. We are committed to doing more as allies at our company, in our communities and throughout this country.
As promised, we are following up with the next steps we will be taking in the United States that have informed by your invaluable feedback. Some of these actions will be immediate, others will take time, but all will be impactful. A few of these actions are accelerations of programs that are already in place, while others are completely new, and all reflect our history of constant improvement.
Rooted in our long-held values of respect for the individual, inclusion and equality, these commitments will help us in our continuous efforts to make equity a reality at The Estée Lauder Companies.”
Read the rest of the company’s feature on their commitment to racial equity here.
Amid nationwide protests against systemic racism that have lasted through the summer, beauty giants L’Oreal SA, Johnson & Johnson and Beiersdorf AG have been among numerous companies that have been criticized for selling products designed to lighten skin. This comes on the grounds of perpetuating colorism, which is defined as [the] “prejudice or discrimination against individuals with a dark skin tone.”
Johnson & Johnson’s Neutrogena Fine Fairness serum was discontinued. Products being reviewed include assessing the use of terms “brightening” and “lightening.” These types of products are popular in Asia, representing an $8.3 billion market globally.
Estée Lauder senior vice president Susan Akkad said in a telephone interview that the cultural sensitivity team will be making sure that products have appropriate shading. They will also be considering local and regional cultural influences.
Additionally, the appraisal will determine if certain products should offer wider ranges of shades or formulas for a more diverse set of consumers. Historically, the beauty industry has neglected darker skin tones when it comes to developing shades and formulas.
“We need to make sure that our communication is positive and sensitive in every part of the world,” said Akkad.