Fenty Beauty and Diversity in the Makeup Industry
Badgalriri launched her ever-so-anticipated makeup line, Fenty Beauty, on Sept. 8. In the days leading up to the launch, the makeup world was going crazy. With her launch party in Brooklyn on Sept. 7, beauty industry regulars such as Manny MUA, Jackie Aina, and Duckie Thot were able to see the products, swatch them, and give their fans and hopeful future Fenty Beauty owners a sneak peak.
Before the products were made available to anyone, there was talk about the foundation’s shade range. Given that Rihanna is a woman of color, it was assumed that the songstress turned beauty mogul would have a wider shade range or more options available for women of color than other makeup brands such as Yves Saint Laurent and Almay.
Fenty boasts 40 shades of the Pro Filt’r Soft Matte Longwear Foundation. The shades range from very light, to fit those who have albinism, to very dark, typically with shades in each of three undertones — warm, neutral, and cool. Some shades carry a peach undertone, while others carry an olive one. According to the website, the foundation has “custom pigment levels to capture your truest tones.”
While there’s plenty of controversy in the makeup industry regarding women of color and the availability of makeup for them, there’s also a lack of diversity at the other extreme. Many people can’t find their perfect shade because they are lighter than the colors offered. Those who are albino often have trouble finding shades that match their skin tone, and when they do, it’s often the wrong undertone. Rihanna’s attention to not only the issues faced by women of color, but also to those faced by people on the other end, shows her determination to take a lead in the makeup industry.
When the songstress launched her beauty line and revealed the shades on social media, many other established makeup brands took notice. Companies such as Kylie Cosmetics, Estee Lauder, and Cover FX all quickly fled to Instagram to show off their multi-shade range and try to catch the attention of women of color — the audience Rihanna has already targeted with her new line.
Throughout the history of the beauty industry, there has been an issue with racism and colorism — companies will tend to target those with lighter complexions and completely miss the mark for women of color. “Black women still have relatively limited foundation options compared with the total number in the market,” said Andrea Arterbery, beauty journalist for Cosmopolitan. Many companies lack the products for women darker than “medium,” whether that’s foundation, powder, lipsticks, blushes, or highlighters. Many products throughout the industry are dependent on the skin complexion of the person wearing it — a certain nude lipstick will look different on a pale person than a darker skin person.
The answer many companies give to the question about lack of diversity is that they don’t see the demand. The demand, though, has been seen by companies such as Bobbi Brown, Black Up, Black Opal Beauty, and Maybelline. The need is there. It just is not being met.
In some cases, companies will create those darker shades, but it’s up to the retailers to stock those shades. “Beauty executives … say retailers are not as apt to give shelf space to foundation shades from the middle to darker range in regions that are predominantly white because they don’t sell,” Arterbery said. Darker shades are more likely to be found in stores that are located in big cities. “Regions that do move medium to darker-toned products tend to be confined to areas like Manhattan, Miami, and Los Angeles,” Arterbery said. Racial minorities exist everywhere, though, not just in big cities. While the population of minorities might not be as predominant as the white population in some areas, it is still there. Cosmetic brands can’t just ignore a whole population. “With the U.S. Census Bureau reporting in June 2017 that all racial and ethnic minorities are growing faster than whites, that excuse no longer holds water,” Arterbery said.
When companies do have darker shades, they are often comprised of the wrong undertones — turning out too red or too ashy. There are usually various colors used to create a shade. When creating darker colors, some chemists put in too much black, which leaves a bruised look. “For a caramel hue, there may be too much red or yellow, which can leave skin looking orange,” Arterbery said. “Sometimes, chemists add titanium dioxide, a pigment used in many cosmetics to add coverage. Result: an ashy finish.”
These darker shades also tend to have names such as “cocoa” or “nutmeg,” tokenizing the black woman.
The makeup brands that do have wider shade ranges can often be found in the drugstore. Brands such as L’Oréal, NYX, and Maybelline are some of the most diverse in the drugstore beauty world. They can be found in stores such as Walmart, CVS, and Target. Not only do they provide more than just two or three darker shades for women of color, unlike many other brands, but they do it for a cheaper price.
L’Oréal’s True Match foundation offers 33 shades each in one of three undertones — warm, neutral, and cool — and retails for $10.95.
One would think that of the makeup brands that are considered “diverse,” most would be high-end rather than drugstore. High-end brands have more resources and money to expand their lines to be inclusive, yet they don’t deliver in that field. Earlier this year, Yves Saint Laurent, a well-known and praised high-end makeup brand, came under fire because of their lack of diversity.
In August, YSL released its new longwear foundation. Although it’s available in 22 shades, “just a couple of them skew toward the deeper side of the shade spectrum,” according to Allure. They claimed it “suited all skin tones,” but had to retract that statement once they received backlash. YSL is just one example that illustrates colorism in the makeup industry.
While many well-known companies do lack diversity, some brands are spot-on. Bobbi Brown’s Skin Foundation comes in 30 shades, with multiple options for those with darker skin tones. Maybelline’s Fit Me Matte + Poreless Foundation comes in 40 shades. Make Up For Ever’s Ultra HD Invisible Color Foundation also comes in 40 shades. When Rihanna came out with her shade range, people were shocked to see the disparity in shades — but they shouldn’t have been. Although not all makeup brands have come around to being black girl friendly, there are many that have. While Rihanna’s line can be praised for its inclusivity, there are many brands that do recognize the makeup market for women of color. Is Riri really a pioneer in this field? Either way, these foundation shades are making us wonder, “Where have you been all my life?”
