Beauty brands have apparently learned nothing from the success of Fenty Beauty, and are continuing to put out foundations with limited shade offerings. The latest offender: It Cosmetics.
The company announced its forthcoming “Bye Bye Foundation Full Coverage Moisturizer” on Instagram, which shows off 12 shades. Out of the dozen, only three fall into the brown or “rich” category, the darkest of which wouldn’t work on most “deep” complexions. As has been the case in the past, users flanked the brand’s Twitter and Instagram with their discontent over the pitiful selection.
Refinery29 reached out to It Cosmetics for comment, and a rep explained that they “are working on a new complexion product that will be available in 40+ shades early next year.” A convenient excuse, which we’ve heard from companies in the past. If that’s the case, then what brands need to do is wait to release the full collection, when all of the shades are ready, and not just a select few that just so happen to be mostly white. Otherwise, expect to receive backlash.
Circling back to Fenty Beauty, its products flew off shelves because Rihanna was associated with it, yes, but, also, because she made sure that the collection included foundation shades—a whopping 40, in fact—for a full range of customers and not just those who fall within the pale-to-caramel spectrum. It’s exhausting to remind brands constantly of black women’s buying power, but, also, that we deserve—at the bare minimum—to be considered when creating products. It’s inexcusable and, at this point, has turned into being insulting.
It’s 2018 friends and inclusiveness is no longer an option, it’s a requirement. Let’s remember that moving forward.
