7 of the Best Beauty Brands for Diversity/Inclusivity
When it comes to diversity and inclusivity, the beauty industry still has a hell of a lot of work to do. Things have come a long way, sure, however there are still imbalances that need to be addressed, and biases (both conscious and unconscious) that need to be examined and ultimately unlearned. From the seemingly glamorous environs of a fashion show to something as quotidian as finding the right foundation shade in a department store, people of colour still often get what could charitably be described as a raw deal. I remember being horrified when, during an otherwise light-hearted appearance on The Jonathan Ross Show, British supermodel Jourdan Dunn detailed the level of prejudice she has experienced backstage. “The make-up artist came along and she looked at me and she was like — and she didn’t think I could hear — she was like I don’t want to do her make-up, she’s black and I’m white, I’m not comfortable, I just don’t want to do it and I was like oh, OK,” Dunn revealed. “But here’s my thing, if you’re a make-up artist, you should be able to do any type [of skin].” It goes without saying that she is absolutely correct. I was equally dumbfounded when, in her appearance on Madeleine Spencer’s brilliant Beauty Full Lives podcast, the journalist Ateh Jewel described the myriad microaggressions and oh-no-we-don’t-have-that-in-your-colour putdowns a simple trip to her nearest make-up counter would invite. It blows my mind that this is still happening.
As a white woman (and a fairly bloody pale one at that) I worry that I may be speaking out of turn in writing this post, but then the very essence of privilege is to assume that a problem doesn’t exist just because you yourself do not experience it. So, just because I can walk up to any given brand’s counter and expect to receive a good-enough colour match, or to find other products to complement my skin tone, doesn’t mean that the very same exercise wouldn’t be triggering and traumatic for a person of colour. After all, many brands that are popular here in the UK still aren’t doing enough in terms of diversity and inclusivity, and it pains me to have to indict one or two of my favourites on this count. Chanel? They’re not so good — my beloved Vitalumière Aqua Ultra-Light Skin Perfecting Makeup, for example, is currently only available in 17 shades. Dior? Same story, although things did improve somewhat with the arrival of their Backstage Face & Body Foundation, which comes in 40 shades. But even so, diversity and inclusivity is about so much more than just finding the right foundation shade — what about the blushers, eyeshadows and lipsticks, for instance? Have they been developed with people of colour in mind? Are the campaigns diverse enough? Has the brand been founded with people of colour at its core, or has it only ever excluded them? These are all questions I kept in mind when putting together this post.
So, the above issues notwithstanding, I have handpicked seven brands which I feel are ahead of the pack when it comes to diversity and inclusivity. Several of these were founded with diversity and inclusivity as their MO — like Fenty Beauty, for example — whereas others, such as Lancôme, are much older, “whiter” brands which have undergone a much-needed ideological retrofit. This wasn’t necessarily the easiest list to compile, however, so I imagine a number of brands out there will need to give these matters some serious thought going forward. As always, please let me know your thoughts, and if you have any suggestions or additions to make.
Anastasia Beverly Hills
Perhaps best known for their high-performing brow products, Anastasia Beverly Hills, which was founded in 1997 by Romanian-American businesswoman Anastasia Soare, have slowly yet confidently made their way into the world of colour — after all, who could forget the flurry of excitement and endless waitlisting that accompanied the arrival of their Modern Renaissance Eyeshadow Palette back in 2016? It may have taken ABH a little while to come out with a solid base range of their own, however the launch in 2019 of their Luminous Foundation showed that they had taken their time with good reason: it comes in 50 shades, encompassing a huge range of intensities and undertones, with medium and darker skins being especially well catered for. Luminous Foundation also happens to be cruelty-free and vegan, as well as gluten, paraben and oil-free, which is a happy bonus.
