The Prism: Every Side of the Story

Incomplete Inclusivity


Walking into a store that specializes in makeup like Ulta, or MAC, one expects to  find shades that match their skin tone. But if you’re someone who may happen to have a darker skin tone, then their options are more limited than they would be if they had a fairer skin tone. Many brands, in an attempt to be more inclusive, have expanded their lines, but the majority falls short, usually having shades for lighter skinned black people and leaving darker tones behind.

In 2018, the popular brand “Tarte,” produced their new “Hydrating Foundation,” but the line had fifteen shades, of which, only three were for darker skin tones. A more high-end brand that fashioned a non-inclusive foundation line was “YSL.” Their specific line consisted of twenty two shades, and only three their foundations catered to people who were of a darker complexion.

However, with the launch of “FENTY Beauty,” by Rhianna, makeup lovers  everywhere were shown what a brand of makeup that is truly inclusive looks like. Her inspiration behind building her brand was to, “Focus on a wide range of traditionally hard-to-match skin tones, creating formulas that work for all skin types, and pinpointing universal shades,” and she truly achieved that with her fifty plus shades of foundation.

Hopefully, as we step further into the future, and makeup continues to travel through trends, companies will see their lack of inclusivity, and strive to better it. Another hope is that people of all skin tones and skin types find products which match their skin so that individuals won’t be limited.


The PRISM Press
