Bias and a Lack of Inclusivity in the Beauty Industry

For many people, finding the perfect shade of makeup can be a challenge. After trying shades that are too pale or too orange, one might give up and think that makeup companies simply don’t manufacture products for their skin tone- - they wouldn’t be wrong for thinking so. In fact, about 80% of women have struggled with finding a shade match in foundation. One-hundred years after wearing makeup became a mainstream practice, most beauty brands still do not have a wide range of shades.

Online publication, The Pudding, found that most makeup companies create far more lighter shades than darker shades of foundation. On average, beauty brands will produce around 10-15 paler shades, and only about 2-5 darker shades of makeup. Many people believe that for a makeup brand to be inclusive, it must offer a large amount of shades. However, it really means that brands should have an inclusive distribution of shades, prioritizing darker shades just as much as light shades.

Earlier this year, the TikTok famous makeup brand, Youthforia, came under criticism for having a very limited shade range. The owner of the brand tried to defend themselves by saying that because they had a limited budget, they could not produce darker shades. Although producing darker shades of makeup costs no more than producing lighter shades, many brands have still tried to quell critics by saying they only have the money to produce lighter shades. Makeup brands must prioritize customers of all skin colors, and even if they have a limited budget, their few products can still span a wide range of color.

The bias within the beauty industry goes further than exclusion. Data scientist, Amber Thomas, found that while darker shades of makeup tend to be named after food products, such as mocha, java, and chocolate, lighter shades of makeup tend to be named after prized objects, like pearls and gold. Additionally, she found that 80% of shades named with the words “nude” or “natural” were made for lighter skinned individuals, even though those adjectives can be used to describe people of all skin tones.

It is absolutely unacceptable that, in 2023, makeup brands still discriminate against darker skinned individuals. From bias in naming, to excluding the shades of darker skinned people completely, these brands have constantly been failing their customers. Everyone deserves to find a makeup shade that matches their skin and makes them feel confident, regardless of their skin tone. By creating a wider range of shades and prioritizing inclusion, makeup brands can help create a more inclusive future where everyone is able to express themselves through makeup.