THE BEAUTY INDUSTRY IS STILL FAILING WOMEN OF COLOUR
- chloeweaver6
- Aug 19, 2020
- 3 min read
Updated: Mar 3, 2022
In the wake of George Floyd’s death, as a new wave of Black Lives Matters activism ripples around the Black community and the World, the under representation of women of colour (WOC) in the beauty industry has not gone unnoticed.
For decades, WOC have been failed by the makeup industry, with Black women and those with darker skin tones systematically left out of beauty in advertising, product innovation and recruitment for far too long.
"I didn't see anyone in the beauty industry that I could actually relate to."
We spoke to twenty-four-year-old makeup artist, Imani S, to discuss the Black Lives Matter movement, the lack of options for WOC and how we as brands and consumers can tackle the problem head on.
Learning from platforms such as YouTube and Instagram, the Birmingham-based MUA discovered her love for makeup at a young age, but found herself discouraged by the lack of Black women in the industry, "I didn't see anyone in the beauty industry that I could actually relate to."
That was until artists such as Jackie Aina, Jennie Jenkins and Alissa Ashley burst onto the scene. "These women were the representation I and many others needed, they were pioneers for the Black makeup scene and paved the way for artists like myself to grow and create."
But despite Black MUAs making waves within the beauty world, the industry is still in need of a makeover of its own.
"Hiring or posting one light skin Black woman isn't enough and isn’t representation."
"Black women have been failed and underrepresented by the makeup industry for years." Imani explains. "The #PullUpOrShutUp challenge showed just how underrepresented we are by these brands that say they’re inclusive.
"There’s evidence of brands paying Black makeup influencers significantly less than their white counterparts. Black makeup artists have actively been the blueprint for countless makeup trends that beauty brands take and use for their own profit without hiring Black staff or even crediting the Black artists who have created these global trends.
"From PR to being reposted on makeup brand pages, Black artists are posted far less and there are so many of us. By not hiring Black makeup artists and catering to darker shades or even physically stocking darker shades in stores, Black women are being told that they do not matter. Hiring or posting one light skin Black woman isn't enough and isn’t representation."
"Many brands lack inclusive shade ranges"
According to Racked, Is the Makeup Industry Finally Embracing Diversity?, Black women spend $7.5 billion on beauty products each year, which is 80% more on cosmetics and twice as much more on skin care than any other consumer, so why are brands still being so dismissive?
"Many brands lack inclusive shade ranges." Says Imani, "it’s not that Black people are a small group compared to everyone else, our buying power is of the largest in the commercial world. As evidence shows when brands cater to us we buy in mass so there’s no excuse for the ignorance.
"Brands such as Revolution, Fenty beauty, UOMA beauty and NYX have the best ranges of shades for WOC."
"We need to actively support Black artists and content creators."
Arguably, Fenty Beauty paved the way for the makeup industry to open up their eyes to their lack of diversity in their shades of makeup when the brand was launched in 2017. It was a stepping stone, allowing WOC to finally be a part of the conversation in the makeup industry. But there is still a long way to go.
"We need to actively support Black artists and content creators. Comment, subscribe and repost creators, not just a follow." Explains Imani. "Buy from Black owned makeup brands who are often pushed down by larger companies, this isn’t telling you not to buy from non-Black owned companies but to give Black owned brands the recognition and engagement they deserve.
But the movement doesn't top here, there is much more to be done
The good news is, more Black-owned makeup brands exist now than ever, and drugstore's makeup brands have come a long way in recent years when it comes to providing a larger variety of products. This is a great development for WOC, but it doesn’t compensate for the range of make-up they have been deprived of for the past several decades.
And the movement doesn't stop here, there is much more that needs to be done to create an all-inclusive beauty industry, and it needs to start at the top, from big name brands.
Imani explains, "Brands need to educate themselves. Hire Black staff, hire and pay Black artists and actively be more inclusive to ALL Black women."
To see how you can play your part, follow the links below.
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