'As a Black Beauty Editor, I finally feel seen'

'I still remember the first ribbon-tied bag that landed on my desk. For a veteran beauty editor ,a stream of chic invitations and packages containing new products to review is a given, but for an intern, it’s always a thrill.Underneath the scented tissue was a gold compact engraved with my name. Inside the compact was a setting powder in a shade of ballet-slipper pink, described on the accompanying press release as 'universal'.

MAC Studio Fix lent my skin a velvety matteness straight from the pages of my favourite magazines, igniting a love of make-up that eventually led to a career in beauty journalism. Here, I could experiment freely with the handful of brands offering deeper shades: Kevyn Aucoin, Ruby & Millie, Bobbi Brown, Nars and Iman Cosmetics.

He believes it was accountants, not scientists, who were responsible for limited ranges. ‘The big brands bulk-bought ingredients, produced limited shade ranges, and then spent millions marketing them. Yes, it was costly for us to formulate 26 very light to very dark shades, but Illamasqua counters became a destination for the customers who had been marginalised by the industry – and those sales offset the expense.

It was a stinging micro-aggression, which tuned in to my insecurities about my own appearance; and when a brunette model was booked instead, whatever passion I had left for the industry evaporated. I retreated from magazines and started to consume my own beauty content online, learning more about my dark skin and textured hair from blogs than from my decade spent interviewing mainstream experts.

‘Many brands simply add black pigment to existing formulas,’ explains Adeola Gboyega, artistry manager at Pat McGrath Labs. ‘Black skin comes in a multitude of hues, which the best foundation ranges reflect through formulas with varying undertones and intensity.’ The broader the range, the more likely you’ll find the perfect match, says Gboyega, who recommends we seek out brands that show some understanding of this in the way they group and name their shades.

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Source: ELLE Magazine (US) - 🏆 472. / 51 Read more »