As a Black woman, it’s been obvious for a long time that many brands barely consider me—and women like me—in their board rooms, beauty labs and marketing strategies. With global campaigns often only championing and catering to one skin tone, as well as only presenting one version of “beautiful,” I’ve often felt so alienated. And it isn’t just me—this is a feeling that I know many women of colour can relate to. What I’ve always wanted? To be able to walk into any mainstream store and to pick a product off the shelf with the confidence that it has been created to make me look and feel beautiful too.
Looking back to my younger years, I would face a real struggle trying to find a foundation that suited my complexion, a lipstick that matched my version of “nude” and eye shadows that were both rich in pigment and complementary to my skin tone.
But there has been a shift. Fast forward to today’s beauty climate and it would appear that brands have finally noticed our spending power with the gap in the market finally being addressed. Many brands are now realigning their focus when it comes to honouring diversity, inclusivity and transparency in a move that I hope is more than just a passing a trend.
For women of colour, beauty companies are finally becoming receptive to our needs. But although this is new for some, there have been many beauty brands that have stood by us from the start—genuinely celebrating all women by grounding their vision and guidelines in the importance of inclusivity and diversity.