Bobbi Brown
Although she is no longer affiliated with the brand that bears her name, Bobbi Brown the person was well ahead of her time in terms of understanding undertones, and the importance of finding the perfect colour match in achieving that fabled “no make-up, make-up” look. All of Bobbi Brown’s foundations, concealers and correctors have long been available in a broad range of shades, and the brand’s ad campaigns have always championed diversity and inclusivity, too. Bobbi Brown’s number-one foundation, Skin Long-Wear Weightless Foundation SPF 15, is now available in 42 shades, with a number of options for darker skins.
Fenty Beauty
No discussion of diversity and inclusivity within the beauty industry would be complete without mentioning Fenty Beauty, whose launch back in 2017 caused a seismic shift in how brands cater to people of colour. The brainchild of R&B megastar and veritable career chameleon Rihanna, Fenty Beauty had diversity and inclusivity in its DNA long before any of their products had hit the shelves. From the two foundation ranges with 50 shades apiece to the unprecedentedly generous eight shades of powder bronzer on offer, inclusivity pervades everything that Fenty Beauty puts out there, and to say that they have changed the state of play in the beauty industry is certainly no understatement.
Lancôme
I deliberated over whether or not to include Lancôme in this round-up because, for better or worse, they are owned by L’Oréal, and a cursory Google will inform you that L’Oréal are hardly covering themselves in glory at the moment. But, perceptions of the parent company aside, Lancôme have really upped their game in terms of diversity and inclusivity in recent years, and this is reflected in both their ad campaigns and their product ranges. When Lancôme relaunched their bestselling Teint Idole foundation as Teint Idole Ultra Wear a few years ago, they did so with a range of 45 shades which, although long overdue, was an unprecedented move for them. A splashy ad campaign featuring Taylor Hill and Lupita Nyong’o followed, with “real women” at the centre of much of the other promotional activity. (The American actress and singer Zendaya Coleman, who is of mixed heritage, is one of their newest global ambassadors.)
MAC
Long before the matters of diversity and inclusivity rightly found themselves at the forefront of everyone’s minds, MAC was a brand that took pride in catering to everyone, irrespective of age, gender, race, sexuality, or pretty much any other factor you could think of. In fact, this ethos is explicitly written into the mission statement on the MAC website: “MAC celebrates diversity and individuality — we are for All Ages, All Races, All Genders.” Accordingly, MAC’s range of shades for their foundations, powders and other base products has always been vast, and a wide variety of skin types and preferences are taken into account, too. Their now-iconic Studio Fix Fluid Foundation SPF 15, for example, is available in an impressive 67 shades.
NARS
The story of NARS isn’t entirely dissimilar to the story of MAC — they were founded at a similar time, with chic, monochromatic packaging and a no-holds-barred approach to colour — but, where MAC has always been welcoming of all, François Nars’ eponymous make-up range has always been decidedly high fashion, and more than a little bit provocative. That said, their award-winning foundations and concealers, including my personal favourite Radiant Creamy Concealer, are available in a broad spectrum of shades. Furthermore, François Nars is known for having understood undertones long before many other make-up artists did, so with NARS you’re guaranteed a natural, flattering finish. I particularly recommend the Sheer Glow Foundation, which is now available in 40 shades.
Pat McGrath Labs
Last but by absolutely no means least, we have Pat McGrath Labs. The terms icon and iconic are used all too liberally nowadays (and perhaps nowhere more so than within the worlds of fashion and beauty) but British make-up artist Pat McGrath really is nothing short of an icon. In 2014, she was awarded an MBE for services to the fashion and beauty industry, and in 2019 she was included among TIME’s 100 most influential people. Pat McGrath Labs, her namesake range of high-performance products, was founded in 2015 and has slowly but steadily grown into a billion-dollar brand. As a black woman herself, and one with several decades’ worth of experience in make-up no less, McGrath understands the importance of a diverse and inclusive shade range — her much-vaunted Sublime Perfection Foundation is available in a not-too-shabby 36.
This piece was originally published on Part Time Beauty in 2020.