When Fenty Beauty stepped out on the beauty scene and proudly showcased its 40 shades of foundation, range of models and genuine understanding of inclusive beauty representation, other brands took notice and began publicizing their understanding of inclusion. Even in their efforts, some brands still fall short of recognizing all the areas in which diversity matters.
For years, women of color have sought to be more than a talking point in the beauty world. And although it would take a few posts to break down all the reasons why a few token models, less-than-impressive foundation/concealers shades and tone-deaf advertisements are not what we're looking for, let's just talk about what we DO have time for.
Two digital content creators Micaéla Verrelien and Aysha Sow came together to create the "WOC" Visual Campaign which highlights several women of color who are making strides in the beauty and fashion industries. The creators spoke to Teen Vogue and shared they wanted to show if women of all colors, sizes and backgrounds are given an opportunity to be represented, the beauty industry would experience a positive shift.
“Taking a chance [on other people] can be risky. Products and publications have to sell, but I believe that taking a risk on someone can allow barriers of beauty to come down. It will give all women of color a chance to possibly be chosen for a campaign — and not be shunned at the door just because they don't have the look that is ‘in’ for women of color at the moment," Micaéla told Teen Vogue.
"The beauty industry has a long way to go when it comes to inclusivity. But I firmly believe that if [people in power] give women of all types of backgrounds the same equal chance to be represented then there will be a huge shift in the beauty industry,” Aysha told Teen Vogue.
From their bright-colored outfits to the diversity of their looks, this is the level of representation we long to see made the norm among the beauty brands we support. It is important for the products we purchase to work across the board, but it is just as important for the brands to connect with their buyers and seeing diverse models, not just the token few, is a great place to start.